Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-29
WATER FOR A CITY
How the Department Superin-
tends II.
TESTING THE WATER METERS
They Are Locked After Every Month by
the Employees 10 See That They
Are Honest.

one OF the most interesting depart
ments Of the city hall ls presided over
by John Wan Amberg IN the south
basement 1t is that part OF the Public
Works department which relates 10 the
water supply II the city. Mr.. Van An
berg and his men occupy three large
rooms OF the basement. The room
into which you enter is q large one ana
contains motley collection of all the
devices, stop cocks. water meters,
pieces of pipe. tools and numerous ar
ticles used in the piping necessary TO
supply the citizens with water. There
are laid in the city lilo miles OF water
pipes and II il all under Mr.. Van Am
berg's supervision. There are 99s IRE
hydrants IN the city, all Of which must
be looked after by this department.
One of the duties of the men 10 TO read
once each month and as much ofteneI
AS consumers request, the 500 water
meters in use IN the city. The rates
are paid but once in three months but
the readings are made regularly the
first of each month SO that II a meter
gets out of order il will not run toe
long before II Is discovered.
MT. Van AmberE's Force.
To do the work of the department
Mr.. Van Amberg has the following
men to help him: John Todd. Tom
Dempsey, Ralph Valdez John O'fiara
Joe Robertshaw, Louis Ipma. s
Schmitmacher and Frank Impins. All
the repairs of leaks in pipes or water
mans are repaired by these men. All
meters which become disabled are
taken into the shop in the basement
and are there repaired and made ~
good as new. On the left of the main
room is the Office of Mr.. Van Amberg
1t is into this room that he retires to
calm his soul when the consumer,
whose sole duty seems to be to kick on
the service, makes his life miserable.
On the right of the main room is the
machine shop recently placed IN the
city hall where all the work of repair.
ing which formerly had TO he paid for
can now be done by the men In the
clty's employ, on stormy days. The
men repair their own tools in thu
shop, cut threads on pipes and do a
great deal Of work which formerly cost
the city cash.
called Up In the Night.
Formerly Mr.. Van Amberg was fire.
quently called IN the middle of the
night to cut Off the water from build
ing in which the pipes were leaking
To awaken him he has a telephone III
his house with an extra set OF bells
which, when set ringing. will almost
raise the dead. He is not called &C
often on these night jobs as formerly,
when the old wooden pipes were plenti
full. At present there is not more than
half mile of this old pipe in use.
The meters are simple In construc
ton and their working is easily under
stood. They consist of two cylinder
with sliding valves similar to those
used in steam engine. The water
flows into one cylinder until it is filled
when the valve slides back and allow:
it to discharge while the othel
cylinder is filling. In this man
ner the water is measured anC
the movement of the valves moves the
hands on the dial register, showing
just the amount Of water consumed
These meters are very accurate wher
new, but as they grow old they favor
the consumer more and more. Many
times consumers complain CT the bill
charged and declare the meter is e
blame. They say the meter shows
more water consumed than hae beer
used and want new meter put in. lr
nine cases out of ten after the new
meter has been In use short time
they will come in and ask to have the
old meter returned.