Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-15
ONE WATER SYSTEM
Suggested as q Method of Settling
One Of Allegheny's Troubles.
PITTSBURG COULD HELP HER OUT.
Chief Bigelow Says all That Is Needed Is
More Reservoir Space.
THE CHANGE CAN BE MADE FOR s3OO,OOO

Allegheny will vote next Tuesday on
the question of spending S3,0o0,0o0 to ex-
tend its water works system, but from all
can learn the increase Of Indebtedness will
not be carried" said Chief Brown, yester-
day.
"But," he continued, 81 cannot see the
use of expending so much money, anyway,
especially when it is so badly needed for the
streets. If Allegheny needs more water she
can get all the supply she wants from
Pittsburg. Our pumping capacity is
sufficient for both cities. Ali that
would be needed would be a little
larger reservoir. In the estimate
for the Department of Public Works
for this year have asked for an appropria-
tion for new reservoir to supply the lower
division. The Highland reservoir is about
$40 feet above the river, which makes the
water pressure in the lower districts far
too heavy, and we need another reservoir to
supply those portions OF the city In build
ing the new reservoir we could easily, and
at very little additional cost, make the sys-
tenn large enough to supply Pittsburg and
Allegheny and also make pro ovision in case
we would have to supply the Southside.
The Additional Cost Not Heavy.
'To make this new reservoir would only
cost about S2O0, 900, and the laying of new
mains and making the connections with the
city across the river would cost probably an
other 500, 900.
"Plttsburg uses about 81, ,000, 900 gallons
of water a day, and nearly all last year we
were only using two pumps. Lately we
have been using three, but we still have an
other not in use, so we have the capacity to
furnish Allegheny. It costs us just cents
for every thousand gallons pumped into the
reservoir, or S. for every million gallons.
As Allegheny daily consumes about 20, 000,- :
| 600 gallons Of water, on q rough estimate
Pittsburg could furnish water to Allegheny
for about 500 day.
"One water works system can be managed
easier and more economically than two and
there is no reason why Pittsburg and Alle-
gheny should not be supplied by one sys-
tenn. 1t will eventually come to that
although politics may at present prevent the
consummation of such project"
Mayor Gourley, interviewed on the same
subject, said: II believe it would bene-
supply from one system, and I
believe it is possible for Pittsburg to give
such supply. The question is, would AL
legheny accept it? There is strong senti-
| ment against consolidation over there, and
many Allegheny people would regard such
plan as but a step toward that point. II
| would be a good thing for Allegheny,
though, il she would accept it. 1t is hardly
sensible to spend So, 900, 900 additional for
water when Pittsburg can furnish 1t much
cheaper"
Favored by the City Controller.
| On this question Controller Morrow says:
ST do not know whether 1t would be done,
but it appears to be good plan. I suppose
the new reservoir will be on that site of the
old reservoir at Brilliant, which was COM
menced by the old Water Commission in
1873 and never finished. If the city now
has sufficient pumping power to furnish
both cities the additional reservoir space
would be but slight matter"
On the Alleghen. side of the river there
are to be found but few people who will say
that they are in favor OF voting nearly
s., 600, 900 for water improvement The
general trend OF talk is that the water at
present supplied is good. When it is asked
if the water which they now receive is not
impure, they come back at you with the
assertion that Allegheny is just as healthy
as Pittsburg, and that the two cities show a
| pretty healtny oeatn rate.
Says Superintendent of Water Works
Armstrong: "The water we furnish in AL
legheny cannot be excelled. We have all
we want. and, in fact, more"
"Then why the proposition to be sub
mitted to the voters next Tuesday, for a sys-
tenn of new water works?" he was asked.
"That is proposition submitted by Coun.
ellis. II is fair and square proposition. II
the people of Allegheny think that they are
furnished with impure water, they should
vote yea on the ticket that will be given
them. If they don't want it, then all they
have to do is to vote nay. The question is q
simple one, and the ticket is printed sc
plainly that no one can make mistake"
/ Answered in Regular Yankee Fashion.
"Why not let PIttsburg supply the watel
that Allegheny evidently needs? There il
lots of water from their system that could
be piped to Allegheny"
eff" remarked Mr.. Armstrong, 'Pitts
burg has more water than she has use for
why not pump it to the Southside, where il
is wanted, instead of thinking about ALE.
gheny, where it is not wanted? want tc
say, lust here, that we have no water famine
in Allegheny, nor is there any likelihood
for one. For years to come the supply il
fully provided for.
Suppose tell you something" said Mr.
Armstrong, "that will give you an idea o.
what mean when tell you that Allegheny
has all the water works she wants. We
have two compound engines which are capa.
BILE of pumping IA, 900, 900 gallons per day
or 6, 600, 900 gallons each. Then there is the
Lowry engine which will pump 5000, ,0O(
gallons. Again, there are two sets of Will
son and Snyder which can pump II, 600. 900
This you see will average about 20, 000, ,00(
| callons ner dav To show that we are no
short of water here we could, if needed
pump into this city fully 81. 200, ,0O0 gallons
of water per day.
Il Cause OF the Present Agitation.
s'Then again it is claimed by some people
that the water supplied TO Alleghenians il
impure. All water is more or less impure
The thing that caused the question of a new
water supply was the thought that in dry
small and that being small the sewage from
Pittsburg above Negley's run would max,
it so bad that it could not be used. ThR
was looking so far into the future that it Il
hardly worth considering"
Mr.. Armstrong said that If any of the
three propositions as regards new water
works for Allegheny, were adopted eithel
or neither of them would prove to be of ad
vantage except SO far as they looked years
ahead in the future.
ST think" said Mr.. Armstrong, "that w
are well fixed so far as water is concerned
at the present time. There has been M
epidemic here, nor has there been any
thought about bad water except in thu
minds of few. The people who possess
J what you may call properties, such as thos,
who own houses worth from IS, 900 to $40 00l
and who receive water direct from the pipes
| ora uoff those xUh IN want ohanOa Thav