The age-herald., 1899-11-05

country was taxed in the greatest measure to perform the work One of the sources of the water supply is the Cahaba river one of the dearest and swiftest running streams of Alabama, the course of which was practically turned and empted right Into the city. Another source of the sup ply is Five Mile creek, which at a point about eight miles from the center of the city is diverted from It's natural channel and led through a canal six miles in length to the North Birmingham pumping station. located near the Southern railway, at about the intersection of Twenty-frst avenue and fwenty-ninth street. north Here, the wa ter having been carried under Village creek through a 36-inch cast iron pipe, is deliv- cred into a receiving basin or reservoir, with capacity of 10O0O.0O0 gallons, whence 1t is pumped through a 20-ineh main directly into the distribution system of mains in the city The machinery at this station is all in duplicate. Is kept in frst-class eondi- ton and has a combined capacity of from 9,000000 to 10000,000 gallons daily.
 The other pumping station is situated on Cahaba river at a point about eight miles from the center of the city. At this station are two ponderous pumping engines, one a Wouthington high duty engine, with a ca- pacity of 100000 gallons daily. and one a Knowles engine. with a capacity of S.0O0- 600 gallons daily pumping against a head of 400 feet elevation. Steam is supplied from twelve large steam boilers. each boiler be- ing set separate so as to be cut out of service at will for cleaning or repairing.
 From this station the water is pumped 2700 feet through two 20-inch mains one fer each engine, to a standpipe situated on a summit at an elevation of 400 feet above the river. From this standpipe a 30-nch main carries the water to the reservoir 12.50O feet distant
 The Reservoirs
 The reservoirs are elevated 22O feet above the city and have capacity of 1SS 900 gallons. They are situated about five miles from the city, and a trip of in- spection will repay any one and at the same time convince the visitor that clearer water cannot be seen anywhere. and that the volume is sfficient fer all purposes for a long time to come.
 The two reservoirs are so arranged that the water can be pumped into or drawn from either at will or it may be forced around them directly into the system of distribution mains in the city. From thence rahe water is brought 6,2OO feet and under two tunnels to the city through SO-inch main. from which 1t is distributed through about seventy miles of street mains varying in size from 24 inches down to inches in diameter.
 During the dry season the East Cahaba river principally supplies the water. which is used in Birmingham. It is damned up just below where the other Cahaba runs into it. the current or the former being up- stream as far as the pumping station, and in this connection it will be interesting to know that this stream traverses a country practically uninhabted. and that there is TO chance for the water to be contaminat- ed. Leeds is the nearest place to the river and 1t is about ten miles distant from the dam. The fall of the river is about ten feet to the mile, and the character of the stream is well calculated to insure purity. being rough and rugged causing ne water to fall in extracts at frequent points.
 As to the cost, only one southern city New Orleans-has a system of batter pipes that cost more per mile to put in place than was expended in Birmingham. At the same time the income per mile is no smaller in any southern city than in Birmingham.
 The waste connected with the operation of a big water works system is something enormous. In Birmingham the annual waste, through defective plumbing. burst ing pipes, careless consumers, etc., eX- ceeds the total amount of water consumed by the average city of 3000O people. Bir- mingham is probably one of the most wasteful cities in the country, with re- spect to water, fact due, no doubt to