The morning call., 1893-07-11
MINERS AT WORK.
The Bays Waters Put to
Service.
NOVEL ENGINEERING SCHEME
A Street Undermined in Order to Sup.
ply a Company With Water
at Low Rates.

A gang OF miners is at work in San
Francisco. They are tunneling and Drift
ing and blasting in the very center of
main thoroughfare.
They are not delvng for gold, however,
nor are they working the city great pub
lie injury They are simply lending
for steam purposes be obtained at the low
est possible cost?
The Edison Light and Power Company
has one of it's plants located on Townsend
street. near Third. For years 1t has been
paying a high rate for water for steam
purposes. and in consequence its running
expenses have amounted to no small sum.
Not long ago man with an engin eering
turn of mind entered the company's en-
ploy. He was located on the third story
of the Tow nsend-street building, and,
while looking out of window one day, he
was struck with the close proximity of the
bay to his place of labor. and wondered
why it was that the bays waters were not
utilized for steam purposes.
Then he impaired his Wonderings to his
employers, and the result is that to-day
plan is under way by winch $1,000 gallons
of salt water, which cost nothing, Will snon
be made do the work Of an equal mum Der
of gallons of fresh water supplied at so
much a gallon.
The undertaking at first glance seems
enormous, and yet in reality 1t is very
simple though laborous.
The electric works are located about two
blocks from the bay, and toward them
there is a gradual incline. 1t is the inten-
ton to take advantage Of this iucline and
construct a tunnel through which the
water may flow directly to the place where
it is needed.
1t Is IN cutting this tunnel that the gang
of miners is engaged, and the task is prov
ing no easy one.
In order to complete the job HOO feet of
underground work must be done and I'M
der the most difficult circumsta
Then when the tunnel is completed the
affair will not be anywhere near compile
tion. In fact il will only be about fairly
commenced.
AT the waters edge all that is to be done
can hardly be described.
TO begin with. preparations must be
made for the receiving of clean water in
stead of the sewer waste which Is to be
found In store. Then some means of stor-
ing the water in order that it may flow
gradually into the tunnel must bs pro-
yiGed.
The latter difficulty is to be overcome
in the following manner: At distance
the terminus of King and Second streets,
a tank with capacity Of 10000 gallons is
to be sunk to level with the low alter
mark, and into it the tunnel Is to open.
From the side of the tank facing toward
the bay double row Of sheet piling is to
be extended out into the water distance
OF 200 feet, thus forming channel leading
into clear water. Before the water is
allowed to flow through, in order to pre-
vent it from becoming dirty, the channel
is to be dredged and afterward thoroughly
lined with concrete.
At its mouth and also at the point where
the tide flows into The tank fine screens are
to be placed for the purpose of cleansing
the water from driftwood and garbage
Screens will also be stationed at both ends
Of the tunnel.
At the terminus of the tunnel and imme-
diateiy in front of the electric company's
buildings reservoir capable of contain
ing $4,000 gallons is being constructed.
Into this the water will flow from the tun-
nels and from it will be pumped into the
condensers for salt water. 1t must be freed
from saline matter before 1t can be used
even for steam purposes.
The tunnel itself is being built upon
plans which make it certain that no acct
dent will ever result In consequence of
ii. To begin with, although built upon
an incline plan. so that the water will flow