The record-union., 1898-09-30
PURE WATER FOR THE CITY.
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
IS AT WORK.
Deep Wells at Home, and Piping
From the American Under
u
Consideration

The meeting of the directors of the
chamber of Commerce held last even
ing proved to be one of more than or
dlnary interest The reports of Varl-
Gus committees should interest all who
are concerned in public work for the
good of Sacramento.
The question of a more active CO.
operation on the part of the chamber
with the officers and directors of the
State Agricultural Society was consid-
cred at some length, and it was decided
TO arrange for a conference between the
Boards of Directors of the two assocla-
uons in the near future.
The members present were President
Llndley, and Directors Hall, Lewis, Ell
lis, Bentley, Land, Enwright, Schaw,
Miller and L. F. Breuner, O. P. Dodge
OF the Committee on Exhibits and H.
G. Smith, by invitation.
PRESIDENT Lindley invited Mr.. Smith
TO inform the meeting of the plans of
ms company for furnishing a supply
OF water to the city from the North
FORK OF the American River.
CITY WATER SUPPLY.
Mr.. Smith stated that only recently
did his company learn the amount of
water which they could rely upon dur
ing the dry season, and he regarded
the test of this season sufficient for
their guidance in the future A prop
oSltlon had been made to furnish the
city with water from their dam on the
North Fork of the American River at
a point near Auburn. The plan pro-
Vldes for piping the water from the
river near Auburn, under a pressure of
about sixty pounds, at an expense not
to exceed the present cost to the city
Tor pumping from the Sacramento
River
The line of pipe froml Auburn to Sac
ramento would be forty-seven miles,
the purpose of his company being to
pipe the water the entire distance, thus
dispensing with bitches
a general discussion was had. and
much interest was taken in the mat
ter, in view of the fact that the City
Trustees had referred the proposition
TO a committee to investigate and it
was decided to await the report of the
committee
The special Committee on Wells re-
ported as follows:
Sacramento, Sept %, 1898.
The Board of Directors Sacramento
Chamber of Commerce - Gentlemen:
Your committee appointed to test the
supply of water from wells available
Tor city water supply report that they
nave had some analyses made of water
from wells now in operation. and have
made thorough inquiry concerning
wells in different locations available
They have caused three prospect
wells to be bored. Two were bored in
one locality, but results were such as
to forbid further expenditure there
The third prospected so we'll as to
warrant procuring a bond on the land
and contracting for a larger Well If
boring the large we'll does not develop
something to forbid continuing the
work, a pumping plant Will be in
stalled Immediately upon completion of
the we'll. We have already provided
pump and arranged for power, so that
the test can be prosecuted with dis
patch
We expected to have the large well
bored in time to report at this meet
ing, but met with unexpected delay in
procuring bond on the land which
we deemed necessary, as We do not care
to make any experiments without be-
ing in position to go before the city
authorities with a reasonable PROPOSE
ton for site, should our work de-
Velop sufficient supply of water Re
spectfully, (SigneD D. A. Lindley, L.
l. Lewis, J. O, Coleman. Committee on
Wells.
Director Miller expressed his views
as follows:
Il wish to be counted in favor of
clear water. This can only be had
through filter, and a good well is a
natural filter, and better than an arti-
fetal filter.
AS l understand it, there are three
tests for water First. for floating
particles of earth and Vegetable mat
ter; second, for mineral salts, etc. and
third, for disease germs.
An artificial filter will only remove
the sediment and decaying particles. A
natural filter Ga Weld will do that, and
also it will usually give water free
from disease germs, because the germs
die in ordinary transit underground
along the water veins, and before they
reach the we'll
The least important question about
water is the amount of mineral salts
in it. We are in great danger from
fire. We have had two narrow escapes
within the past month. We need an
other fire engine, and it is useless to
buy it until the supply of water is
greater than now. As a matter of
fact, the pipes are filled with mud
and should be abandoned A new sys-
tenn of street pipes should be laid
throughout the city, and only clear
water pumped into them.
Il win eheerfully vote for getting q
well, if it has sufficient supply. even
if the water is not fit for drinking.
We can get drinking water by the
glass. but we must have clear water
at the fire plugs by the ton.
AT the fire at Fifth and L streets
thousands of our citizens saw that a
little breeze would have carried the
flames through several blocks on K
and ] streets. There are several deep
flowing wells here, and their capacity
should be investigated.