The record-union., 1897-04-27
COST OF THE sew AGE PUMP.
Experiments Made as to the Most Eco
nOmiCal Fuel.
Mayor Hubbard Thinks the Corral
Hollow Coal is the Least
Expensive.

To the Honorable Board of Trustees:
AT the last meeting of your board you
requested that a report be made on the
Corral Hollow coal, showing COMPARE
tive tests with other Goals previously
used.
Under the circumstances, it has been
very difficult to make a fair test. The
plant was turned over to the city on
February 10th, and from that date to
February 18th we used Welsh anthra
cite coal. at a cost of $179 Ii, or nearly
SAG per day
During the month of March we used
Welsh anthracite Franklin and some
other kinds of COAL at total cost of
SS11 50, which would be at the rate of
sos II per day
We started to use the Corral Hollow
coal on April LIST, but have not had
fair chance to test it. We have pur-
chased and used six carloads of this
coal during this month at a cost of
1924 II, and have purchased from the
Sacramento Coal Company also 20, 29O
pounds of Franklin coal. at a cost of
$50, making a total of 500 II. The
two last items of coal will run the
plant tWenty-seven days of this month,
at cost of $18 50 per day. There may
be bills for coal furnished to Campbell
&, Son not included in the above esti-
mate, which will probably increase the
average cost per day, above mentioned,
to $40
We attempted to make a test on the
Corral Hollow coal, commencing April
10th, and did so for three days, getting
the exact weights on the three shifts,
and used in the three days 23,500
pounds or 11A tons, at a cost of So 10
per day.
We again made run of eighty-five
hours on one car OF this coal weighing
$4,000 pounds, which is at the rate of
81 06 per hour. We also made q test
on one lot of 6,S70 pounds of Franklin
COAL which lasted fifteen hours, cost
ing at the rate of 81 IS per hour
So far these tests have not been sat
isfactory, but I should judge that there
is a saving of from 10 to 20 per cent.
in favor of Corral Hollow coal at prices
named.
At this time we are pumping against
a greater pressure of water in the river
than at any other time during the year
1t requires more power in proportion to
the amount of water pumped to free
our sewers now than it did in January,
and this power must be produced by
coal After the river falls to the six
teen-fOot mark, and below that, l
think this plant can be run at an ex-
pense of not over IS per day for fuel
The plant is new, and the city should
operate it long enough to demonstrate
fully what it can do, and what the ex-
pense will be under all circumstances.
Everything at the plant now is in good
working order, and we can carefully
test the various kinds of coal and can
ascertain the cheapest and best way to
operate the plant.
The cost of fuel so far is not a fair
test, as the pumping has been irregu-
lar. Sometimes we have used two
pumps at full speed, and sometimes
only one. 1t necessitates a large ex-
pense in coal to pump the sewer down
for the purpose of examining and MAX
ing repairs in it. We shall not attempt
to pump down again until the river has
fallen to low water mark. when the
pressure will be light. and there will be
but little sipage water to remove. In
the meantime the plant is being, and
viii be, operated with as much economy
as possible. Respectfully submitted
c. II. HUBBARD, Mayor
Leonard asked that the report be
referred to the Finance Committee,
saying that he could bring proof that
it would not bear out the statements
made in it.
On motion of Devine, it was so re-
ferred.