Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-03-31

ing resolution
Resolved, That the City Water
Board be permitted to use its balance
of $6,107.77 and it's estimated receipts
for 1899, to be expended for the use OF
the water works as the said Board has
estimated"
Pending the adoption of this resolu-
ton there was a general discussion OF
water works matters, in which most'of
those present took part. President
Jones generally acted as spokesman for
the Water Board, although DR.. Ulrch
was called upon from time to time for
information. During the course of the
talk, which was general and very in
formal, Mr.. Jones said that while the
Board proposed, during the coming
summer, to lay down 1900 feet OF
tWelve-inch main in the easter portion
OF the city, that the water supply in
that part of the city might be bettered,
1t was contemplated to spend the
major portion of the appropriation for
new mains in the Eighth ward, which
needed an enlarged supply very badly.
In answer to questions by Mr.. Fox as
to the charges made for water power
fans, which subject was brought up in
Council at the last session, Mr.. Jones
said the charges for such things were
less than the actual cost of pumping
water, and cited figures to show that
even an One-eighth inch outlet under
pressure of sixty pounds, would use
over thirteen gallons OF water per min
ute, or nearly nineteen thousand gal
Ions per day Of twenty-four hours. 1t
cost the city about 2Ac per 900 gal
Ions to pump water, and yet it was the
policy OF the Board to supply it as
cheaply as possible, and in as nearly
unlimited quantities as possible. Many
consumers of water obtained it at less
than the cost of pumping. In the case
of motor fans used only about five
months in the year, the charge was less
than it cost the Board, yet the Board
not only supplied the water power
cheaply, but split the bill, and let one
half of it run for six months after the
service had been performed. That
made unthinking persons imagine they
were being charged for something they
did not get, when not only was the re-
verse true, but they were given time
on the payment, and a discount thrown
in. Mr.. Jones further illustrated this
idea by taking up the subject of ele
vatOrS. Some years ago there was OBJ
lection by business men to an increase
in the charges, and a committee was
appointed to meet with the Water
Board. When the gentlemen were as
sembled and the matter had been talk
ed over, the Board proposed that an
indicator be put on an elevator, the
amount of water computed, and charg
es based upon the result. One of the
committee at once objected, saying:
81 now pay $500. If you put ON an
indicator and charge me for what /
use, the increase will raise my bill to
$1,000 I'm willing TO let it go as it
is" No more was heard Of the mat
ter.
After the resolution had been adopt
ed and signed by Chairman McCor-
mick, the general discussion was con-
tinued, and during it Mr.. Fox brought
up the proposition to sell the old water
works property and apply the pro-
ceeds to the construction of new
workhouse. President Jones said in
that event the Board would expect
the city TO provide it with another
general headquarters for supplies for
the street force, and pointed out that
such a headquarters was absolutely es-
sential to the proper conduct Of the
department. His attention was called
to the lot used by the city at Eo1 and
Seventeenth streets, where large sup
plies of pipe are kept, and where 2
building might be constructed which
would be centrally located. In answer
to this Mr.. Jones said central loca-
ton was not of prime Importance, and
said a location at the site Of the old
water works or near it would be much
better. Proximity to the reservoir was
a prime consideration with the Board.
He entered into a number Of details in
support of this proposition.
Further along Mr.. Jones said the new
pumping apparatus would be in work
ing order by the first of next Septem-
Der at the latest, and would make the
supply adequate to the needs of the
city for long time to come. He
spoke, in this connection, Of the need
for larger storage reservoir. and Of
the Importance Of giving purer water.
a result which could only be arrived
at by some system of filtration or set
Element II the city had three or four
reservoirs, pumping water from the
highest, and running it from one to
the other until the delivery TO c0uSum-