Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-02
THU WATER QUESTION.
TIE CITY BOARD WILL PROBABLY BIZ CALLED
TO MEET TO-DAY,
Preparatory to Joint Session With the Council Com
mitss on Water Works-Ths Publication
Ofths Supply, and Its Cost

There is strong probability that the
City Water Board will meet this
afternoon or this evening, as prelimi-
nary to joint meeting with the Coun-
Gil Committee on Water Works, along
about Friday evening, for the purpose
of entering upon the earnest considera-
ton of some plan for the enlargement
Of the pumping capacity Of the works,
as we'll as improving the quality of the
water furnished for potable purposes.
Before the members of the Board left
on their recent tour OF investigation,
they had well settled in their minds the
necessity for new machinery for the
pumping station. This machinery will
cost about 100000, and its payment
will be provided for by the Board out Of
the revenues OF that department Of the
city government. When 1t came to the
second branch of the question, namely,
the improvement Of the quality of the
water, problem Of decidedly greater
proportions is struck, and the money to
defray the expenses thereof will have to
be furnished by Council. BY
the most simple and cheapest
method yet proposed, this cost
of improving the quality Of the
water will cost at least as much as the
new machinery, or about another $780,
600, willie other methods range from
$500, 900 or 100000, the estimated cost
of removing the pumping station up the
river, TO $1,000,0 900 or more for the
project OF obtaining water somewhere
up the valley of Wheeling creek.
If anything is done in the direction Of
improving the quality of water at pres
ent, it will probably be confined to the
building of an intercepting sewer from
near the mouth of Jonathan's ravine
down TO the foot OF Eighth street, and
the sinking of pits in the gravel on the
big bar on the Island side,
from which the intake pipes can.draw a
supply, filtered through great mass of
gravel.
The idea, held by at least one men,
Der of the Water Board, Is, not to re-
peat the old experiment Of the brick
lined crib, which was tightly cemented
at the bottom and left open and per-
meable to water at the top, but to re-
verse this, and eXcaVate long trench,
say one thousand feet long. and twenty
feet wide and deep. This would be
tightly cemented at the top and sides,
but left with a sandy bottom, so that 1t
would be filled with water rising from
the floor. The lower end would be OPP
posite the present pumping station, and
the upper end near the upper point OF
the Island. With this arrangement,
the member holds, all the water
entering the supply pipe would have to
go through at least twenty-five feet Of
sand, and claims this would furnish
practically the same water as is now OBJ
tanned by the Wheeling Ice and Storage
Company, whose supply is universally
acknowledged to be good. This plan is
in vogue in some other river cities, with
entire satisfaction. These matters will
be among those to be brought up for
the earnest consideration of the COM
mittee, and later, OF Council.
The Board IS understood to have three
pumping machinery propositions before
them, each having its peculiar points OF
merit. This machinery must be had by
the city, whatever Is done about the
question of improving the quality of
the water, as the present machinery is
entirely inadequate to the performance
of the work.
1t will, as matter Of course, take a
number of meetings to settle the mani
fold questions which will come up, and
much time will probably be necessary
to arrive at a satisfactory and proper
conclusion. -