Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-17

Gist Of Mr.. Hills Report officer
Kurz Reinstated- The Town
Clock Project.
The city council has lost considerable
faith in experts. When the water ques-
ton came to a point last spring where
1T was apparent that something must
be done. in order to avoid the mistakes
Of the past the council determined to
employ the best consulting engineer
obtainable, regardless of expense. Now,
after much delay, the engineer, MIR.
Hill, of Cincinnati, has sent his report
by mail instead of coming here again,
as promised, and the report has been
made public To say that this report is
unsatisfactory is putting it mildly. 1t
Is like the story of the COW that was an
excellent mixer. but invariably kicked
the bucket over and spilled the milk
In fact Mr.. Hill makes no decisive re-
commentator. Had he said the source
in the gravel beds was worth much or
nothing the council would have been
satisfied, but after INDUCING in much
speculation and conjecture Mr. Hill
makes half hearted recommendations
and then practically acknowledges that
he doesn't know whether the supply is
sufficient or not and that there is no
way of determining. Had he said this
in the first place the city could at LEAST
have saved the amount of Mr. Hills ex-
fef Rllt nat IA inc To n
with the report, or the future intentions
of the water committee.
AT an adjourned meeting of the coun-
Gil, held Monday evening, Chairman
Benson, of the water committee, pre-
sented MIR. Hills report. That is, he
offered visible evidence that it was in
his hands, but ne did not think it was
worth reading, as it covered twenty
typewriter pages. He gave a brief out
line of its contents, and read a later
explanation demanded by the commit
tee, in which Mr.. Hill said there was
no way of determining to a certainty
the quantity of water the gravel beds
would furnish. Mr.. Benson said the
committee had determined to arrange
/ for the pumping of water from the new
supply we'll for the winter, and that in
the spring the committee would go
ahead with the gallery system, putting
| in several hundred feet at first and then
pumping for an indefinite period to de-
| termine whether or not the supply
would hold out. The committee is con
| fident the gravel beds Will furnish
water for years to come. as the supply
| is increasing since the rains and since
| the water in the river has risen. The
| following essential points We're extract
ed from Mr.. Hills report:
ut is wholly impossible by any meth
cd with which am acquainted TO de-
jtermine from a superficial examination
/ the extent and capacity of an UNDER
ground water service, and with the best
4 Information from such limited tests as
are sometimes applied, it is still diff
cult matter to resolve all doubts in a
satisfactory manner. 1t is possible
lsfrom the best tests) to be mistaken
upon the extent and probable yield
through long period of drouth of the
ground water source. and the error usu-
ally occurs in impar;ing an excess ca
pacity to suon sources of water sup-
lply.'
Then follow numerous tabulated
statements concerning the seventeen
test wells and ponds. their elevation
depth to rock, elevation of water sur
face etc, all OF which information was
/ furnished by the city employees. The
water obtained from the gravel beds
Mr.. Hill regards as free from contami-
nation from city drainage. Continuing
Mr.. Hill says:
The facts obtained from the expert
mental work conducted during the sum
Bmer are as follows:
THE total amount of water pumped
from the test we'll from July "a to Sept
81 inclusive was SS.796.662 gallons, ar
Iaverage of GAG. 900 gallons per day. Dur
ling this interval of time from the data
submitted, the water level in the test
pump we'll was lowered from an eleva
ltion of 1918 to an elevation of 1888, OF
/ 1885 feet.
i THE total rainfall reported since Jul.
"a aggregates 603 inches, and applying
this to the area embraced In the investi
cations. viz: 1854 acres, and ALLOWING
an absorption of 40 per cent by the sane
and gravel everything the rock and un
der the top soil Of clay, the absorbed
rainfall within the field of observation
amounts to S9,955,s37 gallons. or mor'
than twice the pumpage from the ties
pump we'll for the interval of time dur
ing which the rainfall was reported.
From information obtained durint
the past sixty days do not deem i
safe to assume water field tributar,
to the Long farm [where the test vel
lis located larger than six square miles
or 3,S40 acres, in area, and mean re
duction of the water level over tn
whole field of three feet during the fou
dry months OF the year. This area ant
loss Of water level when reduced TO tn
total voids in the sand and gravel, an,
a percentage of water accounted 70
by pumping, represents a net averag
capacity of 1,65161O gallons per day o
twenty-four hours.
Further on Mr.. Hill says:
From all the information before me
do not believe continuous supply o
water throughout the year sufficient TO
the future requirements of the city cal
, be obtained from this source. and
would not recommend its adoption upol
the theory that it. unaided, will b
available for long term of years.
III the water services throughout tn
city We're metered, and the per capit
consumption restricted to the necessi
ties of the people, and all waste o