Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-10

The regular meeting Of tho Board Of
Water Commissioners was held Tues
day afternoon. All the members were
present. A communication from Charles
Blocher of No. 1919 West Second street,
asking for privilege to use Brandywine
water under the meter system was read.
The board granted the request. A COM
munication from the Walton 81 Whann
Co., offering 1900 pounds of pig-lead
for sale was received, and the board
agreed to offer them cents per pound
for it.
The ACCESSIBILITY of putting in meters
for the Diamond Match Go. and the
Diamond Ice Co. was discussed. The
matter was held over, awaiting more
information from the chief engineer.
1t was decided to insure the Cool Spring
pump-house building for $1,000. The
policy will be taken out in the Farmers
Mutual Insurance Co.
The weekly payroll of the depart
ment amounting to $46401 was APP
proved. The amount of the bills d.
rected to be paid was $l,32S.G9. The
balance in bank was $7G3.65.
The chief engineer then read his re-
port for the year ended December 31st,
ask for bids for printing 400 copies Of
the same. The board approved the sug-
gestion Of Mr.. Bond to revise the rules
of the department. Mr.. Porter's motion
to postpone discussion on the water
rates was also agreed to.
Followingis the substance of the chief
engineers report:
The total receipts for the year are
$154, s6s.l0, Notwithstanding the great
depression in the various manufacturing
industries of the city aud the consequent
decrease in the revenue from that
source.
The number of leaks reported and re-
paired during the year was 403. The
only break in any of the large mains
occurred in November 1t was that of
the 20 in. submerged main crossing the
Christiana ut Wind street.
The pumpage from the Brandywine
during the year was 1907, 74S,S15 gal
Ions, u decrease from the preceding year
of 100, 300 gallons, and daily per
capita consumption ESTIMATING the
population of the city at 100000 of 1914
gallons, against 97.2 for the year 1893
During the first nine months of the
year the decrease was in rounds numbers
240000,000, while during the last three
months there was an increase of II ,000,-
QUO.
Tho Rodney street air lift service dur
ing the year amounted to 4,0il $50
gallons, supplying II population of 3iS
persons Or daily consumption by each
person of 80 gallons. The Elliott avenue
air lift service was sos, 100 gallons. The
number of persons supplied was 1876.
Daily per capita consumption, IA gal
lous The working of both these pumps
and the service from them has been very
satisfactory.
The machinery at both pumping sta
tons is in excellent condition. Very
few repairs were made to it during the
past year. The boilers at the city mill
have scaled some which the experimcn'
tai use of coal oil failed to remove, hui
they have improved greatly under othel
treatment
The reservoir at Cool Spring required
some repairs ON the inside or division
embankment. The brick lining became
undermined at the northerly end fol
about 100 feet, and resting upon clay
puddle at its base slid for short dis
lance. Concrete piers were built under
its foot at intervals of 10 feet and washed
out portion replaced by concrete and
some attention during the early part o
the year frJm small leaks that wert
easily repaired.
The number of feet of pipe added Il
the distribution from high service wa
2,615 and TO the low service 1866
Part of the addition to the low service
was by purchase of pipe already laid il
suburb that had recently become
part of the city, and 3,743 feet whicl
were laid on Commerce, King AM
Market streets to replace smaller pip
are not rcckoned in the above additions
The filter plant, which was com
inenced in the early part of 1893, wa
completed the latter part of the pas
year and is now in almost daily opera
ton. There have not yet been an
analysis made of the filtered waite
available for this report; hence the Dc
gree of purity is left to conjecture. A
insoluble matter is certainly removed
We have some 800 tons of fine san
stored for future renewal of the tilte
bed. The ground over tho filter wi
require attention early in the year.
There have been placed during I'll
wear III meters, making the total nun
her now in use 3S5. The experience
this department, think, confirms IL
statements made by other water depar
ments, that have used the meters long
and more extensively, OF their effectlv
ness in reducing wilful waste and
the more equitable adjustment Of Il
charges to the consumer. The decrease
pumpage referred to in another part
this report is largely due to their use.
The electrolysis action upon the wat
pipes, judging from the surface Indie
lions, has been much less the past fe
months. The copper connections b
tween the mains and the rail Whit
were made by the Electric Railway u
and the bonding of the main and Il
dynamos of tho power house with heal
copper, seem to return the escaped Gu
rent with less destructive effect. L,
department has secured voltmet
with which to test the comparative Gu
trent in the main and rail whenever
water pipes on the line OF the railw
are exposed from any cause; and t
superintendent of the railway compa
has promised to make these connectlo
when necessary. The damage thus
has only appeared on the Delaware a'
nue. part of the road.
The two inspectors appointed
patrol the banks of the Brandywine a
It's tributaries have, think, done
that could be done in the line of tn
duty, They have been untiring in tn
efforts to prevent the pollution of
source of our drinking water. ltrsqui
their constant attention to prev,
nuisances that otherwise would occ
Co. m. thair N ~