The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-15

also the offal which is emptied into the
river. from the great packing houses.
The water is pumped out of the Mis-
souri, River into basin No. /, and then
passes over a weir where sulDhide of
alumina is injected through jets four
feet apart into basin No 2; from this,
the water again passes over weir into
! basin No. 3. and next into No. t. 1t
then passes through large pipes to an
other station consisting of two more
settling basins, where again sulphide
OF alumina is charged into the water,
and here the large pumps are located
which pump the water across the river
into the city mains. The expense for
sulphide of alumina averages $7G5 per
day.
| These settling basins have not
proved satisfactory, and 1 found that
the water used in restaurants had to
be filtered for table use. One of the
officers connected with the above water
works told me that he would prefer a
inter plant to settling basins, and l
fully agree with him.
AT Kansas City, Kan, 1 found that
they were operating Jewell Filter
Plant, consisting of ten filters, each
eighteen feet high and eighteen feet in
diameter, of a guaranteed filtering ca,
pacity of 100000 gallons each, or six
millions daily They are located in
brick building 50x12O feet
The water for Kansas City, Kan. is
also taken from the Missouri River and
pumped into a settling tank twenty
four feet high and fifty feet in diama-
ter, which holds. 25O.O00 gallons Of
water. The water enters this tank at
the bottom, and at the top it runs into
wooden troughs, which are connected
With large pipe in the center of the
tank, and from this pipe it runs over
the filters. After the water is filtered
it runs into an open cemented resar-
voir of 100000 gallons capacity, from
which it is pumped into the citys
mains.
The Superintendent informed me
that when the water in the river is very
muddy, especially during the spring
freshets. only about one-half of the
guaranteed capacity could be filtered,
which fact was not discovered, how
ever, until the filtering plant had been
paid for. 1t is their intention to erect
another large settling tank of 100000
gallons, which will then give them
total settling capacity of 100000 gal
Ions Alum is only used when the
water is very muddy, none being nee
essary at the time of my visit, and the
water after being filtered was very
clear and sparkling. In this connec-
ton / would recommend that, in case
the city of Sacramento should adopt a
filtering proposition, every precaut.on
be taken in contracting for the same to
see that full guarantees are secured
and carried out by the contractors.
The greatest quantity of water is
used in midsummer, and also during
very cold weather in winter, owing to
the fact that almost every one permits
water to flow through the pipes to pre-
vent their freezing.
The water was analysed before and
after filtering with alum, and in the lat
ter case it showed that 95 per cent. of
bacteria was filtered out. The water
filtered without the use of alum had not
been analysed but the Superintendent
promised to have this done and send
me copies of both analyses.
In conclusion, l might add that l was
most cordially received by the gentle
men connected with the water systems
of@both cities, and was assured OF
further information if desired. Re-
spectfully submitted
HERMAN H. GRAU.