The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-08

appreciate N 81 the people will be magnifed IN
the years 70 come, as our citizens make compar-
isons between cur oxn position aud that OF
tnoss coinmunitie. which are held in the grip
OF INSCRIPTIONS water corporations.
About the nrst of March, Mr.. williams in re-
Spouse to the instructions OF the council. sub
mitted plan for enlarginE the &C pscity OF the
pumping IS stem at Lake Washington and FUR
Hishsn- additional water a. as early dat. -
possible He recommended the purchase and
erection of two pumps OF joint capacity OF
900 900 gallons daily. the laying OF force
main al sixteen inches I'm diameter west from
the lake to the line of Rainier street, north ON
Rainier to Yeser avenue. thence by twenty
inch pipe on Yesler ~ enue to Fourteenth street,
thence By q tweive-ineh pipe 10 West street at
its intersection with YesIer avenue, all TO be OF
cast iron, and TO be connected with the old
Spring Hill system wherever il intersectcd the
same. This would double the present water
supply, and probably be sufficient for some
years to come, while the proposed line would
form an integral part OF q general distribution
system suitable to any source ofsupply. whether
pumping or gravity, and at the same time be
large enough 10 carry the work OF another pump
of ,2500 900 gallons daily capacity when il should
be deemed necessary to add the same to the
works at Lake Washington. This would then
bring the total capacity Of the present system to
about sig million gallons, and would probably
supply the city until such time as means can be
obtained to construct larger and permanent
works either at Lake Washington or Cedar
river.
On February Is the contract to furnish two
pumps of one and quarter million capacity
each was made with Henry r. Worthington OF
New York. On March IA contract was made
with Messrs Colt. Barton Cowles to furnish
pipe for this improvement n.3OO tonsl. and
forty-fve tons of lead. The pipe began to ar
rive April a. but came to hand slowly for some
time.
Andrews as superintendent Of construction, and
by the time the pipe had arrived in sufficient
quantity, he had large amount of excavation
done. The pipe was shipped from ST. Louis,
Mo-, by way OF the Union Pacific to Portland,
and presumably arrived there on regular time
but owing to some Misunderstanding between
the Union Pacific railroad and the Northern
Pacific. the csrs containing the pipe were side
tracked o. Portland. thus causing the delay Of
work, but the principal detention was in conse-
Quence OF the u. p. r. r. Co. deciding to tram
ship the pipe from the cars to their steamers at
Portland. and thence by sea to Seattle,
about 100 lengths being broken in thus hand
ling the same. 1t il estimated by your commit
tee that about two weeks were lost in waiting
for the pipe to be replaced from ST. Louis.
There has also been delay in the arrival of the
pumps, but one Of these is now due and the
other 10 a week behind. Mr. Andrews estimates
that II the first pump was now here, in twenty
days we can have water in the pipes The boil
e.s are set and steam connections will be COM
pleted this week. The pump seats have been
ready to screw the pumps down for some time.
The p ling and the crib for the suction pipe il
done, and in few days the suction pipe will be
laid.
There are in plsce and completed 1850 feet of
16-inch pipe (being all of that sze), and 400
feet of eo-inch pine. There are s.445 feet Of
trench dug, leaving to excavate about 40 feet
The pump house has been enlarged to probably
more than double its former size. 1t has been
charged in one newspap that there has bsen
some delay on account of the non-arrival of
lead. Such is not the case. The lead was
shipped from San Francisco by sail, but sufh-
cient lead was obtained in the city TO keep the
work going until the arrival of the vessel.
These vario7s delays and difficulties have been
annoying to the mayor and the committee not
only in their official capsciiy but also in their
private business The majority of these gentle
men having nearly all their worldly possessions
on the water front, they ere thus exposed
equally to risk OF frs with others, and are there
by furnished with double incentive to harry up
this work as fast as possible.
Your committee would, in conclusion, merely
enumerate few Of the things which, in addi-
ton to the foregoing, have been omplished
tlemen and Judge Lewis have been cri,icising
its actiois. The council. on the recommends
ton OF its responsible committee" az IL has
been called. and under the supervision of the
same. has made q complete survey and crosa Sec
tons OF the country between the city ana Cedar
river and also complete Typographical survey
of every part of the city. These surveys are in
valuable and absolutely necessary for the con-
struction OF water or sewerage system on any
plan adopted. 1t has also adopted distribu-
ton system which will be adapted to any plan,
either pumping or gravity. 1t laid the extern
sion of the Commercial street main. which fur
nished the water for the two large fires
on that street 1t laid the main on
West street, which furnished three good streams
at the Colman fire. 1t has boxed in all the
mains in the piled portion OF the city, thus OBJ
WAITING danger from freezing. 1t has placed
about twenty-five new hydrants. 1t has pre-
pared water ledger, containing complete rec
ord OF all consumers, with full statistics of the
occupancy OF each building, and also has an or
dinance providing for the government OF the
water department, ready for adoption the mo-
ment the city comes into possession of the
Spring Hill system, and the committee would
here state that everything on the part of the
city is in readiness 20 go with the water busi-
ness tomorrow IL we only had the money to pay
over to the company
Your committee has purchased for the fire
department under instructions from the coun.
ell, several lots and has procured plans and
the erection of five new engine.
houses, which your committee think will be
almost unequalled for excellence in any city
fully paid ire department has been organized
and all necessary equipments either furnished
or ordered. A complete fire alarm system has
been erected, plans and specifications procured
for powerful hreboat, which is now under
construction. The fire limit ordinances have
he xirfn
committee and under its care the tents have
faded away. The committee has prepared
plans and specifications for two new steam
barges to carry coal to the pumps at the lake
ana the contract for them will be let on july &
But time would fail to tell of the innumersble
m alters that have employed the leisure OF this
ease-loving committee during the past year. OF
the members composing the fire and water
committee, two are the active portion of the
street committee, one 10 also the chairman of
the sewer committee, two of them are in adji-
ton members OF the finance committee and
two OF the license committee. These rhree
members have also always taken their full
share in the general business of the council
But it seems to grow more ridiculous as your
committee draws 10 a close, that explanation or
Justification should be necessary on the mar, az
the council of this city for not attending To the
public business. There is hardly member
who has not devoted a very large portion of his
time and ability TO the duties of his Office. The
members have, in addition to their strictly
legislative duties. done eli the work which will
become the duty OF the various boards beinp
provided in the new charter. They have filed
every executive position from engineers down
to policemen. they have seen while in Office the
population double, and the work of the conrciI
increase at twice Il at ratio. This council has
done more real work during the past wear than
ali the preceding counc Is put together. And
yet the Chamber OF Commerce and Judge Lewis
are not satisfied.
Your committee wouli recommend that the
communication of the Chamhar ~ f-o,.-.---