Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-05-02

the cubic centimeter in one sample,
and in the other none. 1t was ALSO
IuteIy sterile. y cubic centimeter is
about twenty drops of water. So sur
prised was Prof Smith at the eff
cheney of this filtration that he al
once visited our city and made a per-
sonal examination of the filter and our
proposed plant.
The system and plans adopted by
the city for the treatment of water is
no doubt familiar to- YOU all. 1t con-
sists of the standardization. aeratiOn.
filtration and storage of water. While
all of the features embraced in this
wafer publication plant are old, yet
this Is the first instance known where
they are all combined
The plant is situate in Reservoir
Park between INVENT y-second ard
Twenty-fourth and Twelfth ard
Eighteenth avenues. The flow line
of the storage reservoir is at an eleya-
ton of l55 feet above the business por-
ton of the city and Will consequently
give a pressure of about ~ pounds to
the square inch. The estimated cost
of the Improvement aside from the
leading to and from the reservoir is
Sol ,36S.
BY the employment of this system
of treating the water and the pumping
of the water but once, we rest the
pumping machinery one-third of tn,
time and estimate Il saving in fuel and
labor of $3,1OO per year. To capital
izc this amount on n basis of five per
cent interest per annum, will produce
Il capital of $4,000 which amount is
sufficient TO cover the estimated cost
of the settling basins, filters and stor-
age reservoir.
Ir order to procure sufficient funds
to carry ON and complete this plant
the Council authorized the issue of
bonds or vouchers to the extent of
So. 900 in anticipation of the water
rentals, TO be liquidated at $1,000 per
year until paid, the idea being that
the water improvement plant should
be constructed entirely from the wat
sr retails.
We feel safe in saying that this
plant when completed Will be one of
The best water publication plants in
america, in furnishing Il pure, clear
md wholesome water.
waterworks.
The extension of waiter mains
the city has been quite cX-
ensive. We have added many water
to our lists until now our
annual rentals amount to some S3O,-
100. Deducting from this the sum of
1000 the amount necessary to oper-
tie the department and il leaves Sl9,-
100 per annum TO pay the balance of
he reservoir bonds and to extend
mains throughout the city.
We were very fortunate in the pun
base of sufficient pipe to conduct the |
wafer to and from the reservoir, to- |
either with the extension of mains,
'tc., required quite an outlay. 1 be-
icve the amount purchased was some |
90 tons, which ranged in price from
1885 TO S14.35 per ton, delivered in
Rock Island. The price HOW quoted
or the same pipe is $3.50 per ton.
We thus effected Il saving on pipe
Hone $3.50.
After considerable study and re-
lection, ! would recommend that the
objection of water rents be divorced
rom the duties of the City Clerk and
.ttached to that of Collector of Spec
al Taxes or some other Office, which
5 not an elective office.
Leyee.
The condition of our levce or river
'front.' has engaged the attention of
several administrat TONS in the past
We grappied with the proposition
first i'm 1897 when we paved with brick
L 4.
to Twentieth street.In the fall of
SOS we commenced the Improvement
IF the levee proper by filling to sub
grade with earth, thoroughly rolled
and by paving TO the established grade
within Telford macadam. except East
and Eighteenth streets
extended. which were paved with
brick and concrete founda-
ton While this improvement was
quite expensive, vet it was much need
ed. The lcvcc had been an eve sore
for many years, being the receptacle
for rubbish and trash, but in its now
condition it adds very
much to the appearance of the city.
Much agitation has been caused by
the application. of the Diamond 10
Steamboat Co. to erect n freight and
passenger depot on this public ground.
Many of your honorable body as well
~ myself were opposed to permitting
any building whatever on the new
evee. but we were petitioned by near
" every businsss man in the city To
grant such request. Upon closer in
vestigltion into the application and
through a conference had with the
superintendent of the Diamond 10
company we learned that they wanted
and expected 10 exercise absolute con
troll over the warehouses; that they
would not agree 10 share the occu-
pancy with the other two lines of
doing business here, ex-
cept AT their convenience. We readily
-aw the danger underlying such