Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-04
OUR WATER WORKS.
ANNUAL REPORT OF suPERINTEND-
ExT BOILING FOR YEAR 1900.
4 FINE FINANCIAL SHOWING MADE.
Net Receipts Were sss, ooO-Cost of
the Plant Up to Dnte-Recommend-
alton ~ to Clear Water-The Me-
tiers and the Waste.

let form, and IL is a most interesting ana
important municipal document. 1t deals
briefly with whole water-meter and clear
water and water-supply questions, so
far as Richmond is concerned. and also
gives a short history of the works. going
into details as to expenditures and re-
ceipts.
The report with the exception OF the
tables giving statistical information, all
Of which Is referred to in the report, Is
given below:
ONCE of the City Water-Works,
Richmond, Va, January /, 1897:
Hon. Richdrd NJ. Taylor, Mayor or the
City of Richmond:
/ have the duty Of submitting the fol-
lowing report of the water-workS Tor the
year, ending December 81, 1885,
The annexed tables show clearly the
work done during the year, and neces-
sary records. l shall briefly call your At
tention TO some OF the main points. me
appropriation for the year made by the
Council, was $50, 500 out Of this was ex-
pended S52,0G5i5 leaving balance OK
s73455. Table No. 2 shows the amount
expended for maintenance, repairs, etc,
to be si66sS.15, and for betterment such
supplies. etc, s5,3S2.S0. Included in the
amount $40. .15) is $3.50 paid for pipes.
which are now in stock. so that the. ac-
tnal amognt OF maintenance ana repairs repairs
ments consist of 6,9i3 lneal feet Of water
mains, q fire-hydrants, and 297 house
supplies or taps.
ENTIRE COST OF WORKS.
The total receipts for the year paid
to the City Treasurer were sl39533.2S. In
consumed by the city, In the different
departments, such as public buildings,
schools markets, gas-works. fire-extin-
guishment, and charities amounted 10
$3063i, making total value for water Tor
the year, $40 2l7.2S. The total expendi-
ture, as stated, for all purposes. was
so. OS54 49, and the outlay for actual ex-
pense. s46,6s315, and this sum deducted
from the gross value, Sl162l7S, leaves a
balance of S12353i13. equal TO more than
per cent. on 100000, the value now
placed on the water-works. A further
study of Table No. 2 shows also. that
after charging to the water-works all the |
expenditure from the beginning October
to $3,765o96.83, and credlting |
the works with all the receipts paid into |
the Treasury. amounting TO s5'lso, 500, |
there remains a balance against lhe
water-works of s2l6.6l7I.
This whole outlay was not made at one /
time, but from time TO time. the largest
OUTLAWS being at intervals OF from Iitteeh
to twenty years There Is no charge
made IN this statement LOT iHltiNSt
tho debt incurred. nor is there any credit
given for the value Of the water used
by the city in all these years. which,
am satisfied, has always exceeded the
interest charge. In support OF THIS sup
position, the value Of the water this year
used by the city was $o,6S4. and the IN
terest on the amount against the WORKS
(s2l6. 6l7.4D would be sl2s9LO4. Embraced
now in our city parks are Iarse maS,ts
of land. purchased out of water-worhs
appropriations, and charged to consuuc-
ton. If the department was credlted
with this asset. | believe II would more
than Offset its present debt;
The above facts show this, that IL the
had been and was to-day
placed on It's own footing, and required
to be self-supportng. that the city couiu
now issue. bonds 10 the amount OF Sl,iW,
100 for improvements to the works, ana
the receipts for water would pay the In
terest on same. ..,a, .,
needed TO exhibit how valuable 10 the
,ity are her water-works. ~
In a statement. termed AppendlA "
Table No l. is shown. In detail, the COst
If erecting the O'Donnell equalizer. Inc
,ity Council made a special appIoprla-
ion of 81 200 TO make a trial OF the u DON
,ell EQUALIZER. a device for which it was
,laimed when connected with the water
mains. would greatly Increase the pres
ure-an improvement much TO be de-
fred. This device was built at the IN
ersection of Broad and Twelfth streets
n accordance with the plans ana specin,
ations of the inventor. but under trial
allied TO increase. the pressure Inc
Whole outlay on the part OF the city Tor
low have in hand the pipes, pipe connec-
ions. valves, &C., used. the actual cost
vas $4S2.32.
efore the experiment was ordered, OF
Increasing the pressure in the city-one
eing to Increase the head or source, the
Their to decrease the velocity OF the
,ater in the mains. T..
The race-ways, head-walis, &c. are III
God order. and there has been no trouble
rom leaks. The amount expended on
epairs and inspection fol-, the year was
,6476. Attention was called In my last
ewing the timber coping on Boshers
am. This work should be. done at Some )
NV stage of the river. when 1t can be
xecuted with least expense. {
THE PUMP-HOUSES. s
The pumping machinery at the New
ump-house. and that of the steam pump,
-as thoroughly overhauled and put in !
God condition during the year. The de-
lils of the work done and the improve
tents made are shown in the accompany
IL report of Mr.. Alexander Delaney, the J
resent Superintendent. The turbine
heels, shafts, &c, were renewed ann
new special pipe connections,
alive seats, valves, &c, put in, the lat
n being an Improvement In arrange I
tent and design upon the former ones. a
he cost of the repairs on the water d
over pumps amounted TO S,66235 This a
the only expensive repair made in the I
asst six years on these pumps. The {
was put in thorough order I
)st of sl.2Il9i This pump was brought d
Ito constant use while making repairs i
I the other machinery In order to keep !,
p the supply of water. Only a small v
a n MI q
ouse, and this was used In repairing L
jumps Nos. and s, which are now in
irly good order. In May last the water @
heel shafts of Nos. l and 2 broke. and S
ese pumps have done no work since, as n
did not have the funds to repair, nor "a
} / think it advisable nor economical q
restore these old wheels, which are a
It of date, and would cost at least $500 \
renew them. The pumps are in good I;
,ndition, and could yet be made to do s.
'icient work. In place of renewing the d
wheels | would recommend putting a
a single turbine wheel. with the neces- G;
lmps. This wheel would take less wa IT
r than the other two wheels, and the n
pacity OF the pumps would be increased Ia
per cent, and they could be used TO @,
mp water into either the New or Old II
servoir. as might be required. The Il
pacity OF the two pumps would be
900 gallons in twenty-four hours. The "
st OF this Improvement Is estimated at e,
wv ana 1 recommend tndt III De car
d out. The amounts, including pay n.
lis. expended on the different plants III
ring the year are as follows. New n,
mps, s12,9Si15; old pumps, $5.S25.22, and ri
N,102.S3. The cost OF pump w
water per million gallons was: BY 70
W pumps A37; by old pumps, s6.05. n
d by steam-pump. sl0.47. The whole
antity OF water pumped was All, 665.- NJ
gallons and the average quantity per SC
y was 11.4l4.36 gallons. m
he reservoirs are in good condition. in
METERS-WATER-W WASTE. II
here are now in the city 1852 water 7