The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-05
INCREASED WATER SUPPLY.
OLD WORKS TO BE REPAIRED AND
CONDUIT LIKELY TO BE BUILT.

Report to the Water Commission.
Means of Increasing the supply
Practically Agreed UpOn-The Old
Works 10 lie Re-Equipped For Use
i'm Case of Emergency-The Con-
duit at the New Works May Be Ex-
tended and New Wells Addcd-The
Present supply Sufficient For Orr
binary Uses, But an Ample supply
wanted For Fire Purposes.
Engineer T. T. Johnston of Chicago,
who is here for the purpose of making
suggestions with regard to the water sup
ply visited the water works yesterday.
He went out with Chairman Dixon of the
water commission, and ex-Alderman W.
G. Cam, who was chairman of the water
committee of council for several years.
Mayor Meldrim and Alderman Charlton
followed a little later.
The party at the works was entirely an
informal one. A tour Of the building was
made under the direction of Supt. Lotion,
after which the party gathered in the en-
gineer's Office and discussed various
features of the water supply. The ques-
ton of a decreased supply from the wells
of course came up first. The records Of
the pumpage for the last several years
were produced by Superintendent Lotion,
apparent decrease in the flow during the
last two years of over 1000 600 gallons. The
records showed pumpage for Jan. 10, 1895,
Immediately followed the severe freeze
of that year, of 100000 gallons. on Jan.
49, 1897, when there was also a freeze, and
the supply was pumped down to the safety
limit, the pumpage was 10000
gallons. being the apparent capac-
ity of the wells in that time
The decrease was all the more apparent
for the reason that the Springfield well
had been connected with the works, giving
an additional supply Of at least 300 600 gal
Ions. The possibility Of there having been
some error in the records of either the
earlier or the latter date was discussed.
MIR. Johnston suggested that as a basis
to work upon a test should be made of
the capacity of the wells by pumping the
full supply down to the safety limit for a
certain number of hours, the surplus of
water not taken by the city mains being
allowed to run off into Musgrove creek.
BY keeping a careful record of the pump
age during the test the capacity of the
wells can be accurately gagged. This
suggestion was generally agreed to and
the test will be made at an early date.
There has undoubtedly been a consid-
cradle decrease in the flow of the wells,
said Mr.. Johnston. THE question nat
urally arises to what is this decrease due.
II IT be due to the lowering Of the water
plane in the vicinity of Savannah, the
question is a serious one and will require
very careful consideration before under
taking a remedy. / hardly think this Is
the case. The decrease is more than like
~ due to the choking up of the entrances
or crevices by which the water finds It's
way into the wells or to the clogging of
wells. Sand and pieces of rock and other
debris may have choked up these en-
frances or the debris may have gotten
"a 10 ole
them up. The remedy is easy in either
case. 1 am inclined to think this is the
trouble. 1t win be necessary to open
up the wells and look into them to see If
this is true"
The question of what constitutes an am
pie water supply for the city of Savannah
and the means of securing an increased
supply, IL desirable was generally discuss
cd. Mayor Meldrim was anxious for full
information and was especially emphatic
upon the point of the necessity of having
sufficient water supply with which to
face any large conhagration.
This brought on an interesting discus
sion as to the advisability of putting the
machinery at the old works in condition
for operation and making such arrange
ments that the old works could be started
on short notice in case of an emergency.
1t was practically agreed that it was ad-
| Visable to do this. 1t was generally agreed
tAAs'e Wv iANoNiiN supply - Amply SuliCltut
| for ordinary purposes. On the question of
| what constituted an ample fire supply all
| were in doubt. Chairman Dixon said he
| did not consider the present supply sutfi-
| Gent to meet an emergency like a large
| eonhagration He had been somewhat
nervous on this subject on one or two oc-
casions, he said, when the supply ap.
| peared to run unusually low. During the
| long dry spell last summer, he said, it was
| evident that the flow of the wells had
been affected by the drought
During the Savannah Grocery Com
| pany fire." he said, Il stood at the telc-
| phone and kept in constant communica-
ton with the water works, fearing that
the supply of water might prove insnui-
Gent"
"What do YOU consider an ample supply
for such emergencies?" Mayor Meldrlm
| inquired.
mot less than 100000 gallons" replied
Chairman Dixon.
Supt. Lotion agreed with him in this
estimate. With 100000 gallons to depend
upon, he said, he would probably be able
to face any fire which would likely to oc-
| cur in Savannah, but with a general con-
| flagraton, such as is possible, he did not
| consider il safe to estimate upon a less
supply than 100000 gallons
The question Of the most economical
| means or securing an increased water sup
| ply for fire purposes was discussed.
Mr.. Johnston surprised Mayor Meldrim
somewhat when he stated that by extend
| ing the conduit to the old works and bor-
| ing wells at intervals OF 800 feet the IN
terval between the present wells. a sup
| ply of probably 100000 gallons would be
| secured without the necessity of connect
| ing with the river. Ex-Alderman Cam,
who was chairman of the water commit
tee at the time of the construction. of the
! works, showed himself TO be
thoroughly familiar with the subject and
explained several points to the mayor S
satisfaction. Mr. Cams opinion was that
| the best means of increasing the water
supply without placing a heavy burden OF
| expense upon the city would be to extend
| the conduit by sections, sinking wells
| each 300 feet making an extension every
| year or every two or three years as might
be found necessary or desirable. BY ex-
| tending the conduit 900 feet and adding
three new wells together with the increas-
ed flow which II Is expected to secure
| from the present wells, as the results OF
Mr.. Jonhston's efforts, he thought the
available water supply al the new works
would be ready II not quite 100000 gal