Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-04-24
NEW RESERVOIR.
WORK ON IT BEING PUSHED ACTIVELY Bf
Mr.. CHISHOLM
The Work Of Laying Stone VIII SON Commence
It viii be Completed in August or by
September First.

Visitors to the new reservoir at the top
of the hill hardly recognize in the dusty
excavation. ragged Of outline and rugged Of
bottom. the regular brick-lined triangular
shaped pool of water which was visible one
day in the early fall Of 1889, after the big
pumps of the water works had poured
nearly three million gallons of more or
less muddy water through the discharge
pipes. Nor vet does il resemble the great
basin. bsected by heavy stone wall,
which was left exposed to the sun when
the three million gallons so laborlously
forced TO the top of the hill. had all leaked
out through the innumerable crevices, and
left the Water Board with big tght ana
something like an elephant on its hands.
The reservoir excavation OF today looks
like nothing so much as small section oil
the Panama canal or the cellardestined to 20
under Chicago's projected History hotel.
Two or three steam derricks are scattered
around. there is great shed, for a black
smith shop and tool house, perched against
the division wall, great blocks OF stone are
piled around over the excavation, and horses
and carts are going one way and another
with loads of stone and earth. blasted out
from the sides of the big hole. Two open
ings have been cut though the wall OF the
excavation. one on the side next the creek,
through which debris is dumped, and the
other on the northwest side, where teams
enter with stones intended for the walls.
and the division wall has two great gaps IN
IL. Altogether. the scene was busy one
when REGISTER reporter visited the place
yesterday.
The old brick lining of the walls and
Il -, ,..r,aatraA tho bfsiFg
about 80. 900 in number. being stacked up
on the hill top. where they are for sale
The bed of puddled clay was also taken
out. and these changes added about foot
to the depth of the hole. Then the sloplng
sides are being cut away, making the walls
vertical. and in addition, the area OF the
excavation is being considerably extended,
by cutting out the walls on the west and
east sides. clear up to the northern eXtrem-
ity of the hole This widening of the reser-
voir will add about 0ne-fourth 10 its origl-
nal total capacity of 100000 gallons. so
that when finished it will hold about 1900
900 gallons, or about enough for twelve or
fifteen hours consumption.
The sides of the excavation are 10 DO
walled up with great blocks Of sandstone,
which have been arriving by the carload
from Ohio quarries for couple Of weeks
past These stones are hauled 10 the reser-
voir site. one at a time, by two-horse teams,
and are placed on the floor of the hole by a
derrick. where a force of stone cutters
shape up the blocks, and they are then
stacked up to one side until needed. The
wall be a very heavy one, and when backed
up by the natural earth bank, which IS
nowhere less than twelve feet thick, will.
it is thought. make the reservoir perfectly
safe when full Of water. Apparently about
two-thirds of the excavating is completed.
kand another month will likely see II all
done and the stone work commenced.
The new floor Of the reservoir will be
laid i'm concrete. and will be water proof.
The side walls will also be laid up in ce-
ment. and the whole thing will be a first
class Job, from appearances.