The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-03-06
THE ASTORIA
WATER SYSTEM
Report OF the Chamber OF Commerce
on the Completed
Plant.
FULL DESCRIPTION GIVEN
lttmlIsd ststtntat Of the Cost Of the kOrks
Mater commissiou aad Eaainsefs co@-
Plimsatsd upos the Sueesss Of the
tadstskiug -- rloN OF Water
Larger Thsa Estimated.

Through the courtesy OF Secretary Hol-
den. Of the Astoria Chamber OF Com
mercc. the AStorian ls this morning able
10 present iu readers with the following
report on tho nsw water works syul0m.
from tho advance sheets prepared for the
annual report Of the Chamber Of Com
nerve
The city Of Astoria has during the year
ls6 undertaken the construction OF and
has at the prefent time practically com
pletcd a system of water works IN which
the citizens feel high degree Of justi-
liable pride
The " Jrks are Of much more than pass
Ing interest. both by reason Of their
exceptional completeness. which an In.
tslllgcnt use of the natural advantages
has made possible. and by reasJn of the
unusual magnitude OF the results achieved
by a very moderate outlay Hrisiiy out
lined. the sysirm consists OF diyerling
weir Of masonry construction located
on Bear crcck at the head OF what "
II locally known as the gorge" with
entry chamber. head gates. etc. a set
tlifg basin. also Of masonry oonsiruc-
ton. located loo feet from the head
works. with screens. measuring weir. and
enclosing building whore the sediment
carried by the strthm In times OF high
water IL preciptAted before the water
passes into the main pipe line leading
TO the city. and from which Il can H.
flushed out aud the basin thoroughly
clcanpod by the action OF the water A
plpo line composed OF seven aud one
half miles OF ik.inch modern wood SiRve
pipe, built OF the best selected. perfectly
clear-Erainrd yellow fr. and banded
with round mid ste-l hands, three miles
Of is.inch No, 10 and No. l2-Rcoorilng
to pressure riycted steel pipe, and one
mile Of ii-inch No, u riveted steel pipe;
a reservoir Of si1 and q quarter millions
OF gallons capacity. from which the water
h conveyed 90 the distribution on the
Columbia side of the peninsula hy an j.
inch PIPE. tunnel twelve hundred fcet
long passing through the ridge betwecn
the rtser,oif and the city at depth
OF one hundred and fifteen feet below
the surface and a complete distributing
system.
The elevation above tide water
OF the divrriing point on Bear creek Is
nvc hundred and cighiy-nine feet the
staVe pipe l. used under maximum
pressure Of nne hundred and sixty-dye
lc-t. ana has q grudi-nt fan OF two feet
In thousand. the steel PIPE il used TN
der tho heavy prcssures. which reach n
maximum OF two hundred and ninety
feet. and has fall In the hydraulic
gradient Of nve feet In thousand for
the i6.inch pipe The main line conduit
terminates mile east OF the new reser-
voir at the head OF the li-inCh pipe. at
an elevation Of four hundred and twenty
six ft,t. Practically all OF the penin-
sula below this elevation Il designed 10
he eventually supplied by gravity. which
viii include all OF the territory excepting
tho high point OF CoNcOmb hlll and the
extreme summit OF the ridge extending
to the east OF this point. In the IL
inch pipe leading from the four hum
drcd and twcniy-six foot elevation 10
the reservoir. which Is hunt At a flow
line elevation OF two hundred and eighty
two and half feet. Is a reserve head Of
clghty.threc feet. which Is to be used at
the reservoir for the development OF
power About nifty net horse power Is
the result This power Il to BE- em-
ploycd for the operation OF an electric
lighting plant for the use OF the munoici-
pAiity In lighting the streets and public
buildings. when the demand for water
In the sections not capable OF being sup
piled directly by gravity shall justify
the installation OF the necessary plant
the power will be used In the day time
for pumping water TO small reservoir
TO be located on a high elevation for the
supplying OF this extreme high service.
The building for the occupancy Of this
water power. lRht and pumping plant
has been erected. and all fixtures are In
readiness for the placing OF the ma
chnery. The building has been COM
bined with tho gatehouse for the reser-
voir, IL built OF cut stone and presents
"A very pleasing and appropriate archl-
tectural effect. II win be thus seen
that the entire system Is so designed
that every part OF the city, present as
well as future. can he supplied with
water. though the elevations cover n
range OF six hundred feet. without the
expenditure Of one dollar for fuel. The
plan contemplates the con-
struction OF small storage dam on
Bear creek, where nifty millions OF gallons
can be reserved for consumption during
the dryer weeks OF the year. thus bring
ing minimum available supply up to
the designed capacity OF the pipe line,
This was expected to have carrying
capacity OF four millions and nifty thous-
and gallons In twenty-four hours, and
by actual measurement since completion
carries four millions one hundred and
fifteen thousand, an excess OF little
less than two per cent, over the expected
discharge. The reservoir Is a substan-
tally designed structure, having n lining
OF six inches OF concrete on slopes and
bottom flnished as 10 the bottom with
Two coats of asphalt. and ON the slopes