The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-04
ClTYS ARMY WATER SUPPLY.
AN EXCELLENT SYSTEM NOW AL
MOST UNUSED.

How the Seventh Army Corps Was
Supplied With gimentS
Never Had to Wait n Minute for
Water; the supply Was Always
Ready for Thcm-About Fifteen
Miles of Pipe at the Camps, Equal
to About One-FOurth the City's
Systcm-Seventh Army Corps Used
100000 Gallons DaiIy-Pipe wild
BE ReInid by the City-Supt. Loft
tons Work COmDlimented by Gen.
Lee.
Now that the Seventh Army Corps has
nearly all left Savannah the question
arises as TO what the city viii do with the
large amount of water pipe which is un-
der ground al the camps recently occu-
pied by the regiments.
In all there are some fifteen miles of
pipe under ground which are not needed
for the purposes of the city. About one
third is the property Of the government.
The original intention when this pipe was
laid was to make use of the greater part
by relaying in the city when the camps
should have been abandoned and this in
tention will doubtless be adhered to. It
is not likely that anything will be done
Immediately towards the removal of the
pipe as the several attachments still re-
naming here are dependent upon the sys-
tenn for their water supply.
still stronger reason for allowing the
| pipe to remain where ii is for the present
| so long as the city has no need of it is
that so long as there is any possibility of
| obtaining additional troops to encamp
| here, whether a whole army corps or q
division or a brigade the water works
system which has been provided for the
| camps is of the biggest attractions the
city offers. There is probably not another
army camp in the country which as so
well provided with water or for which
such an extensive system of water works
! has been provided. Some idea of the ex-
tent of the system can be gained when it
is known that the pipe laid for the Sew
! enth Army Corps equals fully one-fourth
Of the entire city system of water works.
| In all ten and three-eighths miles of pipe
| were laid by the city al its own expense
| at a cost of about SIT, 500. This was con-
| siderably more than the city had antici-
! pated spending when it undertook to sup
| ply the camps of the Seventh Army Corps
| with water. When the city concluded
| that it would not be warranted in incur
ring further expense in this line the gov
| eminent took up the work and laid about
four miles additional of small pipe at a
| cost Of about S., 500. All the work, how
ever. was done under the supervision of
| Supt. Lotion of the water works depart
ment, the government furnishing the pipe
and paying for the labor.
The expeditions and satisfactory manner
! In which the army system of water works
| was installed reflects much credit upon
| Superintendent Lotion, who had entire
charge of the work. The work was begun
| on Oct. l3, with the laying of a 6-inch
main on Dale avenue The work was
| pushed night and day and on Sunday as
| well with a gang of 100 men, under direc-
ton of the superintendent, and inside of a
week pipes had been laid for all the regi-
| ments of both divisions of the Seventh
Army Corps. This did not mark the con
| clusion of the work by any means, how
ever, as pipes had to be run to supply
| the government corTas, the various bri-
| gade and division headquarters and the
two division hospitals. Afterwards pipes
| were run to the camp of the Maine Artil-
| lery, near the Cathedral cemetery the
| Second Artillery camp al LePaigevil,e, the
| four light artillery batteries near the GEM
| etery and the two. troops of cavalry in the
| same vicinity. The last command to be
| supplied with water was the Third Geor-
| gia. at Dale avenue and the Waters road.
| The system has worked with entire sat
| isfaction from the beginning. There was
| a good pressure on the pipes at the camps
| and no complaint has ever been made of
| inability to obtain water. The furthest
point to which water was sent was TO the
First Division hospital, at Wheeman $
| park, about six miles from the water
works The camps have used about 400,
| 600 gallons daily, as shown by the increase
| in pumpage as the works. This has en-
| tailed only a slight extra expense in the
| use of a small additional amount of coal.
| no extra help having been employed Prac-
tically the city is out only the amount
! which it expended in laying pipe TO the
| camps. While this was quite heavy tax
upon the city just at his time, ii is to be
| doubted if there are any who will say
that the money was not well expended.
! While the city treasury has received no
| direct return, hundreds of thousands of
| dollars have been expended in the city as
| the result of the encampment of the Sew
| enth Army Corps.
| Superintendent Lotion was highly com
| mended for his efficient work by Gen. Lee
and other officers of high rank of the
work very pleasing to- all Of the officers
was that no regiment ever had to wait
on its water supply after arriving in
| camp. The work was always done in i'd
vance, and every regiment found its water
| supply already provided on arriving at
camp. The city has 201A feet of six-inch
| cast iron main out Dale avenue and from
| Bolton street out towards Thunderbolt 10
the Avondale range. When the troops de-
part this can be taken up and relaid in the
| city to advantage, only shallow excava-
tons having been made in laying the mains
in order that there might be little trouble
i in removing it when il should be desired
| to lay 1t elsewhere.
| There are several thousand feet of
wrought iron pipe Of small size which can
| be used very simultaneously in complet-
ing the water system i'm Laurel Grove
| cemetery The water supply in the Gene
terry is not only an advantage to the lot
owners, but returns a neat income 10 the
city by reason of the rentals paid by lot
owners for the use of water In fact.