The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-14
CONDITION OF AFFAIRS

Inc cltys pumping station and res-
ervoir yesterday afternoon were visited
by the water board, accompanied by q
number OF city and county officials and
newspaper men, and all were delighted
with the condition OF AFFAIRS. In the
party were President H. r. Jones, Dr..
.CsF. ulrlch and A. II. wledebusch,
OF the water board: President Henry
s%ehmulbach, of the board OF public
works: Superintendent Of the Water
Works c. N. Oliver, and Secretary John
L. Schellhase, OF the water board; Mayor
Butts, Sheriff Richards, City Engineer
White, and the newspaper reporters.
Carriages were in waiting OF the city
building, and the pilgrimage started at
ESQ o'clock. The water works was first
visited. Everything was found In ship
shape order. and from the neatly trim
med lawn outside to the bright Interior
an was trim and clean. The order OF
things was enhanced by the several
nags stationed around by the patriotic
employees. At the reservoir the same
systematic superintendent was In eyI-
dence.
The massive boilers and ponderous
machinery at the pumping station were
greatly admired by the visitors who saw
them for the first time. There are three
batteries of twelve boilers. with q total
of 1900 horse power. Only two bat
teries Were In operation but the steam
gauges registered a uniform 12O pounds
pressure. This regularity, It was said,
was due to using gas as fuel. In the
south end Of the building are the big
Holly pumping engines, with q total
normal pumping capacity OF $1,000, 900
gallons OF water every twenty-four
hours. but the new pumping station
shortly to be built viii act as q neces-
sary reserve. for at present II one OF the
engines would break down tho other,
even though speeded to Its full strength,
a,000,000 gallons, would fall short OF
supplying the city's demand, which Is
II. OO0,0 900 gallons.
Tire city uses this amount daily,
hence one engine isn't sufficient in case
OF break. Consequently the new
pumping station, which will pump 49,
WO,0 700 gallons. will act not only as a
reserve. but can supply the city itself.
These two engines ore in splendid or
der, and have BEEN running for several
months with the "cut-offs" on, which
Is 4 great advantage In saving steam.
Near by stands the little dynamo,
which furnishes the plant with its own
electric light.
An improvement to the system IN the
new pumping station will be the we'll,
which will be sunk deeper than the
mistake out In the river, and viii be
operated by the gravity instead OF the
present suction system. The pumps
yesterday were in twelve feet OF water.
The various workings OF the machinery
were clearly explained by President
Jones and Superintendent Oliver, and
after about an hours inspection at the
water works, the. carriages were taken
again for the ride to the reservoir.
This big tank, supplied by two 20
inch force mains, holds A 100000 gallons
Of water, and Is emptied three times q
day in the summer. The strength OF
the pumping station machinery Is re-
markable. Stationed two miles away,
it drives the water up to the reservoir
on the hlll-top, and Is handicapped by
1876 pounds pressure, that Is, back pres
sure from the weight Of the water. Su-
p~erintendent Oliver Is 4 logical adyo-
cate OIL u ne" iesetfoiI, Dul saiu liihe
it would cost about 100000, which the
city would hardly stand, hence the
new pumping station had TO be sub
stituted. It's cost to be about sS5, 900.
The inspection was q convincing ar
gument that the city needs an addi-
ttonas pumping engine, to act as a re-
serve in case Of n break, and while the
other engines are undergoing repairs.
1t also brought the remark from O dis
interested visitor that Wheeling's water
works will compare favOrably with any
other on the Ohio river.