The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-22

e vaaer which eify = Mkssy - ned. 70 - II
upoa tie populatioa. present md proepecsv I've
n cur rupfdly growing American Cities q y
Sometimes di6iculs 10 know the present popular
don. and mnch more di0cult = form IN aoc-
quass itea Of city's probable ssowth. IN the
case Of Seattle, which may be said 70 Be peeslug
through Transition period. these are espscaaiy
difscuis THINGS 70 do.
There me other elements Affecting the amcens
Of water which should b provided In given
case. that have often bcsn cversecked IN the
past They are the numerous purposes Tor
which power 10 wanted In . CITY large oe-
nand would Be made for these purposes alone
II plenty Of water. q . reasonably steady prs
sure. was 10 be had water can Be applied IN 90
many ways. like operating machinery. ana ruu-
ming elevator. that where e can Be done. pso-
vision ahould Be made in . generous WV Iof
such use4 Indeed. the nses1s In some eaues iof
water for power purposes have become 50 great
thai steps have been taken to meet tnem VAN
N entirely new system OF works
The city Of Chicago has for many years con-
semplated the building Of new works. IN the
central pant OF the city. which should b add
ticnal TO their present works, to b used for
power purposes alone. The only thing that has
stood. and now stands. in the way at the carry
ing out of snch . plan is the small limit OF IN
defines fixed by the state constitution TITS
recognized on all haris that IL would be pay
ing investment. and IL the city wouii grant
franchise, il would be taken np immediately.
This Ii given only to show tae neei OF con-
sidering every phase Of the water question in
planning new works. and OF making provision
to meet such needs il possible.
Then, in any climate, but particularly in one
where several months Of dry weather prevail
each year, there Is nothing which adds % much
to the comfort and beauty of . city - plenty OF
water 10 keep the grass green and the trees In
growing condition. and for use on streets and
walks to lay the dust
II 10 usual. and easy to say that 100 gallons per
capita per diem IL an ample water supply 70 al
low for cities - there are but few In the coun-
try that use greater amount Malt genera
ton ago. one-haf this amount was considered
liberal allowance. ami would not Be surprised
If, hall q generation hence. loo gallons per cap
ita per diem should be considered, in many
isces more inadequate than 20 gallons is now.
because OF the multiplicity Of uses 70 which
water can, and Will be put TO ii II Is only furn-
ished- II should be borne in mind, that though
but few cities use more than 100 gallons per cap
ita per diem. ii is because the water Is not to be
had. or, II 10 be had. it comes under such
duced head as to be practically valuless This
10 the case in New YORK. Philadelphia and
Chicago During the sixteen years that have
been acquainted with the operation Of the water
works of Chicago. there has never been time
when hydraulic elevator could be successfully
run with direct connection from the mains.
This Is true In New York, ana in nearly all
other large cites OF the hundreds
aud perhaps Thousands, OF hydraulic eie-
vaton at work In these two cities.
they are almost always run by water pumped
over and over again by pump in the basement
OF the bnilding where the water Is used. But
for the failure OF our larse cities TO furnish q
sufficient quantity OF water. under an adequate
head. the amount OF water consumed by them
would be va>tiy greater. Indeed. no one can
fo'm any adequate estimate Of what il would be.
Hence, we should become impressed with the
fact that the amount OF water consumed. under
the restrictive conditions which prevail gener-
ally, il no guide for city situated as is SEATTLE,
with reference to the proposed new works
Though IL would generally be said that Is Co.,
GOO gallons per day Is sufficient for $50 900 popua-
ulat,on. would prefer to predict that before he
population reaches 10000. shortage Of water
will be felt.
HORSEPOWER or suRrsus WATER.
For some years to cone, after the works are
put into operation. there win undoubtedly he
considerable surplus OF water, which win no, be
needed for the ordinary purpo es for which
water is sold. We may assume that at first there
will be Il. 900 900 gallons snrplus which can be
used for extraordinary purposes. such - rum
ming electric lights for the city, or for manu-
featuring purposes.
OF mains where they are large enough to deliver
the water without too much friction, and where
an outlet for the water can be had. II used
without too much waste, by friction from the
iowservtce reservoir, il won d yield 500 horse-
power. which would probably be worth, ii used
economically, $50 per horsepower. or say.
Sl6, geo per annum.
REVENUE AND ExrEssk
The present revenue Of the Spring Hill water
works. which is being acquired by the city, is
about $4,000 per annum, exclusive of hydrant
rental II Sufficient water could be pumped. aud
the mains were large enough TO distribute II,
the revenue could be increased ct least 325 900,
or to Sos. 500 per annum. in very short time,
without any increase in the mileage of the
mama This possible increase would be In fur
nishing water to be used in elevators and build
ings that are known to the company ~ want
ing water, does not include the or
binary natural increase which goes
on regularly. month by month, and
which amounts to about $500 per month. With
the incressc proposed In the length Of mains, In
the plans for new water works, will como large
additional revenue from buildings now erected
and In use. And by the end OF the year 1891
another large element OF increased revenue will
be the buildings which viii be erected and the
industries which will be started between now
aud then. II forty miles Of pipe are laid during
the next two years. with prospect Of plenty of
X
trcmely conservative TO say that the gross rev.
enue will doube that is. that by the LIST of Janu-
airy. 1892, IL viii be &2l1 COO IL mod ia
made In the water rates. In this have the con-
currence OF Mr.. T. Shepard of the Spring Hill
water Company, whose intimate acquaintance
with al matters pertaining to the subject rem.
ders him most valuable judge.
Another item which will be TO the eity's
credit IL the hyirant rental. There are now in
use, azd provided for TO be pu, into immediate
use, 100 hydrants. for which the city pays 500
per year apiece. This. without any increase in
the number Of hydranss, amounts to s. 100 per
annum. But II the Spring Hill Water Company
had continued In business, and had put In any.
thing like an adequate disir button system, aud
water 10 supply IL. there would have been Ia use
By the time stated at least 800 MIGRANTS. whose
rental would have amounted % 81 900 per an-
mum, which will have been saved 10 the city by
the city owning its own water works This
makes probable gross sum In the city's favor
by January l, lsc2, by owning the own water
works Of s2ss 900 per annum.
AZ Offset Ia this viii be the interest on the
cost OF the works and the cost OF operation.
The cost OF the proposed works, Including the
purchase price OF the Spring Hiil Water Com
pany's plant nd real estsse. may be taken In
round numbers ~ so.iooo1 the interest Of
which ct per cent is slos,o0 per annam-
The cost Of operation will consist OF the ex.
pense Of looking After the supply and the cx-
pense Of maintaining the distribution system.
and Of collecting water rates, snd repairs To
look after The supply, that IS 10 care for every.
thing mp to and including the delivery of water