The age-herald., 1900-03-14

teenth avenues and Twenty-second and Twenty-third streets was discontinued when the CahAba station was put in and the weter pumped directly into the 2O-ineh main. The engine at the North Birming- nam pumping station can give a pressure of 22O pounds. The water from Five Mile creek was to overcome the pressure of the water from Cahaba rdver in order to reach the main down town.
 Main May be Bursted
 "A main may be bursted by opening fire hydrant and suddenly closing it. I have known many as three bursted in that way in one day. I cannot say what the average life of a cast iron pipe is I had occasion to cut main that had been in use twenty years and 1t was apparently in as good condition as when first put in. Where furnace slag comes in contact with cast iron pipe it destroys it in a few years in len years I should say So far as I know there is no main in the ch.y that comes in contact with slag. Wrought iron pipe de- teriorates much more rapidly than cast iron pipe. but there is very Httle of that kind in in the business part of the city, and that Is mostly of the two-lnch size. It Is possible for leak to occur without being discovered at once, but if 1t amounted to very much it would likely be noticed. The mains are generally about two feet under ground, the company being required to put them at least twenty inches below the sur face.
 We began to get water from Cahaba on January 1 1891. The water Is pumped into the reservoirs on top of Shades mountain, and from there flows to the north end of the long tunnel through thirty-inch main. It is so arranged that the water can be pumped directly into the mains without going through the reservoirs. The average inclination of the main from the reservoirs to the north end of the long tunnel is one and one-half foot to every thousand feet of length. The undulatlons of the main. nee essary to conform with the topography of the section over which it passes, has little or effect on the pressure of the water. Whatever sediment may be deposited is re- moved through the blow-offs provided at every depression in the main.
 'The water flows from the north end of the long tunnel through f-ineh main down Nineteenth street to Third avenue, South, where it crosses over to Twentieth street; it then follows Twentieth street to Magno- ia avenue, and crosses over to twenty second street, thence to First avenue and Twenty-second street. finch main will furnish all the water that two 2h-inch hose can take up"
 Judge Banks-It was demonstrated that a 300-foot hose could not throw water to the first floor of the Metropolitan hotel That was after the engine had gotten out Of the way.
 Practical Test
 MT Reyer-Two of the hose were con nected with the broken engine. The en- zine was taking water from one nozzle and distributing it through two hose. It has been demonstrated that water loses as much as 40 per cent. of it's pressure in passing through an engine.
 Major Milner-I think the present sys- tenn sufficient for the citys demands. The water works can furnish all the water necessary for two or three fires If the city had the engines to give the pressure.
 A. R. Dearborn-I suggest that test of the water supply be made by connecting up the engines, hose, etc.
 A. M. Lynn. of the Water Works compa- ny--A great many cities use more 4-inch hydrant branches than 6-inch hydrant branches and as that seems to be the point at issue, 1 would suggest that a test be made of the supply.
 MT. Reyer-As there are both four and six-inch connections in the city, think a practical test would be the most satisfac- tory way of settling the matter.
 The suggestion of a practical test seem ed to meet with unanimous endorsement, and as dark was fast approaching, the committee at 6:1O o'clock adjourned to meet again at D. m. today.