The record-union., 1899-10-28

such as structures of masonry, have
long life, others, like timber, iron or
steel pipes laid in the ground, ma
chinery, etc., perish in shorter times.
(c) The operation and maintenance of
the works. This item should include
the cost of supervision and inspection,
the general care of the works. the MAX
ing of small repairs and also all con-
tingent expenses. It should further in
Iclude, wherever required, the expenses
for pumping and for purifieationj also
any royalty or annual charge for the
use of ditch water, in case such water
is used.
To point out more specifically what
needs to be done to ascertain the rela-
tive merits of the several propositions
considered, it may be well to add the
following remarks:
In order to have sufficient and reliable
information for getting the necessary
capacity of settling reservoirs and III
ters, in case either the Sacramento or
American River or North Fork Ditch
water is used, observations Should pe
made regularly during the coming
winter, perhaps twice week, OF the
amount of sediment that is carried by
the water. Such observations, for the
purposes of comparison, are best IN
dicated. in parts of residue precipitaied
from a million parts of water.
The project to utilize the water Of the
North Fork Ditch Company should be
investigated sufficiently to ascertain
whether or not the quantity Of water
to be furnished by the ditch would be
permanent as to natural, artificial and
legal causes.
A city should, if possible, control its
own water supply as far as it's natural
source. 1t would be a serious matter
should there be an accident along the
ditch or along the pipe line between
Folsom and the city. A reasonably safe
guarantee would include a duplicate
pipe line from the dam to the city A
single pipe line between Folsom and
the city might afford less risk than a
single ditch between the dam and Fol-
som.
Still, the Importance of a city's water
supply makes it desirable, if possible,
to have more than one pipe line.
In order to determine the quantity of
water available below the surface of
the territory southeast of the city, it
is necessary to make a thorough and
systematic test.
In the first place the present level of
the ground water should be ascertained
as soon as possible, as this fairly well
indicates the minimum supply, because
the past season has been one of phe-
nomenally slight rainfall.
Levels of the water should be taken
with considerable precision in as many
Of the private wells as possible for q
distance of several miles from the city
They will establish the level of the
plane of water, and indicate the slope
of this plane, and therefore rhe fact
subterranean stream. They would also
indicate the direction from whence the
water comes. Having found good rea-
sons for believing that there is q con-
siderable flow, then it would be neces-
sary to sink several pipe wells near
the city on a line at right angles to
the direction of the underground flow
and at such distances apart and in such
numbers as may be found necessary.
The depth having been estimated, at
which it is probable that the water will
stand when pumped, it may then be
found necessary to dig a trench into
which TO lay the pipe connecting the
wells with the test pumps.
These pumps should all be operated
together, without interruption and with
constant discharge of water, passed
through fiune and measured over a
weir
Before the test is made small tubes
should be sunk at such distances apart
as may be found necessary and in the
direction from where the water flows
These tubes must be sufficiently deep to
allow the distance to the surface OF the
ground water to be accurately meas
ured. These measurements should be
made regularly during the time OF
pumping and the changes carefully
noted ~
Such an Investigation, if properly
conducted, will make it possible to as
certain the greatest quantity of water
that can be drawn from the ground per-
petually; provided, that during the
pumping the water level in the test
tubes remains constant for perhaps a
mile or more in the direction of flow.
CONTINUED on Fifth Page)
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