, 1891-08-05
THE TAX LEVY FIXED.
1t will Amount to About Thirteen
Mills on the Dollar.
The Completed viaduct Turned Over
to the City.
Mayor Bresnahen Makes a Few
Practical Suggestions.

council were present. Mayor Brasuahen
presided.
REPORTS.
Engineer Bond reported that the via
duct was completed according TO contract
at an estimated cost ofs59 COZ. He also
reported that VIM. O'Brien's contracts
on the city dam was completed and pre-
sented an estimate OF the cost together
with the contractors bill. The bills we're
referred to the finance committee.
SPECIAL REPORTS.
M. j. McCarten's petition asking the
privilege OF running a bathing resort at
Lake Minnehaha was granted, providing
that a bond of $500 is given to insure the
running OF a respectable resort.
Mr.. Bond OF the FIRE committee re-
ported that the old Durant steamer was
out of condition and wanted to know
what to do with it. The fire committee
was instructed to see what was the matter
with the steamer and to inquire into the
cost of improvements.
BUILDING INSPECTOR
The ordinance providing for a building
inspector was called up and was referred
to the FIRE committee for investigation.
The Mayor Suggests.
The following communication concern
ing the water supply was presented to the
council by the mayor and no action what
ever taken in regard to it:
As the city is about to extend and in
crease the water supply OF the city, | beg
to call your attention to a part OF the plan
which is about to be adopted.
The city engineer makes the following
recommendations in addition to the report
OF Prof. Mead, for the purpose of ~increas-
ing the water supply. The records in his
office show that the four lakes north OF
the city contain 2l5, 900, 900 gallons Of
water and he recommends that a dyke be
built around the lower end of Sloan's lake
thereby increasing the capacity of those
lakes GO, 900, 600 gallons making a total of
275, 600. 600 gallons of water stored in
those lakes, the dyke to cost 81. 200. He
also recommends an S-iRch pipe to be con-
nected with the present l2-inch main run
ming from the lake on Central avenue and
then running westward to a point on Grow
creek above the site proposed for the new
concrete dam.
The cost of the pipe and laying is esti-
mated at 81, 800. The water from this s.
inch main is to be stopped by a concrete
damr running across the creek, and the
water filtered through galleries, and taken
from there by a II inch main to the pro-
posed site for a new reservoir to be built
on Fifteenth street, near the site of the
old Union Pacific pump house, to be
pumped through a l2-inch main running
along Fifteenth street, to connect with
he II inch main on Sixteenth street and
Central avenue. that draws its supply
from the reservoir north of the city.
desire to call your attention to the
quality of the water from the proposed
supply taken from these lakes. Accord
ing to the report of Prof. Hodges and
also DIR. Clifford. after making a care
full analysis, they show free ammonia
.OO56 parts III 100, 900; in albumenoid of
ammonia .0424 parts in 100. 900. The
sanitary limit is .0l5 parts in 100, 900,
which shows that the water In the lakes
is not fit for a human being to drink.
Prof. Mead stated IN his report to the
city council last September that the lake
water is wholly unfit for drinking pur-
poses during a large part of the year,
which Is generally admitted, and in his
judgment all reliance upon it for domes-
tic use should be abandoned definitely and
finally.
1t is claimed by the city engineer that
bylettlng che lake water run over the gal
lerles covered with gravel 1t will be FL
tered sufficient for domestic use. This
might do so. but it Is my opinion the i'm
puritles will remain in the gravel. and a
constant flow OF lake water over the gal
lerles will impregnate the gravel with de-
cayed vegetable and animal matter and
other Impurities sufficient to endanger the
health OF the city.
The purity of the water is more essen
tia to the city than the quantity. can
not approve of the city engineers recon-
mendauons SO far as they apply to the
use of lake water for domestic purposes.
1t Is my opinion that the IS, 500 to be
expended for that purpose can be put to
better use.
Prof Mead in his report to the city
council last September recommending
some changes in the head of the water
system said, if those changes are made
the. pipe from the head of the water sys-
TEN to the reservoir can be kept full the
greater part OF the year. Those changes
and improvements are just now completed
and we find a large increase in the water
supply.
The capacity of the man pipe from
head of water system to reservoir Is esti-
mated at 9, 800, 900 gallons of water per
day. From measurements taken it is es-
timated that 1000, 900 gallons per day
can be obtained from the new system to
be put in by the city above the Nine,
teenth street bridge on Crow creek, with
a reservoir near there to contain 1000, 600
gallons of water, the city will have a daily
inflow OF $500, 900 gallons, with, a sur
plus in reservoirs of 5000, 900 9allons.
1t can be scen that the city could meet a
demand of at least 5000, 900 gallons in
one day. II the water in the reservoirs
IS lowered in the day time it will be filled
during the night.
In large cities where it is necessary to
provide Tor sprlukllug streets. irrigating
lawns and for manufacturing purposes the
estimste is 100 gallons to each person.
1t will be seen when the preseDt svs.