The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-07

The Philadelphia Inquirer of yester-
day contained the following with ref
erence to the recent purchase OF land
in Pike county by William Kelly, OF
this city:
Twelve thousand acres of land in
Pike county, between the villages of
Hawley and Cresco, part Of that ter
ritory now under inspection by the
water experts, pending their decision
as to it's availability as a water supply
for this city, have been sold by the
Shakers to William Kelly, of Scranton.
OF the 1900 acres, $500 are covered
with water. The land has been pur-
chased in the expectation that Phila-
delphia will want it shortly as a source
of water supply.
For some time the experts and
councilmen have had before them the
question of the feasibility of securing
Philadelphia water supply from un-
polluted sources. A territory of about
100 square miles in the northwestern
part of Pike county was finally select
ed, and the experts have been lately
examining this tract. 1t is from eighty
to one hundred miles from Philadel-
phia, above the Pocono mountains, and
takes in the large Wallen Paupack
Creek. Shohola Creek, the hundreds of
tributaries of the Delaware in that Sec
tion, and a great number of lakes,
among them the famous White Deer
| and Beaver lakes, as well as the town
ships of Blooming Grove and Palmyra.
1t begins at q point north of the Lacka-
waxen and ends at point south Of the
Shohola. All the water is pure.
CAN BE CONDEMNED.
Select Councilman William G.. Huey,
| of the Fifteenth ward, when seen yes
terday regarding Kelly's purchase and
| it's effect upon the city's plans, said;
1T can have no effect upon our plans
If the city decides to take the terri
tory in question for it's water supply
| Under act of legislature, cities, town
ships and boroughs can enter in and
take possession for water uses of land
in any section of the state, under the
| right of eminent domain, and if the
owners and city cannot agree upon the
price, a jury shall be appointed to fix
the price. So, you see, we have moth.
ing whatever to fear from Mr.. Kelly.
" The tract of land under abeyancc
comprises $4,000 acres. There are 43,
500 feet in an acre. This would give
you 2,700, 100000 of cubic feet in the
tract. There is a rainfall of three feet
six inches per annum. This would bt
| 10000, 100000 cubic feet of rainfall In
one year on the 100 square miles. This
would give you $4,000 000, 900 gallons il
the 100 square miles. Allow so per cent
for evaporation and waste, and there
remain $1,000, 100000 gallons for use pei
year in these 100 miles. Philadelphia
consumes daily 240,00O,000 gallons. Thes,
$4,000, 100000 gallons would give us
then, alone. 140 days supply on 10t
miles of rain-shed; the 25O miles rain
shed adjacent will give us one year.
supply, and the numerous lakes in tn
region will do the same.
SUPPLIED BY GRAVITY.
1.-The cost of a steel conduit clever
feet in diameter, put in complete, viii
be $4,000, 900. This will carry enough
water to supply the city from this ele
walton by gravity alone. And it Will b
the best and purest of water
From others interested in the pro
ject it was learned that the experts ar
favorably impressed with the territor
under advisement, and several council
men say that the feeling among thei
constituents is strongly in favor o
such a source for their water supply
Mr.. Huey is in favor of securing tn
foregoing described tract of land 70
the purpose of utilizing it as sourc
of Philadelphia's water supply"
|