The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-26
THE WATER SUPPLY.
Another Letter From Engineer
Benezette Williams.
ADVICE ON PRESENT RELIEF.
No warns Seattle That the Pumping
System Can Only BE Temporsry-Hs
Reviews the Relative Cost.

ma follovtns letter was received yesterday
b. secretary Holbrook. OF the board OF public
vuks, from Mr.. Benezetts Williams:
In his letter of June Major W. v. Rinehart
ene1osed two reports OF ". L. Chalk, super1n-
teodert Of the waser-works, one dated April 2
- the other May p. 1891, relative 70 the en-
1erReuxnt Of the pumping works a. Lake WASH
Inefpn 10 enable them TO meet the needs OF the
urss<ns and the near future, and requested that
reviex them carefully and advise you ~ 20
- actual necessities Of the case. As there are
number OF factors entering into the problem
fknf kN incapable OF discrimination there must
~eeemarfiy Be some debatable questions re-
lssfnsre sven after the most exact statement Of
- 60 shall be made.
Tvs assume that II il the policy Of the city 70
an out the plan Of furnishing water from
Csdax river at a. early date as practicable,
e.. Is has heretofore been pointed out by me,
~ 1nR should be done inconsistent with the
0ocsy that pumping 10 but temporary.
I've waive entirely for the present questions
perfairing 70 the relative quality OF water 10 be
had from Lake Washington and from Cedar
river, then the main things TO consider which
cid In determining the size and kind Of pump
ing plant are. frat, when is the city likely 20
carr out the gravity supply works: second.
what time in the growth OF the city win the
expenses OF pumping equal OF exceed
what kind OF plant, taking into consider
sxion the duty Of the engines. their first
cost and the interest on the same, viii it be
most economical TO build
mid that II the means cgsli1 b had IL would be
70 the interest of the city - zosesd In the very
near future 70 carry Out tee <sz<f river plan. "a
s s sS = .n .ss s sSs s q
During the monsA Of MAJ. . sAo~rs ~ sn& r..
port Of the sup<raAten..s;... 80 expenss ~ %
was 23s6- -, and CT the Broadway pumping sta.
don, 1854 =, or : total of $2.e0i.e 81. which II
equal 70 sstSiass PEI. year: The Ia
:s :. g. III, ,ns,ns s,sma, ted cost cost
services reservoir. At per cent, 10 10000 per
Eun- The expense OF operating the pumps will
hsye u increase less than $4,000 10 bring IL mp
mfniag the gravity supply works. Though il is
Gce1eeIy Hkely that this will occur in two years.
y = eimosr sure to occur in four or Eve. At
ysass. these two sums will rapidly approach
sack cher regardless Of the Kinds Of pumps
uEe1 In addition 20 this, economy lies In
Spending as little at Lake Washington for pumps
= ths conditions of the case will admit of, Cor
unvM known that these works would have 20
b depended upon for but two or three years the
e1lazement would not need TO be 50 great as if
tsey are 70 be depended upon for i've or six
ysan. xnc relatively skill smaller and OF differ
enf character than If they are to serve for Ten
ye1n.
Il should not be overlooked in this connection
thai the revenue Of the water-works can be and
would be greatly increased Ii al unsfinted sup
ply OF water could be furnished. It's more ex-
sended use tor irrigation would ensue, and il
would be turned 20 more general account for
sewer purposes
The conclusion, then, seems irresistible that
fo- the interests of the city, financial grounds
alone, the gravity supply works cannot be be-
gun too soon. Indeed, viewing the question
wholly from an economical point, IL may be
SAID that the city Is far more likely 70 suffer By
too long putting of bringing the gravity supply
OF water In than by doing Is too early. The
tendency VIII be to work close to the capacity
OF any plant which may be built, and then 70
increase the capacity because immediate relief
IL necessary, and 70 continue this process in @
ceaseless round until hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars have been expended In plant which
must ultimately be abandoned.
Realizing as do that work on the permanent
terests of the city, but that so far as / am In
formed, IL II out OF the question to do so now,
and that the time when it win be begun il very
indefinite. Il render. advice relative to new
some approximation OF the time that such q
plant Is 10 be used is absolutely essential to
satisfactory determination of the proper kind
and size OF pumps such an approximation not
having been officially furnished, can do no
other than rely upon assumptions !, therefore,
assume that in four years from the time new
car river win be flowing In the city reservoir, or
say, that during the early part of 1896 this con-
summation win have been attained.
