Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-22

was an advertising scheme. Mr.. Cabot seemed
somewhat indignant when he learned of the
drift of sentiment and informed them that it
was purely philanthropic, and that it was
plan he had formed of giving different cities
fountains, that all could have water on the
streets free. He has also given fountains to
Boston and several other places.
THE FOUNTAINS LOCATED.
Yesterday afternoon Superintendent George
Browne and Chief Blgelow located four of the
fountains as follows: Corner eff Frankstown
and Lincoln avenues, East End; corner OF Penn
and Fifth avenues, East End, corner of Din
widdie street and Center avenue, and one at
Shadyside. The troughs are now on the A. v.
RR tracks at Sixteenth street, and the fountain
posts are being made at Boston. Mr.. Cabot is
young man. manufacturer of carbon black.
Warm drinking water is always the cause of
complaint In Pittsburg during summers. THE
DISPATCH has just completed some investiga-
tions along this line that are interesting as
showing the temperature of the hydrant water.
Just the cause of the different temperatures
of the water in different sections of the city,
and a remedy for the condition of the water,
aside from the use of ice have been often dis
cussed. and make an interesting study when
investigated. 1t was this incentive which led a
DISPATCH reporter last Thursday to pocket
Fahrenheit thermometer and start on tour
of investigation, following the water from the
time it left the Allegheny river at the city
water works, Brilliant station, until it flowed
from different hydrants in the city; testing its
temperature at different points along the route
ONE VALUABLE DISCOVERY.
At the water works First Assistant Engineer.
j. A. Bachelor assisted the reporter in making
the tests. They were made at 5 o'clock, after
the water had absorbed the hea; of the suns
rays during the whole day. The river showed
500. In the pumping pit in the engine house.
half way down, the thermometer showed 72Ro.
$40 warmer. This was the first addition of
heat and is caused, Mr.. Bachelor stated, by
the exhaust water from the vacuum pumps.
The air in the room was at S0o and stiff1ng
In the Hiland avenue reservoir to the left,
which was receiving the water from the en-
gines, the thermometer went down to 76o. In
the other part of the reservoir it rose to $40 the
difference being caused by the circulation of
the water in the one being pumped into, and
gives a striking illustration of what circulation
of water will do toward lowering the tempera-
ture.
The first hydrant, so feet from the reservoir,
showed 74o, 70 cooler than in the reservoir.
The air. at the time the tests were taken,
was at Slo, one degree above summer heat and
of the same temperature as the water in the
part of the reservoir not being pumped into
and from which the city received its supply
The water in the reservoirs was not muddy,
and, in the one not being pumped into looked
as blue and limpid as mountain pool
REMARKABLE FLUCTUATIONS.
Following the main pipe down North Hiland
avenue to No. s engine house, one and one
fourth miles from the reservoir, another test
was made, and it showed 75o, indicating that
the water only increased 10 in heat in one and
a half miles.
In Mr. H. A. Fishers house, on River avenue,
but few squares from No. engine house, the
water was at 65o, as it was also in several other
houses on the same street. This disclosed sew
eral reasons why the water is warmer
in some houses than in others. In
deadends of the pipe, OF where the
from the works, it is much cooler. Another
very important thing is the plumbing If the
service pipe is brought up near the furnace, or
exposed in close and sitting places beneath the
house, the water, of course, will be warm. In
many houses the trouble is traceable to this
cause.
At the depot in the East End the thermom-
eter stood at 66o, while at the Union depot
nearly five miles distant iG showed 74o. At
lower Bedford basin, the direct supply of the
greater portion of the city, 500 (summer heat)
was shown, while at upper Bedford basin the
thermometer stood at 760, probably accounted
for blythe higher elevation.
An outdoor hydrant short distance down
from Bedford avenue basin showed $50. house
on Sixth avenue 73o, and the water In the Sec
ond story OF THE DISPATCH building, Diamond
street, registered 7so The above facts furnish
food for thought and are given without further
comment.
IMPROVEMENTS ARE PROJECTED.
The question of warm water has been talked
considerably among the water officials of the
city; but nothing has been done toward solving
the question. A plan of covering over the
basins has been broached, but thought hardly
feasible, as the expense would be too great and
the matters of winter snow, ETC., would be set
backs.
A plan is now on foot in the Water Depart-
ment to do away with the lower Bedford basin
altogether, and in its stead have a pit IA to 20
feet square into which the water would flow
from the Hiland avenue reservoir and out
again into the different lines TO supply the city,
The supply in the pit would be governed by
automatic valves, SO that it could not overflow.
and. when the pumps stopped, the water would
stop flowing.
Mr.. George H. Browne, of the Bureau of
Water said yesterday that bids for the work
would be advertised soon. The pit will be of
masonry, and it is not expected to cost over
$1,000 or So, 600 to make the change.
The change would doubtless give much
cooler water and go great way toward solving
the much discussed question.