The age-herald., 1899-04-30
An Institution of Which Birmingham
 People Are Proud.
THE SUPPLY NOW UNLIMITED
The System Is In Duplicate and the City Is Insured Against All Accidents-Two Big Reservoirs and
 Many Miles of Mains.

and has combined capacity of from 5000, ,- GOO to 1o,OO0000 gallons daily.
 The other pumping station is situated on Cahaba river at a point about eight miles , from the centre of the city. At this station are two ponderous pumping engines, one a Worthington high duty engine, with a ca- pacity of 5,OO),000 gallons daily, and one d Knowles engine, with a capacity of 5000 900 gallons daily pumping against head of 4V0 foet elevation. Steam is supplied from twelve large steam boilers each boiler being set separate, so as to be cut out of service at will for cleaning or repairing
 From this station the water is pumped D. 700 feet through two 20-inch mains, one for each engine, to a staadppe situated on a summit at an elevation of 400 feet above the river. From this standpipe a S0-inch main carries the water to the reservoir 12500 feet distant.
 The reservoirs are elevated 220 feet above 133, ,OO0 GOO gallons. They are situated about five miles from the city, and trip of in- spection will repay any one and at the same time convince the visitor that clearer water cannot be seen anywhere, and that the volume is sufficient for all purposes for long time to come.
 The two reservoirs are so arranged that the water can be pumped into or drawn from either at will, or it may be forced around them directly into the system or distribution mains in the city. From
  under two tunnels to the city through a 30-inch main, from which 1t is distributed through about seventy miles or street mains, varying in size from 24 inches down to inches in diameter.
 During the dry season the East Cahaba river principally supplies the water which is used in Birmingham. It is damned up just below where the other Cahaba runs into it. the current of the latter being up stream as far as the pumping station, and in this connection it will be interesting to know that this stream. traverses country practically uninhabited, and that there Is no chance for the water to be contamlnat ed. Leeds Is the nearest place to the rlVer, and it is about ten miles distant rom the dam. The fall of the river is about ten feet to the rnilc, and the character of the stream is well calculated to insure purity, being rough and rugged, causing the water to fall in cataracts at frequent points.
 As to the cost, only one southern city New Orleans-has a system of water pipes that cost more per mile to put Tn place than was expended in Birmingham. At the same time the income per mile is no small CT in any southern city than in Birming- ham.
 The waste connected with the operation of big water works system is something enormous. In Birmingham the annual waste, through defective plumbing, burst ing pipes careless consumers, etc., eXceedS tbe total amount of water consumed by the average city of 30,000 people. Birmlngham is probably one of the most wastetul clues in the country, with respect to water a fact due, no doubt, to the common kno"i- edge that the supply is inexhaustloie.
 The cost to the consumer IS quite reasoh- able bv no means commensurate with the expense and trouble with which the water is obtained and lower than in many other cities, which do not afford nearly so good a quality, large quantity or great pressure The purity and wholesomeness or Blrnllns- hams water is a subject of comment by visitors.
 w. ]. Miner an engineer of wide experl- ence. is the efficient general manager ot the Water Works company. He Is man of great energy, fine business capacity ana one who is devoted heart and soul to the Birmingham district. He was president or the Commercial club during one of it's most successful years, and can always De found among the public spirited men who are behind a great move Tor the puplc veal and the development of the city and district James T. Woodward Is president; Paul H. Earle is vice-president, and J. F. Graham. secretary and treasurer.
 Owing to the peculiar geographical con- ditions existing in Birmingham and suburbs the cost of maintaining the system is much greater than in cities more densely popu- lated. The residence sections cover large area and the consumers are, in many in- stances, considerable distance apart. Yet the cost of constructing and maintaining mains for a half dozen patrons is just as large as for a score. New houses are going up, more people are coming in every day, the city proper is increasing in population, the gaps between the suburban towns are rapidly filling up, and it is said that before long the conditions will be such as to war rant reduction in the cost to consumers.
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