The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-10
PURE ARTESIAN WATER.
THE CITY NOW BEING SUPPLIED
FROM THE NEW WELLS

Turned on Yesterday Morning-A
Tremendous Pressure Secured and
the New Machinery Working splen-
dtdly-Mslarial Fever VIII Now Dis
appear.
Savannah now has the best water supply
OF any city in the country. Pure, undiiuted
artesian water lie now being supplied TO her
citizens.
The pumps at the new water works were
put in operation yesterday morning at 9:S5
O'Clock and the water turned into the city
mains. The engines were worked at seventy
pounds pressure and In an hour and half
the water tower at Bryan and Montgomery
streets was overlooking. The power bad 10
be reduced to one-half pressure although at
that time there is generally more water
used than at any other time during the day.
| Savannah has no more use for river wa
ter now. and will leave the supply which
has been consumed heretofore to the river
| and harbor where ii will do the most good
| In promoting the interests of commerce aud
industry.
ENOUGH WATER FOR 100, 900 PEOPLE.
The new water works will supply the
needs of Savannah for many years to come
| With the seven wells which are now oon-
gallons in twenty-four hours, the supply
greatly exceeds the demand.
A representative of the MORNING NEWS
visited the works yesterday and saw the
pumps in operation. MIR. Thomas T.
Johnston, the consulting engineer, who
drew the plans and specifications for the
entire plant and is the general supervisor Of
the work, kindly explained the modus OPP
erandi of the works and the general details
of the machinery which ts required 10 con-
duct the operations
A technical description OF the enormous
boilers and engines, with their peculiar de-
tails, is better understood when the grand
machinery is seen in motion.
HOW THE MACHINERY LOOKS.
In the boiler room are three immense
batteries, each containing two large boilers.
They we're constructed by John Rourke &
Son of this city and are perfect in every
detail The GLASS of work and the general
efficiency of these enormous and powerful
pieces Of machinery are a credit TO the
builders. The consulting engineer 10 very
much pleased over the perfect working OF
the boilers and their great economy. Only
half the fuel Is required TO do the same
work as the boilers at the old water works.
Only one of the engines 10 now In opera
ton. 1t was completed some days ago and
has been tested properly and found to be
equal to the requirements. However, much
attention is paid to getting the machinery
In perfect working order and it is running
on half speed. The engineers are watching
carefully every part of the mechanism and
In about three days the most minute parts
will be properly adjusted and the engine
will be run continually This engine will
be stopped during the night In the mean
time and then artesian water will be sup
piled from the old water works.
The new engine is now running with
forty-fve pounds water pressure which Is
| sufficient for the needs at present.
There will be two engines when she work
Is completed. The other engine is now
being adjusted In position and will be ready
for use In about month.
These engines are double acting, having
two sets Of works with large fly wheel, 10
feet in diameter, revolving between them. II
either section should become disabled, one
side could be operated and accomplish salts
factory results. They are known as the Cas-
kill compound condeusing pumping engines
and were built by the Holly Manufactur.
ing Company Of Lockport, N. Y.
THE "wET WELL" DESCRIBED.
In close proximity 70 the engines and
boilers is theimmense 'wet well" which is
filled with pure artesian water. The "wet
well" is another feature which adds ad-
vautages to water works OF modern con-
struction. The water Is pumped from this
reservoir, while formerly the pumps were
attached directly to the wells, and IN this
manner an accumulation OF poisonous
gases was mixed with the water and con-
veyed disease 20 those who drank it. The
advantages OF the wet we'll" Is that the
water, after flowing from the wells through
the conduit to she spacious reservoir, is
aereated, thus allowing the gases to escape
and pass off in the open air.
There is now about 800 feet of
conduit contract, to which 10
connected seven Of the wells. When
the entire contract is finished there
| ha an d,,ST TN stA
twelve artesian wells connected. which will
yield IL. 000,0O0 gallons of water per day.
The conduit La placed about twenty feet
under ground so as to get natural and per-
feet flow from the wells, which are about
500 feet deep.
The main pipe, into which the water is
pumped at the works is forty-two inches In
diameter and extends from the works TO
West Broad street, and the city mains
are thirty-six inches in diameter.
THE BRICK AND CONDUIT WORK.
The brick work, which 10 being done by
the contractor. Mr.. W. f. Chaplin 10 some
what delayed on account OF not being able 30
get sufficient supply of bricks during the
past few days, but large shipment was re-
ceived yesterday and the work will proceed
| Immediately.
The stone for the building will be fur
nished by the Stewart Stone Company Of
Columbia, s. G.
| Inc prORree6 on Tue CONDUIT mas advanced
materially since Mr.. George Baker took
charge of the work. ana ID will not be- long
before il will be completed and the addi-
tional five wells connected. The conduit 10
so planned that it can be extended at either
end, so as to allow any number Of wells to DO
connected with IL and increase the supply Of
water in case ie is necessary when the popu-
lation of the city increases and more water
Is required.
At the same time the "wet welln Ia sufi-
GENTLY large to hold all Of the water that
comes from the conduit while the pumps
have power enough to supply city Of 1o0.-
600 inhabitants.
The citizens of Savannah can now enjoy
water which falls from the heavens hun
dreds of miles distant and Is filtered
through the rocks in the earth and comes
back in pure and unadulterated condition.
The effect OF the use of arsesian water
unadulterated with river water upon the
prevailing epidemic of fevers In the city
will be watched with great interest by all,
physicians, city officials and the public
generally. They will soon be able TO Judge
IL the source Of the fevers lies in the drink
ing water Of the city.