Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-08-26
IN FAVOR OF COOKS
President LstsIliss Talks About
ire Water Supply.
IT WOULD COST MllLloAs
To ca 10 Lake Michigan for ssrply.
Hopes the Cook sy<s~n VIII
Yea He Tricd.

-" @<@<% - 80 %*t{ A@f" kt"t@ ~<%<<t
careful consideration b the snblcst of
pure water Coz Grand Rapids than
President Letsliisr o. the to2Ed II pub.
he works. Hs VA asked yesterday
what he thought of the proposition q
Mayor Stuart - 30 70 Lake Michigan
Tor the water supply. Mr.. Letellitr
SAILED ~ he replied; -fes l read Mayer
Sfuzrt's ideas with interest. but II ~
evident that he has not carefully con
sidsEsd his proposition. In fact have
never heard any one talk about going e
Lsks Michigan Tor q water supply Who
has given tie subject tho consideration
they ought l speak ~ ~ individual
not az member of the board Of public
works. but think that III. - nearly sil.
the members will indorse what say.
Let me- give you some figures. II h
tvcnfy eight miles % Lake Nichigac In
direct line. TO furnish 2i.oc0u0 gal.
Ions of water daily. that L. double our
consumption. from Lzko Michigan
and maintain q pressure Of ninety
eight pounds 30 the inch. would
require t'Fo SIXTY inch mains.
The laying 81 thess mains would cost
sil3e6O. and tho pipes themselves would
cost &.Sl9bso Tho intake az Lake
Michigan would cost not less than
100000 We would have TO provide az
least two 2OOoo.oo0 gallon pumps at
cost of about s2O0.0o0. a station that
would cost approximately 10000 and
steam plant that would cost 5000
more. This makes an outlay Of s6.229.-
GAO a. q starter. Ii would cost $4,000
a year 10 operate the plant and this
would be in addition to the cost OF opera
ting the present pumping station. which
would be necessary to give the water
proper force here.
Another Objection TO Il
The cost Is not the only objection.
however. as can be learned from Nuske-
CONS experience last winter. The ice
was forced In on the east shore Of Lake
Michigan and filed the intake ~ that
their supply was entirely cut off. and
this Ia liable 10 happen any winter.
Here Is an article in the Engineering
News which states that the prevailing
west winds will drive ice on the Gust
shore 80 that water will be cut OF from
the intake. At other times the water
to depth Of two or three feet Is filed
with needles Of ice which will form a
solid cake rs soon a. they are allowed to
rest againstanything solid. Ithas caused
trouble at all the intakes ON the shores
OF the great lakes. even the largo cribs
OF the large cities not being free from
the trouble.
IL Il q Healthy supply.
But our water supply is not unhealthy
as the health statistics Of Grand Rapids
viii show. IL is known 10 all who are
familiar with tho river and with its
tributaries that their waters are highly
colored- This does not affect their
heaithfulness at all, but renders il I'M
palatable. and II Grand river water we're
clear and sparkling think the people
would be satisfied.
While there has been q great deal OF
permanent work done for tho good or the
water supply in tho past few years
there IL very good reason why work
Is not pushed moro rapidly. 1t is tho
constant changing Of boards and com.
mittces. A man barely becomes familiar
with what has been and ia being done
than he drops out and a now man comes
In and you have 10 start over.
About the Cook Wells
Three years ago the city expended
5000 IN test wells for supply Of ground
water. In all thirteen test wells were
sunk aud the result proved conclusiyeIy
that there Is an abundant supply az
ground water In and about tho city. In
one locality the water bearing gravel
was fifty three feet deep and the water
roso To within two feet OF tho surface.
Last year the council appointed com.
mittee 20 act with the board Of public
works ia preparing n contract with the
Cook Well company. Such a contract
has been prepared. According % ii the
company agrees 20 furnish 100000
gallons daily from not 10 exceed
two localities and not less than 5000
coo for each locality. and will increase
this amount as may be required. The
supply Is 10 be tested one year, and IL ID
does not diminish IN that time the city
Ia 10 pay 10000. 81 tho end of two
| years II the supply has not diminished
the city IL 20 pay f27 100 more. In case
| the supply does not hold out il has
cost the city nothing but tho cost al
setting up machinery 10 do the pump
ing. All that remains in tho way II
carrying out that contract is the max.
ing OF . contract for piping and fitting
by the Cook Wei. company. AZ soon "a
that Is done the contract with the city
will be executed. The Cook Well com.
| pany has recently put in water works M
Lowell. Massachusetts,. aud ia otne.
| cities and has tied up ia rcsource q
| otherwise IL would 10 AZ work In Grand
Rapids today IN tho council would have
approved the contract
II these wells do not supply enough
for all purposes No may cofae 81 4
double system That would n.-au
doublr system % pifrs sith
water for sprinkiing and fire protection
IN the present pipes and vol eater In
the req system Cor CULINARY parpaeea
IL would coat In rpund figure fsaOco
10 make the double system and Il would
CO., $1,000 additiocel per lear 50 main
tain " ASIDE froa the efperxe 20 fhs
city there sould be est 20 each heuse
holder for aouble plumhing aud this 1.
40 doubt IN worst o.,ieSIBs'S1
cthex Waters Considered.
fknos that fcr The past ffse.n y~as.
F. The board % pubic sorka has carefully
considered al The lakes snl streams ir
tbs vicinity regarding their ftnres - D.
u@ed - : ssurrs ~ the wstsf supply II
the city. and that their wsterm hsyr nc,
be~u foend s1periof = river wst<r.
| bsticezi A. & s,~zeils prnfx,sil.srn {.
puan ~ siecffirlfy You wil r~ntefn.
ber that the West Michigan f,ettrlcal
eoahpanF saa nrFaaisei estaa tirse -