The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-26

Cedar river water flowed into the city
limits of Seattle Monday night at 10
o'clock through the mains of the new
gravity system. Unknown to the general
public the water from the river was let
into the main pipe line filling IL almost
to its greatest capacity and was then al
lowed to flow into the main trunk sewer at
Twelfth avenue south and Lane street, by
which 1t found It's way into Elliott bay.
Twelve days ago Assistant City Engineer
Scott. who has charge of the work on
the pipe line and at the intake on the
river decided If possible to carry out the
prediction he made six months ago that
water from Cedar river would flow into
the city limits on Christmas day, 1900.
Everything was favorable to carrying out
the project. The main pipe line consisting
of six miles of forty-two-inch steel mains
and twenty-five miles of wooden stave
pipe of the same size has been finished
several weeks except for the construction
Of two steel bridges over Cedar river along
the route. These have just been finished.
Mr. Scott therefore decided to make a
test of the pipe line. and to this plan c..
p. Allen, patentee 6f the wooden stave
pipe. who is one Of the Pacific Bridge
Company, contractors on the line and
headworks. readily agreed. December IA
sne gate at Cedar rlser intake n was opened
the pipe line. This was gradually in
creased until the pipe was filled in all de-
pressions to its full capacity and at half
capacity at the higher points along the
route
The test proceeded slowly, great eau
ton being observed by Mr.. Scott and Mr..
Allen to see that no accident should hap
pen. week was spent In patrolling the
pipe line, the two men following the flow
OF water as 1t filled the pipe to observe
the effect. During the severe storm of a
week ago both men were on the line de-
spite the inclemency Of the weather. They
walked the entire distance. covering an
average of nine miles a day and spending
the night at farm houses near the right OF
way.
Mr.. Scott said yesterday that the test Of
the pipe line was complete success.
1T will be week or more before the
water In the trunk line will reach a press
ure equal to that expected of IT. he said.
but there Is every reason to believe that
It will be found equal to all requirements.
The test SO far has been perfectly salts
factory. There are a few minor leaks in
the wooden stave pipe. but nothing of a
serious nature. The steel pipe has al
ready been tested to the limit and has
been found up to the specifications of the
During the test reports were received at
the city hall from various points along
the line, telephone wire reaches from
the headworks to the city hall and the
ONCE OF the supervising engineers at Fifth
avenue and Yesler There are stations at
Renton. Swan lake. Maple valley and at
For the present the water from Cedar
river will be allowed to flow through the
pipe line into the twenty-inch sewer at
Twelfth avenue, and thence down Lane
street into the bay In this way the pipe
will be cleaned and made ready for use.
1t will probably be ten days or two
weeks before the water will be turned
into the reservoirs and the city mains
Some work Is yet to be done on the dis
tributing system In this city and at the
gate houses at the city park and Maggie
addition reservoirs.