The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-22
THE wATDR WORKS PLANS.
The City Council to Discuss Them This
Afternoon,

A4O ivy OOdAC1 W pl6CuSS IQ6lu xQlB
Afternoon,
The city council will have q public con-
ference with Capt. George B. Whitesides.
Consulting Engineer W. D. johnson of
Chicago. and other engineers upon the
water works question, or rather the best
means of obtaining a sufficient water
supply.
Capt. Whitesides will explain his plans
for increasing the water supply of the city
from its present facilities. He has two
plans. both of which have been outlined in
the MORNING NEWS. One is to cut Off the
wells at the present water works number
of feet underground and thus increasing the
flow, and the other is to establish a second
pumping station at the Springfield well,
from which he estimates a supply
of from 1000, to 100000 gallons per
day can be obtained. There are many OBJ
jeotions to both Of these plans, which have
been published in the MORNING News.
In company with Consulting Engineer
Johnston a MORNING NEWS reporter rode
over the ground of the several water
works sites the other afternoon to
get an idea OF the lay of the
land in each locality and the difficulties to be
commended with. The site OF the Springfield
well was first visited. The we'll was bored
two years ago. 1t is situated just north of
Gwiunett street, near Laurel Grove ceme-
terry. There is pipe twenty feet above the
surface In which the water rises nearly to
the top. Mr.. Johnston estimated that il the
well were cut off about twenty feet below
the surface it would flow nearly 5000, 900
gallons day.
The objections to the Springfield well are {:
First, as to situation, 1t being situated in a
s1o s bab;0d or .S Saey ur which Gums
nay naka tNeu ~ kha II
which drains the cemetery. The ditch
through which the drainage passes from the
cemetery is within few feet of the well.
This is almost an unsurmountable objec-
ton. Although the we'll would be
fitted with cast-iron pipes, experience
has proven that it is almost impossible to
shut out the surface drainage entirely, and
that small amount of it would seep In.
The location is such that when it becomes
necessary to add other wells to the system
it would be necessary to run them in a
straight line north and south down the val
ley. Being on low ground, a system here
would place at great disadvantage the con-
structing of conduit into the city, and the
crossing at the canal would be a difficult
one to make. There would also be the cost
of constructing the conduit and of putting
in the pumping machinery.
The Springfield well is situated on the
city lot which the water works committee
decided to exchange for the Sheftall lot on
Styles avenue. Two thousand feet west on
Gwinnett street is the site for which the
trade of the Springfield property was
negotiated. but which was suspended by the
council. Work was commenced
there some time in May, and
one large we'll 500 feet deep
Is already completed near the corner Of
Gwinns,t street and Styles avenue. LISA
12-inch well, and 10 flowing about ], ZOO, 900
gallons day. It 10 estimated that were il
cut of at the depsn proposed, about 90 feet
below the surface. 10 would have about the
same flow as the Springfield well.
In case the trade of the Springfield prop
erty is contaminated it Is proposed to erect
the building for the engines and machinery
just east Of this welI where the excavation
already made will come into use.
The plan of the water works committee
was to run the wells in q line north and
south along Styles avenue from the corner
OF Gwinnett street toward the river aud the
old water works The idea was that as the
system is extended and new wells are put
down the conduit wfll in time be extended
to the river, 50 thai in case of any emer-
gency the river WAGER could be turned In
10 Is not known how many wells would be
put down. Each wah that Is bored dimin-
ishes the flow of all others I'm the vicinity.
and while one well might flow 5000, 900
gallons. two wells anywhere near each
other, MIR. Johnston says, would lack
great deal OF fowinga twice that amount.