The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-05
THE WATER SERVICE.


The Olympic Salt Water Company
through an interview with William Greer
Harrison, published in yesterdays CALL,
has submitted a question to the public
that demands serious attention. 1t is that
the company will soon be ready to sug-
gest the furnishing of salt water for street.
sprinkling and the extinguishment OF fires.
To this end it is laying large mains in some
of the principal streets, the pressure Tor
which will come from the company's res
ervoir, which has capacity of half-mil-
lion gallons and which is $50 feet above the
level of the sea.
The suggestion contains two main fea-
lures. One is that in the districts most IN
need of protection against fire the size OF
the present fresh water mains and the
pressure upon them are utterly inadequate,
as was demonstrated at the recent destruc-
tive fire south of Market street. The
other is that salt water is much more eff
cient both for extinguishing fires and for
sprinkling streets than fresh water.
The Olympic Salt Water Company was
formed by some of the Weather and more
progressive members of the Olympic Club,
to supply water to the swimming and tub
baths, which have contributed so largely
to the success and popularity of this
organization. The generosity with which
ii has treated the club in the matter of
this service is we'll known to the public.
The heavy capital required for the install
lation of a pumping, storing and dis.
tributing plant had to find remuneration
innlrtJiu,, bac ,NrNlx
ing of bathing institutions which were
familiar with the superiority of salt water,
pumped from the ocean at point south Of
the Cliff House, where contamination was
impossible, over fresh water from any
source. The presumption is that the COM
pany has found profitable demand for its
service. If n part of its ultimate scheme
is so to extend its service as to be able to
furnish private families with salt water for
bathing it may be regarded as one of the
most beneficent of our quasi-public insti-
tutions.
That salt water is vastly more efficient
than fresh in extinguishing fires is mat
ter of common knowledge. Under its use
not only would the expense of maintain
ing the Fire Department be greatly re-
duced, but there would be greater security
against fires and sweeping reduction of
insurance rates. The ordinary rates of in
surance in San Francisco, leaving out of
consideration the present rate war, are OPP
pressively high, and must so remain until
the elements which produce it-an made
quate water service and the prevalence of
wooden structures-are greatly modified.
The introduction of salt water would per
haps entirely counterbaIance the drawback
of wooden structures, and hence might
not necessitate an extension of the fire
limits. In any event, salt water for fires
would work a revolution on the score OF
safety.
With regard to the use of salt water in
street sprinkling, those who have observed
East street and the railroad company's
yards in the vicinity of Fourth and Town
send streets, in both of which places salt
water is employed, can understand its
great superiority over fresh water. As salt
extracts water from the air its presence on
block pavements serves TO make a cement
of the detritus filling the block interstices,
thus making the street hard and smooth.
Hence very much less quantity of salt
suit. In this City, where the winds are
constant, fresh water dries rapidly and
leaves the detritus free to fly, while in the
case of salt water on the street they only
serve to bring more atmospheric moisture
in contact with the salt and so preserve
moist condition.
For sanitary reasons. as Mr.. Harrison
has pointed out, salt water is immeasur-
ably preferable. This occurs not only in
the prevention of flying refuse. but in the
effect of the salt on the sewers which it
enters. The further the extension of the
salt water service the higher will be the
condition of the public health and the
lower the death rate. These considerations
are sufficient TO require that the suggestion
of the Olympic Salt Water Company re-
ceive the most serious attention.