The record-union., 1893-02-24


Joseph Steffens, from the Committee on
Financial Data, submitted report show
ing the quantity of water pumped by the
City Water Works during the years:
Gallons.
z46, ZOO
,744 S74 900
1SS2..-- ,19O 900
The expense of the water for the years
1891 and 1892 was respectively So, ,yl2 "a
and S34, ,O63 SO. To these figures are added
additional expenses of $1,000, making
$40, LIB.
The report was received and placed on
file.
THE CITY'S PRESENT DANGER.
G. A. Stoddard, from the committee on
examination of the present water works,
reported that the Stevens pump was
found in bad condition, and is liable to
give out at any moment. 1t is losing
twenty-five per cent. now by slippage.
The Holly pump is in as good condition
now as when it was put in.
AS now improved, the slippage of the
Holly pump will not exceed 8 per cent,
and its daily capacity will be something
over five and half million gallons
Mr.. Stoddard summed up as the result
of his examination that the city was in
danger of running short of a sufficient
supply of water. Another good pump
placed in the same building, with a ca
pacity of 100000 gallons per day, would
cost about S50, 900. This, of course, would
not give the city clear water, and even if
the Henry proposition were accepted he
beloved the present pumps with new
one in place of the Stevens) should be
kept where they are. The present con-
dition of things is bad and unsafe for the
city.
THE YUBA COMPANY.
AT this juncture it was decided to give
hearing to representatives of the Yuba
Company, who were in waiting.
Fred Searles, acting as counsel for
the company, briefly addressed the COM
mittee. He said the company has 400
miles of canals, reaching now down to
Rocklin, Placer County. Its capacity Is
unlimited and the quality of the water is
of the best. The supply can be increased
according to any increased demand. The
company is amply responsible and COM
petent to carry out any contract it might
make.
Mr.. Spaulding, Superintendent of the
company, said they had been making
surveys with the express purpose of
making proposition of supplying Sacra-
mento.
DOES WATER PURIFY ITSELF?
Mr.. Stoddard expressed the rather
singular belief that water carried in open
canals is purer than that carried in pipes.
lie objected to carrying water any dis
said he did not regard well or artesian
water as good as that obtained from open
conduits.
In reply to Mr.. Van Voorhies, Mr..
Spaulding said it would take about a
month for his company to submit a def
mite proposition.
MUDDY IN WINTER.
To Mr.. Hall, Mr.. Spaulding said the
water now supplied about Auburn is not
clear, but they expected to correct that.
In the winter, of course, the water would
at times be discolored somewhat.
Mr.. Niles said the people of Grass Val
ley and Nevada City had good water
from the Yuba Company, but he did not
deny it got somewhat muddy in winter.
Mr.. Hall said that of course ditch water
would be very warm in summer by the
time it was carried to this city.
A DOCTORS VIEWS.
DIR. w. A. Briggs having entered he
was requested to favor the committee
with his views. The doctor said that a
couple of years ago he, in connection
with other citizens, made a thorough in
vestigation of the water supply in the
gravel section east OF the city. The water
had been analyzed by the State Chemist
and pronounced to be as nearly pure as
any that could be found. First, the CITY
needs pure, clear water. The proposition
made by the Huba company should not
be considered, as it would give US ditch
water no better than that we now have.
1t would be open to the same objection
that the river water is.
WATER DOES NOT PURIFY
Itself in running-to any extent; in fact,
il is more liable tc contamination than ii
is to publication.
Recent experiments, said the doctor,
showed that running water purifes itself
very slowly indeed, even when not ex-
posed to contamination. AS between
mountain water, as we would be likely
10 get it, and that from subterranean
channels, he greatly preferred the latter
Eventually we will probably get good
water from Lake Tahoe, but in the mean
time he believed the best available sup
ply was to be had within or near the city
limits. This water comes under great
pressure and must come from an abund-
ant source.
Dr. Briggs here read from the RECORD
UNION of July last, showing that q live
trout was pumped up on the farm of c.
D. Brooke, near Oak Park, bearing out
the presumption that a large subterranean
channel, supplied from some mountain
lake, flows beneath the gravel-bed section
east of the city.
After long and informal discussion of
the different results obtained from the
use of well water and from which dis
cussion it appeared that the foulest water
used was healthtul, and pure water such
rs that obtained at Blue Canyon was bad
Tor some persons), the committee went
into executive session.
THE Committees ACTION.
The result of the committees delibera-
lions was the adoption of the following
resolution:
"ResoLued, That this committee recon-
mend to the City Trustees that they in
yite bids for the furnishing of clear, pure
water from artesian wells, to be located
east of the city, as per specifications and
agreement to be submitted by this COM
nlittee; the most favorable bid therefor &c
be submitted to the people of the city at