Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-03

tue meusufeinents were made at q time
when there bad been no general rains for
seven months, was IA 600 600 of gallons
daliyi certainly ample from which to
draw 3,OOO,OOO or 100000.
TRUE ECONOMY
dictated the purchase Of two pumps Of
equal capacity, for in event of one get.
ting out OF order the other could be
brought into service. The old pumps
could not be used in Connection with
new pumps.
The triple expansion system was adopt.
ed for the very simple reason that prac.
teal experience elsewhere shows II has
the merit Of about 80 per cent iul economy
OF running over the other systems.
THE PUMPHOUSE LAND.
Objection Is made to the purchase Of
the nifty acres Of land, known as the
new waterworks property. at 800 per
acre, and to the title Of this land And
yet i was earnestly urged by the public
grounds committee that 200 acres Of
this same land be bought for q city
park at $500 per acre. The title to the
land has been passed upon by the city
attorney and his report approved by the
council
The tide to the land on which the
pump house stands Is perfect fee simple
warranty deed. No encumbrance of any
kind stands against II. This the records
will show.
The land In which the wells are sunk
and 60 which the city has an easement
by the gift Of Copps 4 CmSty ct al., II
ilesared of all incumbrance, except the
r. ssdyjn which four or FIVE of the wells
y III I'd The vendors lien notes on
? NO, Ot due, but as the parties at
- ave always paid their liabili.
IN . only fair to presume they will
If THE CITY is
4 IL.
house lands. IL can sell back 70 its verR
doris for 20 per cent advance on the
purchase price.
shortly after the contract was let
new city council came In aud the COM
mittees We're reorganized. the water
works committee being Aldermen Nicks.
chairman, and Mes and Drake.
AT the very beginning of the work City
Engineer Kerr addressed q letter TO the
mayor and waterworks committee ad-
hitting his lack Of familiarity with the
construction of waterworks and advised
the city council 10 organize suitable
corps Of engineers familiar with water
works construction 10 look after the
City's interests. This suggestion was
adopted and hc then recommended n
friend for the position.
The city council disapproved of the en-
gineer so recommended. and by a unani-
nous vote. and with the approval of the
mayor. selected General Ringer az CON
sulting engineer and Mr.. Halves as con
structOn engineer on the part of the
city, and under their supervision, has the
whole work Of construction been done,
and II Is the unchallenged statement Of
the mayor and others of the city council
that with all extras allowed and every
thing else in the matter of cost consider
ed, the gross payments do not vary from
the original estimates, 1-2 Of j per
cent.
There is a dispute now existing as to
the manner of settlement of some items
with the contractor, growing out Of tech
nicalities of waterworks construction but
these differences are about harmonized
THE FINEST PLANT
south OF st. Louis Is the verdict of
competent judges on the Fort Worth
new waterworks This enc0mium goes to
approval Of plans, mode Of construction
and question OF water supply aud as the
work was done under the general super
vision of the wnterworks committee the
members, Alderman Niclrs Mics and
Drake, who worked ut all times In perfect
harmony until the final completion Of the
work Of construction. deserve the praise
of the community, for their services In
behalf of the city
Another objection made to the cost
of IKE new waterworks is the pipe is un-
necessarily heavy and strong but If that
II u llulb lt II on Aut Ilkhh nihts
THE WORK FINISHED.
After the final estimates were submit
ted by Engineer Kerr, approved by the
council and the money paid, there yet
remained 10 be disposed Of two Ques-
tons: How much should be allowed Nc
Arthur Bros. on amounts claimed by
thein as not yet paid, for work on the
intake well, for differences made by diff
ferent modes Of measuring masonry and
pipe lines, etc. which matters have been
fully set forth, and what proportion, IL
any, on the 10 per cent retained by the
city until the completion of the work,
should be paid the contractors before the
final test of the pipe lines which could
only be made after the pumps were in
working order?
THE CITY'S SIDE
was so divided 1t would be hard 10 tell
which Il was
After many concessions by Mr.. Haw-
ley, the local representative of the con-
tractors. the matter finally got down TO
a unanimous report of the waterworks
committee recommending the payment Of
certain sums and $4,000 of the $4,000
or more the 10 per cent guaranty fund
retained by the city, but 1t appearing
from the debate in the council meeting
that this $4,000 was part of that 10
per cent, one of the members OF the
wlterworks committee who had not fully
understood the tenor Of the resolution had
bis Fame erased from the report
THE OTHER SIDE.
Macarthur Bros. held that the work
was divided into several sections, to wit;
pumphouse. intake well, artesian wells,
crib, pipe lines, etc, etc. 10 the number
of seven or eight; that the work was all
completed and tested except the test Of
the pipe lines. and this being the case they
were entitled 10 all the 10 per cent so
retained 10y the city except what was
necessary 10 make repairs, If any became
needful, when the pipe lines were tested,
that the usual breakage in a case Of this
kind was less than ] per cent and there
fore about 5000 would be all that was
nece ssary for the city TO hold back, In adj
diton 20 the 100000 bond that was aud
would be In force until the final test,
Finally, in spirit Of concession, Nc
Arthur Bros agreed 10 take $4,000
of the So, 900 OF $33,0OO retained by the
city, and then committee report was
submitted setting out In detail the pro
posed settlement and this was signed
by all the members Of the committee
save one.
- SCALING DOWN.
When the discussion between the COM
nittee and the contractors began the
claims of the latter were over $4,000
for work done but not paid FOR IN the
final estimates, not extra work be IL