The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-25

ttaSln8 oulatauaing ~. So. ~.
This expenditure has mostly been made on the
strength Of the decision 1t the July election.
1859. BY the people. that Seattle should own her
own water-works
The whole extent Of country between Cedar
river ara the city has been thoroughly surveyed
and tho best possible line for conduit deter
mined and fixed IN valuable data and maps
There has also been charged to this fund the
cost OF complete Typographical survey of
every portion Of the city, recorded IN maps and
statistics most comprehensive aud invaluable
Tor water or sewerage, as well as for street tnd
other municipal purposes. The city has made
= number of extensions of the Spring Hill
mains, aad has now under construction an ad
dition 70 the pumping capacity Of the Spring
Hill companys plaat of 2.50oeo0 nominal gal
lots day. The new pipe Hue through which
this additional supply If water will be forced.
AID which Is also intended to form an integral
part Of the new distribution system as planned
b. Engineer b. Williams. Is almost completed.
and tie amount paid on this work is also
CHARGED 70 this water fsrd- This work is all of
tne best and most permanent nature, as is also
the whole Of the distribution system. The pipe
IS all Of the heaviest cast iron except that
which rests ON piles, this being of steel When
the work Is done II wiz last fer generations
That the city should come out OF the ordeal of
the past year VITA a net indebtedness Of only
l.sSL74 ~ a matter for congratuiasior. and
shows that the revenues of the city from
licenses and sources outside of the tax levy of
last year have Increased TO q very large degree.
call tue attention Of the incoming admins
tration 10 the necessity Of funding this floating
DEBT and thus saving very large sum in inter-
est This Is the ouiy way. In my opinion, TO dis
pose OF this indebtedness, created mostly by the
FIRE, as the demands on the people for current
expenses for tae next year or two viii be so
large that there Is small hope of taking up this
floating 5phf hv nrdfuarv faxat{ou
WATER SUPPLY.
Purchase Of the Spring Hill Water Campany's
Paant-When the great fire had demonstrated
the inadequacy OF the Spring Hill system, the
people, by an almost unanimous vote, al the
general election In July, 1889. determined TO
erect new system of water-works IN be owned
by the city. OveFtures were made to the city
By the Spring Hill company for the sale OF their
system. A special committee, consisting of
Councilman Durie, Jones, Twicheli and Niesz,
WAS appointed. empowered to negotiate with
the company. After long series of meetings
with the represen atiyes OF the company an
agreement was come to, and approved by the
council. for the purchase of all the property of
the company. including houses, pumps, mains,
pipes. Reservoirs. and real estate consisting of
eighty-iour lots. for the sum of $352. 26S z6. OF
this sum ~ 26s.le has been paid and the balance,
sS5y,Co0, will be paid when the city realizes on
the bonds which the people, on June 4, 1890,
voted for this purpose.
No action OF any cou-cil OF this city is worthy
of being called second in importance to this
transaction. The city had got to the stage when
tie question whether we should control our
own water supply or be under the power OF
and had to be decided. Happily this great
question Is now eliminated from the problems
of the future
The permanent source Of water supply for this
city is the important question that will require
the attention Of, and must be d. cided by our
successors.
Tne present extensions now being made and
which will be In operation in few days will,
with the distribution system as planned by Mr..
Williams give the city an ample supply for its
present population, and perhaps until such time
as permanent works are constructed. But il Is
in my judgment absolutely necessary for the
city TO decide at once whether the permanent
supply Is 70 be pumped from Lake Washington
or come by gravity from Cedar river. There are
numerous reasons why this should be settled
First-A part OF the distribution system can
not be inteiligentiy planned without that knowl-
edge.
Sec0nd-If 1t is decided that Lake Washington
shall be tile source of permanent supply, then
the pumping station should be moved north to
point near the foot of Madison street, on the
lake shore, 50 as to shorten as much as possible
the distance from the pumps to the central por-
ton OF the city, where the greatest consumption
will occH..
Thiri-In order to deliver the large amount
of water this city will require in the near fu-
ture, and ct minimum cost, large compound
pumping engines of the most approved design
should be purchased and set up at that point
The Spring Hill Water Company's pumps and
the two lately purchased by the city are first.
class machines within the capacity for which
ftnU rnrn anv<at tod kxx< f<
height OF folly for this city TO go on and supple
ment the present plant by the addition of other
small pumps, beyond those contemplated, as
the increased consumption demanded The
added cost of moving large quantities of water
by means of such machinery would believe
ray the interest on an expenditure necessary to
construct large modern pumping engines, which
would move water with the minimum cost to
the city,
Such of the present small pumps as would not
be required by the city could be disposed of
without much loss in value. In Offering these
suggestions do not wish to be understood as
advocating the use of Lake Washington water
as the permanent supply for this city. only
indorse II to the extent we have now gone, that
Is, to relieve the present shortage and provide
an additional supply pending the settlement OF
this great question of the future
In his report of February q, 1890, the chief
engineer estimated that the cost OF works, on
the plan proposed by him to bring 25,O00O0o
gallons per day Into the city by gravity from
Cedar river, including the aqueducts, dams
and reservoir, will amount in round numbers to
s1,2o0000, which is $1,000 more than the esti-
mated cost OF new pumping works on Lake
Washington that would furnish an equal
amount OF water TO the city.
At my request he has also made an estimate
Of the cost of works to furnish 100000 gallons
per day. 100000 gallons into the high service
reservoir and 6,00l 600 gallons into the low ser
vice reservoir, on each OF the two general
plans, viz, the Cedar river gravity plan and the
Lake Washington pumping plan.
The estimate is based upon o storage capacity
for the high service reservoir of 100000 gal
Ions instead Of % 100000 gallons; upon riveied
steel plate pipe thirty inches in diameter from
swan lake TO the city reservoirs instead Of an
in diameter, and upon IN earthen fume or
ditch from Cedar river TO swan lake, instead of
one lined with plank and ssphaltum as pro-
posed in his report.
The reduction of cost which can be effected
by these changes is estimated in round numbers
as follows:
On pressure pipe from Swan lake to the
Fiume from Cedar river 70 Swar lake $500
High service reservoir ...........-.-..... 1000
Total reduction in cost. ............. $780, 900
Which leaves SEQ, 600 as the cost of the gravity
supply works as modified.
The cost OF new pumping works for 100000
gallons capacity, with lake inlet. pumps. pump
house. pump mains and reservoir are roughly
estimated Gt $4,000 which is $50 600 less than
the gravity works of the same capacity.