Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-05-13
The New Water Line.

school children, We're on the street.
The New Water Line.
The JOURNAL made tour of the
new water supply line last Monday.
The excavation is hardly deep
enough. AT several places on the
highest bench, east side, the covert ng
will not exceed inches.
On this fiat, also, for space of at
least l20 feet the water, with the pump
at rest, will stand IN the nam. The
ditch approaching the fiat depression
should have been dug several feet
deeper to secure a complete drain of
the pipe whenever pump stops, which,
it is understood, is to be used only
when the supply on this side fails to
be adequate. The defect will occasion
the twofold danger of injury to the
pipes while at rest, and when pump
runs again of forcing the stagnant,
rusty water into the towns domestic
consumption.
On the other side the pipe-layers are
working this way, but have several
hundred yards yet to complete to make
junction at the top. One joint, cross
ing small ravine, will always be ex-
posed. This, with the shallow cover
ing in many places, will make the new
line useless in "cold droughts'
Considerable excavation has been
made at the pumping but
there is a lot of work yet to do. Ditch
ing and laying pipe to concentrate the
several springs, riprapping the reser-
voir, etc., will still take time and
money. Instead of riprapping it has
been thought that wooden lining will
answer, but Council and people should
discountenance that expedient.
While it is yet time the new reser-
voir should by all means be provided
with a flush pipe, with, as suggested
by John F. Workman. stop at the
exhaust end.
A new road has been cut to get the
pumping machinery to the station.
The water is apparently ample in
flow, and old observers say uniformly
the same in all seasons. 1t comes CO.
piously from the red shale outcrop and
is pure, soft, sweet and cool. If it can
be poured into Frostburg in plenty
during dry seasons it will be a blessing
indeed.
But let anyone walk from the
mountain-top along the pipeline to
the station and he will be impressed
with the facts
|, That it is long way up and
downhill for Frostburg to go for water,
and must inevitably be hn expensive
way, even if it be entirely successful.
., That the strain on pumping ma
chinery and lower joints of pipe and
connections will be as much as metal
can bear. Each injection will have to
displace an enormous weight, and
when we remember that the strength
of chain is equal only to that of the
weakest link, we may we'll fear that If
pipes do not burst that the jointures,
under ponderous and constant thump-
ing against compression, will fly out
and apart.
The JOURNAL, therefore, has never
been more completely convinced than
that laid
well would have been far better spent.
1t is satisfied, too, that could the
people have seen the situation as it is
visible now, nine-tenths would have
endorsed the deep we'll proposal.
Mr.. Workman appears to be putting
the joints together in the very best
manner-indeed, in the manner of a
man who is apprehensive of blame in
the event of trouble from the cause
named.
En- route the Arnold meadow well
was visited. 1t seems to be still pour
ing its quota of water into the mains,
although the meadow is almost
swamp. No cattle in it now, but it
has been a juicy range with an able
co-adjutor in the way of stable of
long standing.
The fireclay water on opposite side
is shut out.
The reservoir is overlooking.
The most urgent demand just now
upon the Water Committee is
l, Complete the new supply system
quickly as possible.
,, Then turn off the Arnold meadow
well.