The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-26

The members Of the board OF health
made their annual inspection of the
reservoirs of the Scranton Gas and
Water company yesterday. The High
Pressure, Williams Bridge. No. Z, No.
and Lake Scranton reservoirs were
looked over and next week some time
the Elmhurst and Lehigh reservoirs
will be inspected
Those who comprised the party were:
George S. Horn, w. G. O'Malley, DR..
Reynolds. DR. Rodham and NJ. j. Kel-
". of the board of health; Mayor Moir,
Health officer Allen. Secretary i. j.
Murray. Sanitary officer Burke, Food
Inspector Widmayer, superintendent
Robert Reeves, Major John Il. Fish,
Victor Arnold, of the Providence Gas
and Water company; School Controller
jennings, Mr.. Lowther, secretary to
Superintendent Fitzgibbon; Frank @.
RarlCk, Thomas Cosgrove, Or. Bateson
and representatives of the press.
The start was made at $50 in the
morning from city hall The party left
in four carriages. The first reservoir
visited was the High Pressure near
Dunmorc This reservoir is situated at
a higher altitude than any of the 9TH
ers and supplies water to the "hill' Sec
tion of the city and also to the highest
portions of Hyde Park.
SUPPLY RESERVOIR.
The next to be visited was the No.
reservoir, which is the main supplying
reservoir for the central part of the
city. The members of the party were
shown through the filtering building
and inspected the machinery. Much
interest was shown in the Ventura
meter system which is installed at this
place. BY means of this device the
amount of water pumped from the res
ervoir is registered every ten minutes.
The appliance is connected by electric
ity with the company's office on Wy
oming avenue and a register is also
made there.
The Williams Bridge reservoir was
next visited. Samples of water were
obtained from all the reservoirs visit
| ed, by Sanitary officer Burke.
Up 70 this time the members of the
| board had been delighted with every
thing seen and were especially impress
| ed with the diligent efforts made to
| prevent contamination of the supply.
| Their delight was changed to positive
| admiration, however, when Lake
| Scranton, the new reservoir, came in
| sight.
When the inspection was made last
year the masonry york on the dam was
not yet completed and there was not a
single drop of water in the immense
natural basin. 1t seemed almost sor-
Gerry yesterday when the beautiful sheet
of water met their gaze, looking as
| peaceful and calm as if 1t had been
there for ages and ages.
The party repaired to the woods near
| the lake where a dainty luncheon was
served. They We're next driven around
the entire lake and thoroughly exam
ined it on all sides.
FACTS ABOUT THE LAKE.
Superintendent Robert Reeves gave
some very interesting facts in oOnnec-
ton with the lake. At the present
time it contains $500, 1000 gallons OF
| water. 1t has a surface area of 221
acres and is three and a half miles in
circumference, making it the largest
artificial bed of water in the state and
one of the largest in the county. 1t is
fed by the Stafford Meadow Brook and
took over three months to hll. The
gates were let down in the latter part
of December and 1t was as full as al
the present time about the first week
in April.
At present the water in the lake is
being used to supply No. 5 reservoir
and also as a reserve supply.
The tunnel through the mountain Is
now completed and the work of laying
the pipe through 1t is in progress
When this is done a complete line Of
30-inch pipe will connect the Elmhurs
and No. reservoirs with the lake
The water in the Elmhurst reservoir
can then be turned into the lake.
The water in the lake can also b.
used to supply the No. reservoir
There are now 4,5OO,0OO,0O0 gallons o
water stored in the various reservoir
of the company, enough to supply th'
city for 250 days so that the DANCE
of a water famine is very remote.
The party arrived in the city agai,
at about $50 p. m, inspecting the No.
reservoir on the return trip.