Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-02-18
WELLS ARE NOGOOD
ON TIE TuBf-WtlL sYsTfM
He SAN II b . wssss af TINS ed
Messy - Expsslnsas Win the
Tuss-wsn sys.sn-

snxsa~sr. contributes the following lei
s>r en- NE snbjees OF . psrmsnsnt wsssr
saptly. II . addressed " tae Hon.
W. 7. Possrs. . gentleman xbo takes
al iassiligsnt aud deep interest "a the
quehlaon:
Th~ lien. W. T. Posezs. Grand RApsds.
AicA.f
ItxAs S,s-in snsxsr to ycar requss;
for NV views relative ~ the puo4ic
sstsr supply situation a. Grand kAo'ds.
can Only say that | know no reason
~ enAnEe the conclusions arrived -
ia nly INVESTIGATIONS Of two years ago.
Rogue river - your beet avaiIAtse
source Of suppIy and Grand rvsr.
Above Soldiers home. = TIE pext test-
sooner or later Grand ksplds will 10
compelled to adopt one or the other Of
these sources ~ nsr permaasnt cup
ply Is 10 the shesress folly To waste
Any tine or money upon the we'll
question. In the near future Grand
Rapids vii require water supply OF
l5.ooo. 90 or -, uoo. 900 gallons per day.
Few people stop " consider what .
million gallons OF water means. A
stream OF water one foot wide aud six
incaes deep. flowing freely over rlver,
vii oecupy twenty four hours IN pass
ing l.Oo0,ooo gallons OF water, 80 that
when the require Gents or your city
reach =. 005. 900. II will take . swIft
flowing stream Of water slx inches deep
aud twenty feet wide to supply The
water. IL = childish 10 waste a mo-
meats thought upon the subject of
wrlIs--leasl OF all tube welis'-to
furnish TINS in mense am unt OF water.
Every natural condition aud feature of
TIE Grand Rapids water saed - IL
reetly against Tie feasibility Of we'll
supply The health and lives OF the
people are 80 closrly Identified with.
and involved IA tnesr water supply.
that regard il a. q crime 10 nalslead
them on 50 vital matter.
There are many places where suti-
Gent water can lie obtained from the
ground by means OF wells. but It II
not possible al Grand Rapids. | have
never known the "tube we'll" system q
success anywhere. When | Was max
ing my investigation here two years
ago, II was CLAIMED that the tube wei
system ~ Iexsrkana. Ark. Was Z CON-
plate success. and Was furnishing l50..
ODD. 900 gallons OF water per day. Ons
year ago mo water company there
doubled their number of wells, aud IN
September lzst / was called there te
investigate. | found the natural cou.
| ditions there very favorable Tor the de
| yelopment Of a successful well waite
supply, but their entire tube well' sys
/ tem only afforded . scant 800. 900 gallon
per day, u twithstanding the fact tina
there were twice as many wells as ~,
/ years ago, when 10 Was claimed tina
4 the yield WAS l50, 100000 gallons pc
Gay. The tube we'll system has beef
abandoned At Texarkana aud tn
.AFgs open well system substituted.
You will never arrive at 4 sat.sfac
sery- solution OF the water proolen =
/ Grand Rapids until you either 20 q
4; que river or to peint III Gran,
river above the Soldiers home.
It's not probable that the Soldiers
home drainage has any appreciate
effect upon your water supply, as yol
sre W situated. but il will never b
posslbls 10 convince the public Of thl
isct- think ali things considered tn
visest and best course for you will
IL decide upon Grand river IS you
permanent source OF supply. move you
pumping works up the river, above I'll
Soldiers home. construct a large dou
PIE reservoir that Will serve as bot.
reservoir aud setting basIn wneneve
necessary. and settlement will be ds
EEGbls when the river is roily or tai
bid at high stages. OF course this re.
ervosr viii be connected with the pre-.
eat downtown reservoir. and both b
utilized. This will chiefly remov
the objection Of large fris
toual loss, otne-wiss due TO distance
Of source OF supply during the hour
of the day when the consumption o
water Is large The connection be-
tween pumps and river should consis
OF large pump well. near the pump
lng station, with which the pump
saould DC connected. From this We
large :ron pipe or conduit shoul
connect with altering CRIB properl
Constructed Ia the river. This fltcl
log crlD, or basin, SHOULD be 50 Cor
structed As 10 otter least obstfuctiO
20 the river How. should be noel
walled AID provided with proper oper
ings. aud snouid be embarked vii
gravel Of sufficient hrmness 20 proven
the passage into the supply BASIN Of an
objectionable matter, and yet sui
gently open and porous 10 pass all "a
pesded water. Care should be tAxe
10 provide amply sufficient tiltenn
surface ~ permit the water TO pal
through without attaining . yeloci;
sufficient 10 create a sedsmenlary dli
turosnce: Otherwise ssnd aud sedimer
slh bs earned into your pumps an
mains. fonr water works system pr
n tns shape Will, thInk, fully sAtlsf
al your people.