The record-union., 1899-11-06

be driven would indicate whether or
, not the supply source was being low
cred. The way to gauge the water
was by sending it to certain level
and seeing If it would keep that level
while the supply necessary for the city
was being pumped. He recommended
carrying a line of test wells two miles
east of the proposed pumping plant,
putting them farther apart as they
went farther out. The number Of test
wells, or tubes, would depend on the
hardness or softnesS of the water
carrying strata. If it was hard they
would have to be close together, but
if, as he was informed. it was soft,
they could be placed farther apart.
Mr.. LIE Conte said it was impossible
to indicate the actual source of supply
know the extent of the watershed of the
American River. but thought it con-
tanned at least 800 or 600 square m les.
watershed, he said, comes through this
valley, and would never be less than
it is at the present time.
FILTRATION NOT IN TT.
Mr.. LIE Conte considered the PROPOSE
ton of securing a water supply for
the city from wells most decidedly IA
yorable when compared with the other
propositions investigated by the COM
mittee, and if the supply should be
found adequate to meet the demands
it was unquestionably the proper thing
to adopt. In case the supply was found
adequate as he believed it would be-
there was no use to talk further about
filtering plant, the expense of which
would be simply awful and continuous
PREPARATIONS FOR WORK.
Mr.. Lindley said he had anticipated
such a report as that made by Mr.. LIE
Conte, and had consulted parties-con-
tractors and others-regarding the
work of pumping and sinking the wells
The ub-Committee on Wells proposed
to attempt to develop a supply of
100000 gallons a day, which would
be three times the amount of water
| used by the city. Should the test de-
| velop ten million gallon supply, he
would consider it a success, but it had
| been decided to attempt to raise the
| first-named quantity, as a precaution-
airy measure, and in order that
nobody in the city would have
room or reason to question the
sufficiency of the supply. For that
purpose. fifteen small or seven or eight
large wells would have to be bored
Chairman Grau inquired of Mr. LIE
Conte how long it would be necessary
to pump in order to make the test.
Mr.. LIE Conte replied that the time
of the test would depend on the COM
pactness of the sand or gravel of the
water strata. If soft, three days would
be sufficient Engineer Herring, he re-
called, recommended three days., but
if it is hard five or six days pumping
would be a better test. At Berkeley
he had had the pumping continue six
days, day and night.
P. C. Drescher thought a six days
test would be better than a shorter
one, as in that case it would give
the people no chance to doubt its eff
ficiency.
Chairman Grau also favored a five
or six days test.
PROSPECT VERY FLATTERING.
Recurring to the quality of water in
the wells Mr.. LIE Conte said it frequently
happened that water when first pumped
from a we'll is not good, but that as
pumping continues it grows better and
better. In such cases the current of
supply is sluggish, but when the circu-
lation is increased by the pumping it
improves. He considered the rapid
flow of the east side supply, as indi-
Gated by the heavy fall, as being very
1attering
H. Stillman suggested that was prob
ably the reason why different analyses
of the water had shown different re-
suits, and Mr.. lie Conte agreed, as he
thought the faster it ran the better it
would be-
THE QUESTION OF COST.
The question as to the cost of the
test was brought up, but nothing defin-
tie was arrived at. Mr.. LIE Conte said
the pumping at the Alvarado wells was
let by contract for $4,000, and that the
test cost about $4,000.
Captain Hall felt satisfied that the
cost of a thorough test of the wells
would not exceed $1,000, but Tom
Scott was of the opinion that it could
not be done short of $500.
The matter of securing options on
property suitable for pumping plant
was left to the Committee on Wells
A motion by Mr.. Drescher, that it
was the sense of the committee. in
view of the favorable conditions re-
ported by Mr.. LIE Conte and the Com
mittee on Wells-that a sufficient. am
pie and actual pumping test be made
as soon as possible, and that the Com