The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-26


mittee o: the whole OF the city council.
presided over By Raymond A majority
Of the members were present, as was also
Mayor Wood. City Comptroller Parry.
City Engineer Thomson. Frank n Little.
L B. youngs. Acting Corporation Counsel
Frank Upton and George Cotterill.
Engineer Thomson's Report.
The status OF the work at present IS
best outlined in the following report sub
mitted to the city council by City Engineer
Thomson:
In accordance with your instructions.
beg leave 70 present the following report
o. work done upon the Cedar river water
system and Recommendations as 70 fu-
t2Ye plans.
Report has already been made to your
honorable body of the expenditures made
under authority Of ordinance No. 4223
winch was passed IN June, 1896 Field
operations were commenced soon after
that ordinance WAS passe0. and continued
until the rainy season set n. Since then
the work on the maps and calculations
has continued, along with our other OF
flee work. In this connection I wish 10
call attention TO the fact that all The sur
Neys and draughting done in connection
win the Cedar river system have been
made within the ordinary appropriation
Tor the usual office and field force. In
fact. the total cost OF this department for
1896. including all work on Cedar river
system, was sll3is.52, as compared TO
40. 10. ID for 1885. a net reduction OF
Sc. SIS. s.. This result was possible only by
the use of the greater portion OF the reg
uiar orice and field force on the Cedar
river work and a doubling up OF duties
all along the line.
When surveys were commenced. last
summer, II was my expectation 10 simply
revise the Williams fiume line location
from Cedar river to Swan lake. so as TO
serve the purposes of a pressure pipe line.
With this idea in view. much preliminary
oHlce Work had been done in the way OF
projecting location based on certain
connections with the Williams line. At
tenpts TO run this projected line, using
the Williams line as a basis. resulted in
constant confusion and failure 10 reach
the desired elevations. We were forced
10 the conclusion that the contours indi-
Gated on the Williams maps were a many
critical points so far from representing
the true topography as 10 be largely use
less Tor purposes of projecting a loca-
ton. had also become convinced OF the
wisdom of abandoning the idea OF a dam
nearly thirty feet high in a mountain
stream like Cedar river. and substituting
Ter II a form of intake similar to that
adopted by Portland on the Bull Run
river. Hence. after fun consultation with
members of the special committee ap-
pointed by the city council, our field work
nary survey and location between the
mead works site on Cedar river and the
point or discharge into Swan lake. Sum-
marizing our work, | find we have run
cation line. 50 miles OF sectional subdtvis-
lon, l5is miles OF line levels, 80 miles of
contour levels, making a total of 45is
miles or transit and slia miles OF level
work Besides this. about miles of
transit work has been done on the over
now line OF Swan lake, making a total of
10. miles OF surveys accomplished.
'On July Z. 1896, / furnished to the cor
poration counsel, for use IN condemnation
proceedings, preliminary description OF
the route between Cedar river and Swan
are und Swan lake. together with list of
the owners OF land affected. After the
completion OF the surveys before referred
to. In December. 1896. i transmitted to the
giving the complete detail location OF the
lire. with maps showing the exact posi-
ton thereof with reference to all the own
erships affected.
What Remains TO he Done.
There now remains 70 be done the fol-
-''First---The completion of an accurate
strvey OF the overflow line at Swan lake
-. second-T,he definite detevmnation OF
the course OF the line, and survey there
OF between Swan lake and the high ser
vice reservoir in this city, a distance Of
about seventeen and one-half miles.
II hird-T'he making OF the section sub
divisions and surveys Of property lines
crossed AMI affected nv and necessary for
the right-ol-way along said pipe line.
"Fourth-The final and precise location
OF the sites Of the low service reservoir
or reservoirs and the requirement of land
therefor.
''Fifth-The completion OF the specinca-
tN1s in conformity with the results OF
such determine lions
''Sixth--The making Of the absolute de-
tai and specific drawings touching each
and every feature OF construction from
headworks 10 the high service reservoir.
These six items viii proba ply have 10
be prosecuted somewhat in the order IN
which they have been given. although
nearly all OF them can be carried on sim
ulsneously. do not anticipate any such
difficulties or any such extended labor in
the matter Of revised line between Swan
lake and the city as was encountered be-
tween the headworks and Swan lake.
The reason OF the great labor necessary
In the determination OF the line from the
headworks 10 Swan lake was twofold
FIRST. Mr. Williams original plan con-
templated the delivery Of water from Ce-
open flume. Second he contemplated such
delivery 10 be made from water raised
10 considerable height by means OF A
dam a. the point Of intake. The change
from the use OF q fiuTue 10 that OF con-
9uft uecessitated a great deal Of Tnodiff-
cation I'm his plans and the e,lmira ton OF
The dam made necessary stA, more
changes.
Liberal Appropriations Asked.
For every phase OF the work which
may be encountered. I have. al great Ia
hor- prepared general specifications clear
" defining the principle OF construction
AH#SE, however. Viii nave 10 Ne ftNTll-
ten and reformed. item by Item. as the
fral determination OF policy - reached
with reference 20 each phase OF the
work By liberal appropriations from the
council 50 that this work could be pushed
with ful energy in AL parts, | see 10 rea-
son why we should not be ready for the
award % contract Al as early 2 date as
10 VIII ~ poSSlb Die TO obtain yerdIcts upon
our ccudeTn "a ton cases for right-of-Way
between the headworSs and Swan lake
and L s. also probable that ny giving
entire attention 20 that ma tier, the suits
for condemnation for the overnowed land
around Swan lake coud De set forward
and brought 70 a determination Al the
same time n would be the suits Tor tho
before mentioned rfghts-of-way- The pre-
paTa-ior % Le1ai drawings Tor the mai
details 81 gate houses and such structures
VII proceed during he entire prossca ilon
OF the work and VIII keep employed one or
two assistant engineers and several
draughtsmen throughout that time
In conclusion. Mr. Thomson recommend
"a that only the most efficient engineer
ing talent b procured for the proseCu-
ton ~ this work he had a number OF
blue prints on the wall and explained from
Them ihe surveys. their advantages. dis
advantages and probable expense.
The Condemnation.
The condemnation proceedings FOR the
requirement % the right-of-way have been
in the hands 81 the corporation counsel.
Upton stated thar owing 20 the defective
legislative act in force before the one pass
&c - the last session. the legal department
had been obliged 20 70 rather slow wifh
condemnation suits. as the rights OF the
csty had rested OF some uncertainty Be-
cause q this uncertainty u had been
deemed wise heretofore 20 preserve some
secrecy as 20 the steps being taken n order
that the city might rot be forestaliea
IN Us action The requirement oG lands
10y purchase or conde rnaatfoa could nog
&c proceeded with uniu terrupte9lg.