Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-03-30
BOON CLEAR WATER
Provided the Citizens of Rock Isl.
and Without One Cent of
Additional Tax.
THROUGH THE NEW RESERVOIR.

Skill and Foresightedness of Mayor Me-
dill Responsible for the Immediate Ben
efits of aSplendid System of Publication,
Which Is Also Self-sustaining to Cost
of Provision a Well as Maintenance.
The browning effort and accom-
plishment of Mayor Medill's admins
tration, as is conceded on every hand,
i the great water Improvement plant
or system of reservoirs now under
construction. This plant embraces
all of the latest approved principles
used in the treatment of water, and
when it is completed there will be no
superior municipal method of water
supply in America. The features
EN- braced consist of the sedimenta-
ton, Iteration, filtration and storage of
water. A short description of the
operation of the system, now that the
people are beginning to realize and
enjoy the advantages it affords in
clarified water will he timely and in
teresting.
How the System Operates.
The river water is received into the
pump wells through the intake pipes
from the channel of the river and
pumped directly to the settling basins
on the bluff. The water first enters
into settling basin No. through the
supply pipe, which is projected above
the water level, thus HraIing the wa
ter as it flows over and descends into
the basin. 1t then flows from basin
No. into basin No. 2 over a weir 20
feet in length. By this process the
upper layer of water is skinned off
Of basin No. l, leaving the greater
part of the sediment in this basin.
The water is again ;erated in passing
over the weir to basin No. 2. In basin
No. 2 the sedimentation still continues
until the water passes through the
pipes into the sand filters.
The sand filters are three in number
with daily capacity of 3, 800, 900 gal
Ions of filtered water. The water
passes through bed of sand of four
feet and one foot of gravel, from
whence it is carried by drains through
regulating cham bers to the storage
reservoir From the reservoir the
city is supplied through a 20-inch
main leading back to the distribution
system.
Reservoir Built Through Money Saved.
By this system the city is required
to pump the water but once. the ar
rangement of the settling basins, fill
tiers and reservoir being such that the
water, after having been pumped
into settling basin No. l, flows by
gravity to settling basin No. 2, thence
TO the filters, thence to the reservoir,
and thence TO the distribution system
and the consumer. By the employ
ment of this system of treating the
water and the pumping of the water
but once, the pumping machinery
rests one-third of the time and
effects a saving in fuel and labor
Appropriated at $500 per year. To
capitalize this amount basis of
Interest of per cent per annum will give "a
capital of s6a, 900, which amount Is suffi-
Client to construct the settling basins, sand
filters, reservoirs and all attending expense,
except the mains leading to and from the
reservoir.
The actual cost of this great plant,
that is the amount expended and the
estimate of the amount required to
complete the same. is SOL, SOS. So,
which is divided as follows:
Paid out for clearing the land OF tim
Der. the removal of Stumps, and the
excavation done by the city in 1897 :. 225 20
Estimates allowed, which include The
10 per cent of same withheld until
completion of contract .............. 40 53I. 81
Estimate of cost equired TO complete
the pant. .......................... 49,. n.s1aI2
Total. s6I. 36s SO
One other feature in connection
with this water improvement plant,
and which will refute the misappre-
hension that some people have that
their property is being taxed to
pay for this improvement. is that
the entire cost OF the Improvement is
and will be paid out of the income of the
waterworks property. 1t matters not
whether the plant is constructed or not,
holders.
To afford sufficient funds to COM
plete the work, bonds or vouchers
were issued to the extent of $50, 600,
payable out of the waterworks re-
ceipts or rents, in amounts of 50, 200 |
per year. While it is true the cost of
the water improvement plant is paid
for only by the water consumers, yet |
it does not increase their rent, while |
it provides them with pure and |
wholesome water.
The Land Occupied. |
The reservoirs and basins occupy an |
area of eight and one-half acres. The |
lands owned by the city at this place
embrace some 264 acres, for which the
city has agreed to pay 81, 200 The
syndicate which owned the land has
executed n warranty deed which
was placed in escrow in the hands of
Col. Henry Curtis, of this city, and a.
the same time executed n contract
with the city to receive thereon $500
N n Z