The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-05
AS FIRES i WATER IA RBoR
Philadelphia the Only Rival that Sa
Yarnah Has.

Philadelphia the Only Rival that sa-
varnah Has.
A fact which has not been mentioned vet
concerning Savannah's advantage as a
harbor is the relative value Of the water of
the Savannah river for steam boilers.
The greater part of the cotton is exported
by steamers During the fall months it is a
common thing to SEQ over twenty and
thirty tramp steamers loading at the same
time. All these steamers have low pressure
engines and use the same water over and
over again, with but little addition. Some
carry tanks with fresh water Others use
s nall quantities Of salt water-as little as
they possibly can-to help make up the
deficiency.
A feature Of the Savannah river water is
that 1t is very soft and forms no scales in
boilers. 1t is somewhat muddy, but wlthal
it is probably the best water obtained on the
Atlantic or gulf coasts as far as its use for
steaming purposes IS concerned.
The water Of the Mississip ri river through
the Missouri river is strongly alkaline and
forms II bal scale. Philadelphia, through
the SchuylkIlI river, is probably the only
rival thai Savannah has as a fresh water
port
The life Of boiler using Savannah river
water is about fifteen years, while five
years is a long life for a boiler using salt
water. The Savannah river water forms
no scale, and an occasional "blJwiug outn
OF the mud settling at the bottom Of boiler
Is all that Is necessary TO keep it in good
order. IL is of the greatest Importance for
steamer which has made a transatlantic
trip to come to port like Savannah where
1t can give its boilers a thorough freshen-
ing aud CLEANING as all the salt settlements
are dissolved by fresh wafer, and an abund-
ance of fresh water is necessity
Mr.. c. Warrand says that whenever
Savannah river water ony is used there is
no need OF a boiler cleaner. as Savannah
river water forms no scales. and the en-
Gineers are unanimous in pronouucing it
the best for boiler use In the United States
Steamers loading at other ports have to
pay for every gallon of fresh water they
use. In Beaufort and the COosaw mines
they pay or used to pay, 2 cents per gall
lon. In other ports where the water is
conducted on the wharf no extra charges
are made for water, but the wharf charges
are great deal higher than here and the
steamers pay sweetly in the long run for
the water rent the owners of the wharves
have to pay.
Mr.. Warrand says that any steamer load
Ing in Savannah, which has had chance to
thoroughly clean and wash out its boilers
with Savannah river water. and starts with
fresh Savannah river water, will save from
to 10 per cent on its fuel ussd as a
scale once formed becomes very bad con-
ductUr of heat, and it takes additional fuel
to overcome the resistance Of the scale.
If a transatlantic steamer consumes 500 to
1000 tons Of coal on a trip. this saving is no
small item, amounting to hundreds of
dollars.
Another feature of the Savannah river
water Is that it will keep any length OF
time on shiphoard without becoming foul.
This fact is so well known to old shippers
that they never fail 70 fill up every avail
able water cask and tank when here, and it
Is q common occurrence to see vessels com-
ing back 10 Savannah with Savannah river
water left in their tanks from their last
voyage. MIR. Warrand says he has drank
Savannah river water that had been car
ried to Cronstadt and brought back and
which had been on board nearly year,
and it was perfectly sweet and clear.