The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-27
Providence Water Supply.

An instance of the development Of
large interests from small beginnings
is given in the career Of The Provi-
dence Water company. Twenty-nine
years ago when the company built its
first reservoir, its principal intention
was to supply the coal works of tho
Delaware and Hudson Canal company
and Delaware LacBawanna and West
ern company. AS the wells in the
town however began to show signs
Of failing, applications were made to
the water company by citizens of the
vicinity who desired the water for do
nestle use. Only a few years elapsed
from the time the company began to
serve private property-holders before
the demand became so great that IL
was necessary 10 build larger stor-
age reservoir in order to furnish n
supply sufficient to serve the many
patrons Of the corporation. A new stor-
age pond was therefore arranged sew
en- miles above the town, where a suf-
ficient quantity of water can always
be kept to meet all emergencies. Wat
er from this pond Is conveyed to tho
original reservoir by natural creek,
from whence 1t is piped to the city
water mains. This creek for time ran
alongside the turnpike and whenever
1t rained the wash from the road poll
luted the water. In the spring of 1898
other arrangements were made to bet
ter the quality of water by means
of filters and additional mains. At
what is known as the high service
reservoir was built a filter house 70
feet long; II feet wide and ~ feet
deep. The water comes through two
wooden gates into the house and
81
over horizontal bars that can be easi-
ly removed when it is necessary to
remove the acculation that covers
them. After passing the bars the wat
er encounters large crates OF charcoal
and passing further on drips through
a series of double screens of light
cloth. The screens are removed three
or four times daily and are washed
off with hose. a track and travelling
pully arranged above enable the at
tendants to handle the screens and
charcoal easily. Beneath the filter
house Is a sediment chamber which is
arranged to carry off any deposit that
may accumulate on the perforated
iron floors Of the building The water
enters the high service reservoir
through q 24-inch terra Gotta pipe, be-
ginning 1000 feet above the point that
the creek from the storage reservoir
Join. Along the line are five agitating
pools built Of stone and Genet. The
force of the water through these pools
turns q wheel which churns the water
to foam before 1t passes out and acts
as a fan to force the air through the
terra Gotta pipe above the stream. A
small house with a stack and vent pipe
is built over each pool.
ir,T fo
der direct supervision Of the company's
superintendent, Major J. B. Fish. and
were according to plans devised by
the superintendent. Since the compile
tion of the filtering house and the new
reservoir, the quality of water has
| been excellent and the company has
received tho endorsement Of the Scran-
| ton board OF health in recognition OF
! the sanitary condition Of its supply.
The providence Water company sup
plies 100000 gallons to the city daily
and has a stock supply of s43,00000o
| that may be drawn upon at any time.
In order TO bring the quality of the
water to the present high standard
| of excellence il was necessary for the
company to purchase a large amount
OF property In the vicinity OF Chin
chIlla which had been used for pur-
poses that would in spite Of every re-
caution be apt TO taint the water. But
! the company had spared no expense
| in this matter, preferring at any cost
to serve patrons with a supply of water
that would be pure and healthful