The record-union., 1898-11-27
Another Water Plan.

Eds. Record Union: Having re-
solved upon making my permanent
nome IN this city, / am naturally in
terested In its welfare, and, among
other things, 1 desire to secure a pure
and abundant water supply My knowl-
edge OF the surrounding country, and
having previously reported on water
rights proposed to be brought into Sac
ramento for the use of the city for in
corporated companies, am convinced
that the supply of this essentially nee
essary element should be controlled and
owned by the municipality on behalf
of the people.
With this conviction, I beg to submit
the following proposition to effect that
object:
The North Fork of the American
River is supplied by mountain springs
of pure water flowing down said stream
to a point where sufficient water ac-
cumulates, and which is taken by
means of bitches along the side hill of
the North Fork Of the American Riv-
er. On the line of the said side hill,
in all the feeders to this supply. there
is nothing to pollute or injuriously
contaminate and affect the purity of
or otherwise, excepting, from the nat
ural decay of leaves, etc., and a stream
more than sufficient may be collected
for the supply of Sacramento City for
all purposes. The writer would sug-
gest, as he has previously reported,
that where the ditch comes out on the
summit OF the hill large reservoir
be built for the purpose of storing a
- ~,
against accidents. Alongside of this
reservoir two large filtering ponds
should be constructed, made, as nearly
as nature suggests, to filter and purify
the water, which would thereafter be
conveyed through pipes for a distance
of about eighteen miles, charged with
pure, sparkling mountain water These
filtering ponds are duplicated, so that,
one becoming out Of order, the other
will be ready to take it's place. and
thus insure continued flow of pure
mountain water to the extent Of not
less than 16,00O,0OO gallons per day,
with a pressure at the point of delivery
of 270 feet. This water. with that
pressure, would permit a sewerage
system to be put in operation by the
elective process that would be perfect,
and superior to anything known. The
watershed of the city of Sacramento
is about four square miles. Eight
million gallons supplied to electors
would clear precipitation of sixty
inches per annum, or double the rain
fall of ordinary years, thus preventing
an overflow of the sewers and the evil
effects thereof. The water required In
summer time for sewerage purposes
is about 100000 gallons. To make
the change is a few minutes work to
change the nozZles and throttle from
winter to summer work, or as required.
The attendance of the water and sewer
plants are for pumping, and so forth,
and not including expense of water
mains and sewers through the city,
which would be the same by either
system. / do not show the saving to
the city of the fire department, as the
CITY mains are not strong enough to
stand the pressure, and pressure would
be regulated and let on according to
the pressure the city mains would
stand. The expense thereof would be
nominal, thereby dispensing with the
present expensive pumping plant.
The enormous expense for city water
pumping plant would be saved. as the
water would flow down through pipes
having a fall Of about twenty-four
feet to the mile. with a. pressure suffi-
cient for all purposes. A supply of
80, ,OOOO 600 gallons per day for city
uses can be obtained. The reserved