Of the tsirs head. puinn. mould be Af bSiIs ts..
will have the capacity to reasonably meet the
demands of the city in January, 1ss6, and that
counting TOUR years WORK rom January, lsfl. 20
January. lse6 viii give the best aggregate re-
suits. including the first cost Of the machines
and the cost of operation.
The capacity OF such q plant turns directly
upon the quantity of water which the city will
be using In 1895, and indirectly upon The popu-
lation on thst date. II is not impossible that by
that time Seattle win have population CT near
average ineFesse Of about . - berinnins rsts
the last census year when IL had population OF
tS.siA Kansas City, Omaha, ST. Paul, Mime
apolls, with populations ranging from 5000 70
S.0D IN lsso. increased during the decade jus;
past a. al average yearly rate varying from Cos
for Kansas City 10 II ,7s5 for Minneapolis. Other
df;ts In the United states of about the same
Gxe IN lss0 as these have since then grown at q
much less rate, go that IL Is impossible TO pre-
dict with any degree OF certainty the popuis-
ton which Seattle will have in 1896 IL may
possibly reach 10000 and il may fall 1900 be
It is also impossible 70 predict with certainty
the amount of water per capita which the city
viii require For May, 1891. the superintsndeni
OF the water-works reports III, $40 gallons OF
water pumped at Lake Washington. This is an
average OF 4,0s4.ooo gallons per day, and taking
the present population at 5000 IL represents
about eighfy-two gallons per capita A consid-
cradle part of the city's population is not sup
Piled at all from the city -water-works, and an
other considerable part receives but partial
supply. II the distribution system was thor
oughly carried out the demand would doubtless
Be much greater than u 10 now.
II IL is true that there are but 1900 people
using the i.ooo,o0 gallons daily furnished By
tie city water-works, a. stated by Mr.. Chalk, IL
does not follow that this consumption of ~
gallons Per capita viii continue when applied
20 the whole city. The use Of water along the
cocks, for running elevators, 10 supply the
numerous manufactures, downtown business
houses snd hotels viii not increase in proper
ron 70 the population, nor VIII the use for
,hese purposes scarcely increase at al by the
mere extension OF the water mains into resi-
dent districts
Though ] have no exact dats upon which to
base al opinion, I believe that II ID mistake 10
suppose tha; there are but -. go out OF the
e,sn people in Seattle supplied from the city
water-works, and i; Is certainly still greater
mistake 70 suppose that even II 1000 people now
use 10000 gallons daily. thai $500 people
after the mains are extended viii use 7.oOo. Doe
gallons in the same time
Were the entire population of the city supplied
vlih water 10 would doubtless be shown TO ee a
large consumer as compared TO the average city
~ ~ sire ia the United States. but there 10 no
MAscn 70 suppose that IL 10 50 unique among
..aes g the use OF 200 gallons per capita daily
$3.50 Indicate. One hundred gallons per CARTS
s,.eAy up to the average for cities in the United
s s.ss With over So0oJ Inhabitants. based on the
sAsa,s water consumed and the total population.
hisssr 'oas large manufacturing eeniers run
e.iic-. Saieago during 1s9o used i2s
rres.n-psr capita based upon pump
e. 1aelI with too small ceduc-
used eight, s oss in The pumps Boston
sasftia ~ faalons per capita during 1880, VILE
n.@ ~ generally supplied, and allowed the
-. a. asF Without restriction. would doubt
49, rs- one o. the largest consumers OF
-. 49, ~ oapafa- In The United states; 10 does
.nn,Sx - 800 - policy in providing 9 temporary
go - p1M[ to base IL upoa 10 liberal .
Ss.sr.SSs n.-ss eHcer other circumstances be
~, 80 60 R-IaenaArly A. looking forward even
oai q few years. the population I. en- nn~~rtsi =
$500, ,i - ssaserneat is emphasi red BY the
civ i. sush !, 'nss ne manner q growth Of the
yeA-s be considerable ronni.,io 1T 49,
- sss sA,ef mains. Taking all things into
son Sl1 S.ss1 ana assuming population Of
that total Of 70 aoo0Se salon. ~ - 80
nclent quantity 20 provide AMI ina, s.fere re-