Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-30
Is IT ELECTkOLYSIS?
WATER COMMITTEE WILL rNvEs-
rreATE DESTRUCTION OF MAINS.
ANALYSIS OF JAMES RIVER WATER.
The Result IL Entirely Satisfactory
Appropriation to he Asked for Ex-
periments 10 Clear Instrumentation
to the Union stock-Yards.

ms council committee on water met
In the City Hall last night and spent
the greater part of three-hours' ses-
sion considering the action OF electricity
from The street railways on the water
pipes OF the department. The committee
recommends the purchase OF a meter for
testing purposes, and the creating Of
position of City Electrician. Steps will
also be taken TO enforce the terms of the
ordinance Of January %. 1895. as to the
bonding of the rails ofhthe electrician
lines.
An analysis of James-river water taken
from the forebay made by the State
Chemist, was presented TO the commit
tee by Superintendent Boiling. The re-
suits proved to be entirely satisfactory,
showing that the water is maintaining
the excellent character for purity with
which IL has hitherto been credited by
every expert who has examined It,"
An ordinance granting the use Of the
city's water TO the Union Stock-Yards
which are to be situated outside the
70 the Council
Inv lObONlHS members Were present at
the meeting: Messrs. Tanner (chairman),
zimmerman. Cutchins, Montgomery,
Ferguson, Winston, and Mills.
The bills and payroll Of the department.
aggregating A,S24.12, were approved and
ordered TO be paid.
| The clerk stated that of the $4,000 APP
propriated for the department, balance
Of $L,S6l1S remained to It's credit.
THE sTOCK-YARDs PETITION.
Mr.. Fred. G. Brauer, Jr., secretary of
/ the Union Stock-Yards Company present
| ed a petition for a supply of the city
| water at the stock-yards. on the Hermit
tage road. He submitted an ordinance.
! which he asked the committee to adopt.
/ This prescrbes that a 4-inch main should
! be laid at the expense of the company,
| with such fittings as the Superintendent
| of the City Water-Works may prescribe.
/ Mr.. Brauer explained that the company
! desired TO use the water because 1t was
more wholesome for the cattle than the
water from the branch. The enterprise
! was properly one of the city of Rich
mond,, though through its nature II had
| TO be placed outside the city limits. Mr..
| Brauer thought the company would use
| 300, 900 gallons of water month
| Mr.. Boiling called attention to the fact
| that the ordinance contained a clause
whereby the supply might be cut off at
| any time when the water is needed in
| the city, and he enumerated the enter
prises situated outside the city limits
| which are enjoying the benefits of city
| water at the present time.
! Mr.. Mills moved that the ordinance be
! recommended to the Council for adop-
ton.
| After some discussion as to the advisa-
! bility Of inserting a clause providing that
| the pipes laid by the company should be-
come the property Of the city, Major Cut
| chins offered an amendment to Mr.. MISS
motion, that the ordinance should be re-
commended with this provision included,
and this was adopted.
| A motion to allow each employee Of the
! department one weeks furlough was
/ adopted Major Cutchins alone dissenting.
Some extensions were granted and the
| placing of meters at the Smithdeal Col
! lege and elsewhere was ordered.
| The resolution that came from the Coun-
| Gil asking for report as to the advisa-
| bility and practicability of erecting pub
! lie MIGRANTS in different parts of the city
was returned, endorsed by the committee
that it was deemed impracticable.
The free list reported by the sub-com-
mittee was approved.
TO DEAL WITH ELECTROLYSIS.
The subcommittee on Electrolysis re-
| ported. recommending the purchase OF a
volt meter the creation of the position of
| the city electrician, and the enforcing OF
| all the provisions OF the ordinance gov
| erning the bonding Of the electric railway
tracks. Mr.. Winston explained the action
| Of electrolysis, and expressed the convic-
ton that the water-mains of the city were
being badly honeycombed by the electric
railroads.
Mr. Boiling stated that from enquiries
made he learned that in other cities.
where electric railroads were used the
complaints Of the Water Department were
attended to instantly by the railroad COM
panies He read a letter from the Super
intendent OF water in Cincinnati, which
stated that the double wires were used
overhead in that city, and no difficulty
ever occurred Of the nature experienced
I'm Richmond at the present time.
After a lengthy discussion Mr.. thinner
mann moved that volt meter should be
purchased, and that the permission OF
the fire commissioners should be asked
that Superintendent Thompson be allow
ed 70 cooperate with Mr.. Winston and
Superintendent Boiling in making tests to
discover the presence Of electricity In the
water-pipes. This motion was ADOPTED.
The proposed creation of the position
OF CITY Electrician was. on motion. refer
rad 10 a committee of which Mr.. VIM
ston was appointed chairman
The chairman stated that the burden OF
the report Of the subcommittee appointed
70 recommend plan for clarifying the
civ water would be to recommend the
anpropriation of a sum OF money for
experiments.
II was decided that the committee would
meet on Monday evening at . O'Clock 10
receive and consider this report.
superintendent Boiling again introduced
tbe electrolysis question, and asked the
nernoission OF the committee TO notify
| The Richmond Railway Company that
az the prescribed limit Of thirty days the
nrovislons of the ordinance of January
% 1896 imposing penalties for non-compli-
| ance with it's terms would be strictly en-
| forced.
The committee was OF the opinion that
No permission was necessary, and that
Mr. Boiling might proceed in this way.
ANALYSIS OF JAMEs-RIvER WATER
The Superintendent then presented the
following analysis of James-river water
made by Dr. Taylor, the State Chemist,
on the 10Th instant:
'" Grs. Parts
Per Per
Cal. Min.
Organic and volatile NATTER. $3.50 10
Mineral matter ..................E2io S 2lo