The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-02-28

The operations of tho Roanoke Gas
and Water Company for the past year
contain many items of interest. Two
iron bridges arc now in an advanced
state OF construction across the river,
one at Jefferson street extended, the
other ut Walnut. These arc iron truss
bridges of 80 feet roadway, with fivo-
feet sidewalks. The Jefferson street
bridge has a single span of 125 feet, and
the Walnut street bridge has two 20
feet each. These bridges are con-
structed to stand a load strain of 100
pounds to the square loot.
The survey on the south side of the
river is completed. Tho tract is inter
sected by 40, so and GO foot streets, with
20 foot alleys. There are 1863 lots 5ox
$50 feet.
There arc $50 acres still loft in parks
and not subdivided, of which onlv n
portion is available owing to tho slope
OF the mountain and the fact that the
spring and reservoir have to be protected
from communicating influences.
a roadway up the mountain will be
constructed. 1t will BIO reached by way
of the Walnut street bridge and will
make several long reaches and sharp
curves. The grade will be ten feet in
the hundred with fiat rests every four
hundred feet. This grade, though steep,
is less than that Of Eighth street in
lIynchburg, where tho grade is twelve
feet in the hundred. Bv this road ac-
cess will be had to the top of the noun
tain, whence Il most beautiful view NAV
be had of the surrounding country.
Certain changes for the improvement
of the property arc contemplated
which will cost about S12, 900. a sewer
will probably be placed back Of the lots
each side of Walnut street which will
cost an additional SO. 900.
The present water supply to the city
is 1000, 600 gallons per day, and is capa-
BILE of an expansion to 4, 500, 900 gallons.
The company will urge a more general
adoption OF water meters to prevent the
enormous waste of water which now
prevails. With the use of watcr-meters
the price for water will pange from Is
cents per 1000 gallons for largo manu-
featuring plants to twenty-five cents for
private consumers, when the
furnishes the meter. When the meter
Is put in at the expense of the consumer
a charge of only twenty cents will be
made. These charges range considerably
below the average in cities where the
water supply is furnished by a private
corporation.
During the past year 46, O94 feet of
mains were laid. This is S.73 miles.
The principal extensions were a 1O-inch
main to Belmont and East Roanoke; from
the main pipe through Spruce to Frank
lin road; up Watts and Grove streets
to Campbell avenue. thence out Patter-
son avenue to the West End and River
side addition; also through Park and
Loudoun streets; center to Hyde Park
and the West End round house. There
were OF course numberlcSS small extern
tlons. There are now siXty-four fire
plugs, eleven having been placed dur
ing the past year.
Extensions of mains are contemplated
for the ensuing year in tho following
sections: In the West End, Hyde Park
and Melrose; Shenandoah avenues; north
of the Norfolk and Western tracks in
Hyde Park and MclrOSe. The West End
round house needs a larger main than
the present four-inch main, and an
other will be laid to supplement the
present SUPPLY. North Jefferson street
and Gainesboro road; tho region north
of Hyde Park; Campbell street from
Henry to Commerce; on the Gas & Water
Company's property east of tho river;
Patterson avenue, by + street and the
Salem road. A six-inch main will also
be laid to the West Roanoke Land Com
pany's tract under a guarantee of 10 per
cent. return on the cost of laying the
main.
The water extensions for 1901 will be
not less than 20, 600 feet. Previous to
January /, 1891, 26.52 miles of mains
had been laid. During the past year
mains were laid Of the following dimen-
sions: 3,221 feet of ~ inch mains;
5,O66 10 inch; ares 8 inch; $3.50 6 inch;
26.030 4 inch; and 1881 Q inch.
In 1889 there were l,G27 consumers of
water; in 1890 they increased to 1,SS2 or
1875 per cent.
THE GAs DEPARTMENT
During the past year two benches OF
five retorts each have been renewed at
the gas house. There arc now five
benches with a total of twenty-five re-
torts, and another bench of five re-
torts is needed. Any further extern
sion, in addition to the above, of
tho plant will require an entire re-
arrangement of the plant. Tho new
telescope gas holder constructed the
past year has already beer described in
THE TINES. The city is now we'll sup
ported with gas of good quality.
There is need of an improved method
of handling coal at the gas house, as
the present method is inconvenient and
expensive. The improvements contem-
plated this year will cost over Sc, GOO.
There are 81, ISIS feet of gas mains laid,
or lO.s3 miles. In 1850 there were 273