The age-herald., 1899-04-30

- Than Birmingham there Is not a city in the south that can boast of a more exten- sve water works system. Like numerous other quasi-public corporations, the details of the enormous expense of the construc- tion and maintaining of the Birmingham water works the labor required to interest capital in the enterprise, and the stupend- pls task of meeting the needs and demands of such a city, as this one is destined to be, are not comprehended by any but those di- rectly connected with the institution; and as a result it has been subjected at times to criticism It is a noteworthy fact, how ever, especially as regards the water works that there is a growing tendency on the part of the people to take a more conserva- tive view of matters pertaining to local cor porations, whose interests gre identical with those of the private citizcn, and whose success and prosperity are dependent upon the success and prosperity of the communi- ty at large
 The construction of the water works sys- tenn of this city was mammoth undertak- ing; indeed, it was one that only men of courage-men who had the most implicit confidence in the future of the city, and who contemplated the due appreciation of their efforts by the people whom they bene- fitted-only such men would have expended their money and labor in the enterprise. The cost of the works exceeded the million mark and in pursuance of the company's well known policy of improving and larging the system, a large amount is in- vested every year. and it Is said that the only returns the stockholders have ever re. ceived was an annual dividend of 312 per cent
 It Is a fact not very generally known that Birmingham has practically two systems of water works, the other system being in du- plicate as regards the supply, precluding itx of ha aHrar fencing a water famine CT the city ever be- ing without fire protection. The company has two pumping stations. One is located at North Birmingham, which receives its supply through canal extending six miles in northeastely direction to Five Mile creek The canal delivers the water at the pumping station into a reservoir with capacity of ten million gallons From this reservoir the water is pumpted through a 20-inch main direct into the city mains A supply of water is kept in this reservoir at all times sufficient for emergencies. The machinery is all in duplicate, consisting of two compound condensing duplex Blake engines of two and one-fourth million gall Ions daily capacity each and one similar Deane engine of six million daily capacity.
 The other station is located on Cahaba river al point, according to surveys about seven and two-third miles in a southeastern ly direction from the city. The available supply of water is practically unlimited. There are two pumping engines one high duty Warrington of five million gallons daily capacity, and the other a Knowles en- zine, of eight million gallons daily capaci- ty. Both these engines are the very best machines of the class made, and will be good twenty years hence with proper care. Steam is supplied by twelve boilers in all, with a combined capacity of about 900 horse power.
 Except to the most skilled hydraulic en- gineer, the achievements of the Birmng- ham Water Works company would seem an utter impossibity. The distance from the city and the character of the country through which the water is brought, rem der the execution of the work nothing less than marvellous. Conveyed through tunnels in the mountains, and over a distance of about eight miles, not only was a vast amount of capital required but the ingenu- ity of the most skilled engineers of the country was taxed in the greatest measure toperform the work. One of the sources of the water supply is the Cahaba river one of the dearest and swftest running streams of Alabama, the course of which was practically turned and emptied right into the city. Another source of the supply is Five Mile creek, which at a point about eight miles from the centre of the city is diverted from its natural channel and led through canal six miles in length to the North Birmingham pumping station, locat- ed near the Southern railway, at about the intersection of TWenty-frst avenue and Twenty street, north. Here, the wa ter having been carried under Village creek through a 36-inch cast iron pipe, is delivered into receiving basin or reservoir with a capacity of 10,0O0000 gallons, whence it is pumped through a 2O-iach main directly in- to the distribution system of mains in the city. The machinery ct this station is all in duplicate, is kept in first class condition sseeseseesssessss