The evening times., 1895-10-05
By THE nIl[IOH GALLON
Test Of the New High Service
System Pump.
IT DOES ITS WORK WELL
Giant Piece of Machinery In the U
Street Station Which Supplies the
Elevated Section With Water-Five
Millions of Gallons Sent Coursing
Through the Mains. fcI

Residents OF the high levels IN and apout
Washington now have assurance of plenty
OF water and pressure sufficient to carry
1t where needed. = g.
The test OF the great five million gallon en-
gine recentiy put In the eU-strcetpuinping st a.
ton is almost completed, and r,it shows
that tbemachine W wiiidOits work ndmore.
In addition the specifications: have been
made up and bids advertised for another
pumping engine that willsupply eies1t million
gallons q DAY. This will Dein place wit0in "a
year.
The five million gallon engine now being
officially tested was made by a milwaukee,
firm and, In the words or an enthusiastic
engineer who has been watching its service,
us ten years ahead OF the times" II is
huge piece of machinery, consisting essen.
TALLY OF three cylinders with three double
force pumps.
ENTIRE ENERGY UTILIZED.
Engineers know IL US u triple expansion
engine. The steam enters on one side
and passes through each OF the three
cyiinuers So that IT'S entIre ehergy is utit
lied. It's temperature ~ 4OO deg rees when
II goes into the high pressure cylinder aud
13U degrees when IL passes out OF the low
pressure into the pipe leading to the con-
denser.
The three pistons move with great speed
as compar red with ordinary pumps. At
each stroke about a hogsileatl of water is
drawn from a 2O-inch mann ut the level
OF the street, and on tile other side or
tfIC upuDie pump tic stiiAc dikouht VI WdtcI
~ forced INTO another main leading 10
Mt. Pieasant and other high locations.
Steam ls supplied by two new hoilers
put in by Baltimore rirm, which re
also undergoing test.
The whole outfit cost $29 800. The
contract calls for the use OF IL 800
pounds of coal each day and the delivery
OF 5000 ,OOO gallons Of water against a
pressure OF lG6 pounds to the square inch.
The initia pressire In the pipe from which
tire water II taken is three pounds to the
a.
to supply stesm for a 200 horse power
engine The engine Is $50 horse power.
TESTING ITS CAPACITY.
The test is being made by Col James W.
Perry, of the chief engineers office in the
War Department. He was assigned to the
duty by request OF the commissioners. Four
times n day a record is uade OF what the
engine is doing. As the water is deiiv-
cred into the mains there Is no means to
determine by actual measurement after de
livery the quantity OF water pumped The
estimate is made by measurement of the
capacity OF each or the force pumps for
eacn stroke OF the piston. Then the mum.
ber OF strokes per minute rs counted, and
the quantity delivered each minute is
found by multiplication.
As check, Indicators are attached 20 the
pump reservoirs. " bich would Immediately
show any irrerularity in the action OF the
pump. Pressure gauges also show how
much prssure per square inch the engine il
Working against ai.u a record OF TINS, too,
Besides. these oUserS atioIis upon the en-
gine the work OF the boilers is noted under
scientific conditions. The coal and " alter
are W eighed and a record is made of The
quantity used each day. Instruments " ere
attached to chow the per Cent. OF moisture
in the steam, but these have failed 10 show
any change, and 30 iaras The best appliances
know n can indicate the steam is absolutely
dry.
AHEAD OF REQUIREMENTS.
The results TO date are summarized by
saying that the engine is working far
ahead OF the requirements and there is no
doubt whatever that it Will prove salts
factory. The test has been progressing
LONG enough TO make IT one OF the severest
ever put l upon piece oi machinery here anu
the data gathered is all favorable TO the
engine. -E''
The two engines which have long been
the dependence of the station nc now idle.
They ran steadily for two Years, day and
night, without break, and were much
worn when the present mathine was set
to work. One or them viii be removed
to make way for the 100000 gallon
Inree will be a guarantee of plenty. of
water for residents in elevated portions
OF the city for several yearslto come.
II one should break down, the other two
is NOT considered likely that tYo will he
out OF repair at once. When the Fort
Reno reservoir is completed they viii
deliver supply OF water, there, giving
A new building is being erected as
shelter for the engines and. the men who
operate them; II is 90 by lao, and win
be n substantial brick structure and win he
built outside the frame shed that has
served as protection for the new engine.
When 1t is completed the shed Will be
removed.
The new smokestack that goes up with
the new building, to replace the one now
in use. will be $50 feet high. Its founda-
tion has Jast been completed, and contains
$4,000 brick.