Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-09-23
SPRUNG A LEAK.
The Pumping of Water to the New Reser'
VoIr Stopped.

The Pumping OF Water to the New Reser-
vOIr stopped.
About twenty. i've hundred people visited
the new reservoir yesterday, expecting to
find it about full of water 0l the con-
trary, it was about empty; and what little
water there was in it was running out at
pretty lively rate through a good-sizsd
leak in the west side of the south compart-
ment.
The pump was run for about five hours,
Saturday afternoon and evening, at the
end of which time there was about four
feet of water in the lowest part Of the south
compartment About this time big leak
made its appearance on the west face OF the
hill, issuing from the earth at the point
where the waste pipe pTotrudes, and 1t
became evident tina. halt must
be made until the break could be repaired.
The pump was accordingly stopped, and
matters were allowed TO rest until yester-
day. At o'clock yesterday afternoon the
scale on the standpipe in the southwest
corner of the basin showed there was bat
hUUuL lCCt VI UaAtA nhhA ~
the basin, while in the north end Of the
upper compartment, there was bat about
inches on the brick paving OF the bot
tom. Something like 300, 900 gallons had
escaped.
The trouble was easily located. Near the
southwe corner a trench, from four to six
feet wide, and at the deepest part nearly
fifteen feet below the surface, had bsen
cut through the solid earth and rock OF
the hill side TO allow the placing OF ten
inch waste pipe, to be used in cleaning the
basin, or for the discharge of the
contents should it for any reason
become necessary. In filling this trench
it was very difficult to make tight JOB
oft. The clay padding placed 10 the
interior of the reservoir, as water-tlght
backing for the brick work, was relied
upon, however, to make everything safe,
bat in spite of all precautions, the water
worked its way through the earth, run
ming along the ditch and making its appear
snce at the surface about fifty feet down
the side of the hill, and near the old req
ervoir fence.
Alta very early hour yesterday morning
visitors began TO ascend the bill for view
of the basin, and by noon probably 6OO
hai made the trip. 10 the afternoon the
crowd grew larger, and from until 4:3O
O'Clock there was ali the way from 300
TO 500 people on the hilltop, the throng
coming and going necessarily. Hundreds
of ladies made the trip, and between the
examination of the reservoir ard the we"
Of the surrounding scenery, all were de-
lighted.
A member of the Water Board was seen
last evening about lhe leak in the basin.
He said:
"The defect will have 10 be remedied by
Contractor Chisholm BIZ fore the job is taken
off his hands. What the delay will be l
cannot cay, but suppose it will not be long;
The ditch will have TO be partially cleaned
out and grouted and cemented co as TO oe
perfectly water tight."
Isn't there another plsce, on the east
side. where an opening was made to allo"
carts TO dump material over the face oil the
hili?"
"Yes; bat we have little fear of leak
there. The gap was closed By wall five
feet thick at the bottom and four feet at
the top, and that was securely cemented
and backed up with clay and earth. think
that is going to hold all right"