The record-union., 1892-07-14
HEALTH AND ECONOMY.
Advantages of a Pure Water Supply
for the City.
Protection Against Fire, Also-Its Low
Cost and Economy Over the
Present Poor System.

In conversation yesterday with one Of
the directors of the Sutter Club, REC
ORD-UNIoN reporter learned that so in
adequate is the water supply in the up
per stories of the new bank building, at
Fourth and ] streets, it had become nee
essary for the directors to appoint COM
mittee to wait on the City Trustees and
see if something cannot be done to i'm
prove the water-service system.
The reporter then called upon A. Ab-
bott, Cashier of the California State
Bank, who recently took SO much pains
to test the extent of the water supply
east Of the city and its quality, and asked
him the present status Of the project Of
procuring a supply from wells out there.
WELL" replied Mr.. Abbott, ''the mat
ter stands just where it did, believe, be-
fore we made the tests some months ago.
1t cost me individually nearly $1,000 to
prove that there is an inexhaustible sup
ply of pure water to be had right at the
city limits. l have satisfied myself of
| this fact; spent my money for that pur-
pose; the results were given to the pub
! lie, and / am satisfied with my expert
ence. If the people of the city wish to
profit by the results obtained they can
DO So"
! Being asked if he was prepared to give
any figures on the cost Of an adequate
| plant, Mr.. Abbott said he had about
| Wearied of the whole matter, as the pub
lie appeared TO be Indifferent about it;
! but he had figured on the requirements
| and cost, and would give the following
| from memorandums he had made and
the guaranteed offers he had received
from manufacturers Of high-class pump
| ing machinery.
to emphasize the fact that there is an in
eXhaustible supply of water to be had by
| boring wells i'll the gravel section near
| the city; also that State Analyst Rising
! has pronounced the water to be of the
best quality. We start out, then, with
these two requisites-an abundant supply
and pure water. | have thoroughly in
vestigated the matter of the cost OF the
! proposed plant, and it may be briefly
summed up as follows:
''Three compound pumping engines of
the best quality and workmanship, each
| having capacity of 3,500,000 gallons of
water in tWenty-four hours.
These pumps to be supplied with
! and operated by trst-clasS boilers
~ suitable and substantial building
for the plant.
''Thirty-inch water mains to connect
| the present pipe system with the pumps,
| atfOrding an abundant supply and uni
]
Thirty acres of land on which to locate
| and inclOSe the plant.
The entire plant to be of the highest
class of workmanship and guaranteed to
supply 10,000,000 gallons of water every
| twenty-fOur hours, with domestic pres
sure of fifty pounds to the square inch
1.-The machinery to be guaranteed capa-
bic OF putting on 9O-pOund pressure the
moment fire alarm Is sounded.
''These items indicate the kind of plant
which responsible parties are ready to
furnish, the highest estimate OF the cost of
which is less than Sl50,000.
Let us put it at this figure, to be safe,
and what does it amout to? From care
ful Investigations which I have made
do not hesitate to say that such plant as
| that described can be maintained at a say
ing of not less than $4,000 annually on the
present cost of operating the poor system
we now have, and which is wholly inad-
equate to the wants OF the city.
| Eight thousand dollars represents the
interest on upward OF $3.50, ,000-more than
twice the cost of the proposed plant.
suppose" added Mr.. Abbott, ''two or
three or more fires should start in this
| city at once-Where would be, since the
present works are barely able to supply
enough for one fire, and then only at
points along the larger mains?
"When l say that parties who have
given me estimates guarantee to put on a
SU-pOu1lu Lre pressure, II means great
deal. For instance, about the highest
pressure obtained al the nozzle of a tire
hose attached to one of our modern steam
fire-engines is rs pounds, and this com
parison will give some idea Of what a 90
pound pressure ISL
| but, Mr.. Abbott" asked the reDorter.
show could the city raise even the $3.50. :
600 necessary for such plant, even if the
people had sense enough to demand it?
Is she not in a position that prevents her
from issuing any more bonds at pres
ent?'
''Ah, that is point had almost for
gotten to speak of, and Pm glad YOU
asked me the question. No, the CITY is
not debarred from issuing new bonds.
You see, we are diminishing the CITY
debt so rapidly that people do not keep
pace with the reduction. The CITY has
now so large margin within the Is per
cent. limit that she can issue bonds
enough to do nearly all the work that
has been proposed to have done on the
levees, and put up this pumping plant
besides, and this margin is growing
wider all the time.
w hlle 1t is true we all want to wine
out the old debt as early as possible.
still we don't want our city wiped out
by tire before that can be accomplished.
and submit 1t as simply fair business
proposition that it would be q great
economy-to say nothing OF all other con-
Slderatlons, such as health, the good
opinion Of visitors, etc.--to borrow the
money and perfect splendid water sys-
tenn at once"