Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-13
ONE MAN'SABSENCE
BREAKS A QUORUM IN COUNCIL, LAST
NIGHT,
And Prevents Consideration Of Most Important
Matter-Pubic Business De-
layed Again.

The absence of one member OF the flrS'
Branch Of Council, last evening, prevented
the transaction of business, of which a
great deal was on hand, and especially
DELAYED action upon a very important com
munication from the Water Board, alluded
to in the REGISTER yesterday morning. a
quorum of members assembled in the Sec
ond Branch Chamber about a quarter past
eight, and after listening TO the reading OF
the minutes of the previous sessions, put
in half an hour or so awaiting the arrival
of members Of the First Branch. About
a quarter of nine that body got eight mem
bers together, but the ninth, necessary tc
make quorum. could not be found, al.
though the police visited the residences oil
several of the absentees.
On the Second Branch table, quite a
plumber of papers lay, awaiting action, IN
Guided in the bundle beinga lot OF Commit
tee bills, aggregating several hundred dol
lars. The following paper, from the Wa
ter Board, was also before the body
AN IMPORTANT NATTER.
To the MAJOR and Council Of the CITY Of
U'hcclng:
GENTLEMEN: The Water Board wishes
TO call your attention TO the condition OIL
the works under the Boards charge and
ask at YOUR hands prompt examination
of the present and future needs OF the
water department of the city. The new
reservoir will be soon completed, and 1t Is
expected. with the changes made in the
original plans, that 1t will hold nearly
I. 900. 900 gallons of water when full The
average daily consumption OF water by ouI
people is between 100000 and 6,OOO,OOt
gallons. To supply this quantity Will re
quire one and One-fourth times the tull ca
pacity of the reservoir every twenty-foul
hours. The city has four pumps at the
works Two of them can probably pump
100000 gallons each into the present
reservoir in twenty-fOur hours, but
cannot throw anv water into the
new one. The Worthiugton pump was pur-
chased with the understanding that IL
could throw 5000, 900 gallons per day into
the present reservoir. The GOrdon-MaX-
well pump is rated to throw 100000 gal
Ions into the present reservoir In twenty
four hours. These two pumps are the only
ones of the four which will be able tn throw
water into the new reservoir when IL Is
completed. The location of the new reScr-
yoir-one hundred feet above the present
one-will reduce the pumping capacity OF
each of these pumps One-third. The TWO
pumping together can only throw about
/. 500. 900 gallons into the new reservoir, as
against Z, 100000 gallons into the present
one. The daily consumption OF water De
ing over ,, 100000 gallons and both pumps
only able TO throw 4,j0OO,OOO gallons into
the reservoir, will cause shortage OF wa
ter with our present population, and as we
increa sed in numbers the shortage will be
still greater
But both pumps are not at all mes IN
condition to be used at the same time. In
fact. il is not more than four weeks in five
when they are in condition to do so. To
give YOU some idea of how much care and
repairs are necessary to keep the pumping
machinery at your works going, the Board
will state here that in the fifteen months,
from March, 1859, when the present Board
took charge Of the works, until July J.,
1890, the repairs to the pumps amounted TO
u .g59.6G
There is no doubt that with the compile
ton of the reservoirs the city will have TO
provide new and better pumping facilities.
Both the Maxwell and WorthingtOn pumps,
while elegant ones Of their special kinds,
are not the pumps TO pump Ohio river
water, subject, as IL is. TO have IN II guam
titv of leaves and other rubbish after every
freshet The large number and small size
of the valves in these pumps render them
liable 10 much more frequent Stoppages
from choking of some of the valves, than
pumps properly constructed for our uses
would be.
If il be admitted that we must have more
and larger pumps, the next question is as
to the location OF the new pumping house.
We say new house. because there is no
room at the location of the present works
for any extensions, and not much space in
Eighth street for carrying any more mains
TO the basins on the hill.
Public opinion will not tolerate the
placing of our intake pipes below the north
ern city limits. How much the public
health IS affected by the limited amount of
sewage carried up to the present basin and
given 10 US to drink is only matter OF con
lecture. The less some persons know about
il. the more eXtravagant are the assertions
made by them. The Board preceding the
present one, had chemical examination
name of specimens of water taken IRON
several places between the works and the
Sisters Islands, and the report OF the exam
ming chemist was that the water was in
very fair condition. Ii has been stated since,
and published all over the country, that our
water was fearfully bad, and kill
assertion has not been made by an aualyti-
cal chemist, or any other educated person,
but il has had an injurious effect upon our
city's interests abroad, as If it were backed
by brains and science.
II pumping station We're built AT the
Sisters Islands. the cost would probably be
about S275, GOO, for houses river connec-
tions, mains, right of way and tiltering
beds If the improvements are ordered TO
be made, their cost can be met by the pro
ceeds Of thirty-fOur year bonds, the inter
est and principal TO be paid out Of the rev.
enues of the works. Not one cent will be
added 10 the public burden. There will be
no increase of water rents on any citizen; ;
but an economical management of the rev
euucs will pay for all of it,
The Board would ask Council to refer
this matter 10 the Committee on Water
Works and the Water Board, with instruc-
tons to examine into the whole subject,
both as 20 the present and future needs of
the water department; the cost Of any i'm
provements which the joint committee may
deem right to recommend to Council; the
proper site for new pumping station, and
also give the committee authority TO en-
ploy u competent civil engineer 10 furnish
estimates of work proposed and also the
authority to have specimens Of our drink
ing water examined by an expert chemist,
and his report submitted with the COM
mittee's report to Council.
This subject is brought to your attention
now, because it will take several months
TO enable the Joint committee to act under
standingly in the matter For this city
$4,000 is a large expenditure of money,
and the debt should not be CONTRACTED I'M
less the Council is fully satisfied that our
needs demand It. The Water Board is sat
isfed of the propriety of these improve
mentS, but does not wish TO seem TO be try
ing to dictate to Council Your body has
the control of the city's finances, and ii is
to you the people look for protection from
any and all kinds of danger to their prop
erty and health.
Hoping your honorable body will refer
this subject as requested by this Board for
examination and report, / am,
Respectfully.
NJ POLLOCK,
President Water Board.
,rr,r ~ ~ M. Nfs1or' Tpae4o,.aff,ra Nat.x--