The record-union., 1899-11-06
Convinced It Will Prove Abundant For
the City's Use.
East Side Water Strata Has Grade of Five Feet
to the Mile-Wells Far Preferable
to Costly Filtration

in the Mayors office yesterday after
noon for the purpose of consulting with
Engineer l.. ]. LIE Conte, the expert
who had been retained to Superlntend
the investigation of the East Side, or
we'll supply of water, upon the recon-
mendation of Rudolph Herring, one of
the foremost authorities on water sup
plies in the United States or in the
world.
D. A. Lindley, for the Committee on
Wells, announced that Assistant City
Surveyor Phinney, acting under in
structions from Mr.. LIE Conte, had made
an accurate survey of the land between
Oak Park and Brighton and east OF
that point one and a half miles, and
carefully noted it's contour; that he had
made a map of his survey and submit
ted the same to Mr.. LIE Conte. Mr..
Lindley said that this week Surveyor
Phinney would again go over his work
to satisfy himself of the correctness of
his survey 4
COMES FROM THE MOUNTAINS.
Mr.. LIE Conte, in explaining the fea-
lures of the map of Mr.. Phinney's sur
vey, said the results showed conclusive
ly, to his mind, that the flow of the
ground water east of the city was en-
tirely independent of the American
River proper and that the contour OF
the water levels, from we'll measure
ment, showed the flow to be from the
watershed of the American River The
contour showed absolutely that the sup
ply was not obtained by sipage from
the American River.
EXTRAORDINARY FALL.
Mr.. LIE Conte said the survey showed
him that the underground flow of wa
ter had a fall of five feet to the mile,
and that it would, if tapped mile and
d half east of the city and brought
down by t1ume, cover the natural level
of the land here a foot deep. Measure
ments of wells were taken regularly all
the way out, and the level of the water
in each noted. The rise of water to
the east had been uniform, and left no
doubt about its coming from a source
situated a long distance from this city.
and also showed that the flow was con-
tinuous and that it found an outlet
somewhere toward the coast. He ex-
planned that if the source of supply was
from the American River proper the
contour of the water would slant up
instance.
Mr. LIE Conte said it was apparent to
him that the ground water comes from
the geological bedrock Of the American
River basin, and from it's extreme clear
ness, purity and freedom from sediment
he concluded that it came from a great
distance.
The contour. as shown by the survey,
he co a
with the same velocity all over the ter
ritory surveyed. and he could but con-
clude that the volume of water was
very large and the flow continuous, and
that it escaped west of here was ap-
parent. otherwise it would back up He
felt certain that the volume of water is
immense.
NOW is THE TIME FOR TESTS.
Mr.. LIE Conte said the present was
the best time to make a test of the
quantity of the underground flow He
called attention to the fact that the
two years last passed were the driest in
the history of the State. and that the
flow would at this time be at its lowest
stage.
If, he said. you now get enough
water from the wells for the use of the
city, you will always get enough. The
whole scheme is an excellent one. and
there Is only one question open-the
quantity of water in dry seasons-and
now is the time to test it,
Mr. LIE Conte said the volume of wa
ter had not been increased by the re-
cent rains-that the most of it had
sunk into the ground; that any increase
would have to come from the source
of supply, and would not get down
for. long time and that he was ex-
trenely doubtful whether wet or dry
seasons would change the flow to any
appreciate extent.
WILL IMPROVE WITH PUMPING.
Questioned by T. B. Hall, Mr.. LIE
Conte said the slight hardness of the
water was due to it's contact with min
erals in coming from its source.
rs there any danger that it will. in
case our supply is drawn from it. get
harder with continued pumping?" in
quired Captain Hall.
Not at ALL was the reply. "On the
contrary, it will get softer as pumping
continues. 1t will have no chance to
get harder. Circulation will be increas-
ed, the flow from the source will be
faster and the contact with mineral
properties will be lessened The in
creased flow of water will improve its
quality
lowering of the water in the wells.
said Mr.. LIE Conte. might mean that
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