, 1890-04-16
EXPERT ENDORSEMENT.
Approval of the Reservoir Project
by Engineer Mead.
Prof. Rugsr of Denver Adds His
Testimony Verbally.
Bids for the Big Improvement to be
Sought at Once.

This is the text OF the reservoir project
opinion given the city council water com
mittee by Territorial Engineer Mead and
read to the aldermen last evening:
The reservoir will serve two purposes.
First, to equalize the pressure in the pipe
and prevent any injurious consequences
to the conduit from the sudden closing Of
the valves in the city.
Second, il will afford a reserve supply
to be drawn upon during fires or the Dor
ton of the day when irrigation is most
active, or during a time when repairs on
the conduit line become necessary.
10 order hat the reservoirs may meet
these requirements it should be located
as near the city as it can be conveniently.
it should be large enough to hold at least
one days supply for the city. and should
be built of such form and in such manner
as to permit of its being covered, as it is
only by excluding the sunlight that lniu
rious plant growth can be prevented.
| think the design submitted by Mr..
Bond meets these requirements. The
capacity will be over 900, 900 gallons, or
over 100 gallons per each OF 10, 900 per-
sons. The walls. if constructed according
to the specifications. will undoubtedly be
water tight and will have sufficient width
10 support the roof and to resist the ten
dency OF The water to overturn them,
ever if not sustained by earth embark
ment on the other side. | regard the
earth embankment as a very important
feature. however. and wish to insist on
the importance Of its being carefully and
thoroughly tamped around the wall.
The concrete bottom for the reservoir is.
| think, of sufficient thickness if the earth
beneath is properly rolled and tamped
before it is laid. 1t is sometimes the case
in this vicinity, however, that layers of
sand having very little supporting power
are encountered and if any should be met
with the bottom should be strengthened
at that point by either increasing the
thickness OF the concrete or filling below
with broken stone.
In this as in all engineering work, much
OF the success depends upon the care
with which the work is constructed. No
excellence of plan will atone for defective
workmanship.
There was some uncertainty about the
profile submitted for mi examination, but
from my present information | believe
the location selected for the reservoir is
the correct one; it secures all the available
fall and is so situated as to protect the
wooden conduit against injurious chan ges
in pressure and can be built with but
little disturbance to work previously
completed.
Engineer Ruger. expert Tor the Ameri-
eau Water company of Denver, was in
troduced by Alderman jerks and made
a verbal report. After a casual and has.
ty examination of the project and a view
of the system he would say hat the res
ervoir plan was a good one Six inches
OF concrete on the bottom would be sufi
cient. 1t might be well to make the walls
a foot thicker, but from the fact that the
tank would be rooted and that there
would be nc waves, perhaps this would
be unnecessary. Put concrete under the
walls and in weak spots place it two feet
beneath the surface.
The location proposed is all right,
Wooden pipe has been a failure every
where and should be replaced BY iron
mains.
OF the subway Mr.. Ruger said much
more water could be secured from this
source than at present. 1t would be well
to locate the flow by boring and to then
build a submerged dam.
There will be good pressure from the
tank, which must eventually be located
at the gathering ground, insuring a
pressure by gravity sufficient Tor any
need.
Mr.. jerks motion to advertise for bids
for reservoir construction was adopted.