Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-22
CLEANING THE BASIN.
Why the Water Supply Was Low in
the Allegheny Hill Districts,
AND THE HOUSEWIVES GRUMBLED.
Cars on the Electric Railway Stopped by
the Deficiency.
CAUSE OF DARKNESS IN THE PARKS

Superintendent Edward Armstrong. ofthe
Allegheny Water Department, is engaged
with q large force of men in cleaning out
the reservoir or basin at the upper end of the
city. The basin has not been cleaned for
about five years, and is said to contain a
large deposit of mud. The water having
been drawn off, the mud is dredged from the
bottom Of the basin, and is run down long
chute into the river. The work will require
about three days.
The hydraulic pressure exerted by the
great body of water contained in the basin,
which is kept pumped full at all times ex-
cept at present, adds considerably to the
force of the water in the pipes and largely
assists the engines at the water works pump
ing station in supplying all parts of the
city.
The withdrawal of the water in the basin
yesterday caused o material weakening of
the pressure. The pumping engines were
unable to force the fluid to the pipes in the
hill districts. At the same time heavy
draught on the supply was made by the
dozen engines working at the burning oil
refinery. The day was unusually hot, and
an extra amount of water was consumed in
the business portion of the city. During
the day several complaints reached the
Water Department that water could not be
obtained on the hills. No shortage was
found in the main part of the city. The
fire engines had all they wanted and
people down town were we'll supplied.
The failure of the water supply on the
hills brought the electrical railway of the
PIttsburg Motor Company, which runs
from City Hall over Observatory Hill, to
standstill. The motor house of that line is
situated on the Perryviile road, at con-
siderable elevation above the city, and
water could not be obtained in sufficient
quantity to supply the boilers and run the
engines. At the close of working hours
last evening many tired man and woman
had weary plod up the high hill.
NO LIGHT THERE.
the parks last night caused many persons to
think that the water supply had failed at
the motor station of the Allegheny County
Light Company on East Diamond street.
General Manager Blaxter supported this
opinion. ''The fact of the matter is, - he
said, "that we cannot get any water over in
Allegheny to work our engines"
"How many lights will be afected?"
81 have no idea at present. Of course we
shall do all we can to prevent q general
darkness, and do not think it will come to
that. But from the latest reports I have
obtained from Allegheny, our commercial
service will be very poor"
'"How will it affect this city?"
why, good many of the lights in
Pittsburg are run from our Allegheny ma
chimes, and, of course, if we cannot get
water to run them there is no light to be
had"
A reporter last evening visited the motor
house on East Diamond street. 1t was
ablaze with the glare of lightning and deaf
ening with the roar of machines. Every
wheel was turning. The chief engineer was
asked why there were no lights in the park.
He answered: 81 don't know. Everything
is all right here. I cannot tell what is the
matter with the park lights. All our other
lights are going"
The question was asked: SIS it possible
that somebody may have cut the wires in
the park circuit?"
"That might be,"the engineer replied;
''there must be break somewhere"
The engineer was asked if some of the
ugntS In flttSDurg were not run DV tue ma
chimes in the Allegheny house, and he an
swered: "Oh, no; none over there at all;
only on this side of the river"
THE PARKS DARK.
Many arc lights are furnished to stores on
Federal and Ohio streets. They were all
burning last night in splendid shape. In
the parks, however, there was almost
Egyptian darkness. The streets bordering
the parks have no gas lamps, but depend
for their light upon the bright electric halos
from the masts in the parks. Last night
| those halos were unanimously elsewhere,
and the residence parts of Allegheny near
the parks luxuriated in darkness. Pc
destrians slapped along the best way they
could; in and out of waterpools and mud
holes, and the third commandment suffered
many serious fractures. Had 1T not been for
| the heavy rain the parks would have been
the paradise of lovers last night. Those
hateful lights" were extinguished, but the
rustic seats were dIstressingly wet. 1t is
| hard to grow real spoony and sentimental
on a very wet bench. Quite a number of
| couples paced pensively, and with exceed
| ing deliberation, along the dark walks.
| Besides supplying the parks with arc
| lights, the light company furnishes the in
candescent lighting for the City Hall and
market house. The incandescent lights
were ell right. At about 9 o'clock the arc
| light over the gate to the municipal grounds
suddenly flashed up, and the detectives sit
ting about the door to the Mayors Office all
said, "Ah, ha! There she is.