Evening star., 1901-07-22
Danger of a Water Famine is Ap-
parently Averted.
AUXILIARY ENGINE WORKING WELL
Consumers, However, Must Use
Supply With Care.
SCENES AT THE STATION


have been averted. The auxiliary engine
was successfully repaired and placed III
commission early yesterday morning. The
main engine. 1t is confidently expected, will
be in working order by tomorrow night.
Unless a new break should occur in the
auxiliary engine meantime there is abso-
Iutely no danger of shortage in the Po-
tomac supply. AS a precaution, however,
the District Commissioners have decided to
let their order in regard to sprinking the
streets In the high districts remain in ef-
feet today. 1t is believed that too much
care cannot be exercised when the water
service is threatened.
1t was stated today that the auxiliary en-
gine was working satisfactorily and with
little or no sign of weakness. During Sat-
urday and yesterday a steady fall was
noted in the water in the Brightwood res
ervoir, which was called upon when both
pumps broke This morning however it
was ascertained that last night the pump
had gained on the outflow in the big lake,
and there had been an increase of a frac-
ing to the water department, it is be-
ieved 1t marks the end of most trying
and dangerous period.
officials on the Anxious Seat.
When the auxiliary pump at the station
had been repaired Superintendent McFar-
land of the water department was happy
man. water crisis for all that section
north of Florida avenue, including part of
Georgetown, and ell of that section to the
west. far Takoma Park, had been
passed. Nineteen hours from the time of
the accident steam was turned on and the
auxiliary pump took up the work of sup
plying the high service with Potomac
water. 1t had been trying day and night,
and the District officials We're on the anx-
ious seat for many hours. Unless the aux
Hilary pump could be repaired 1t was evil
dent that a water famine for the high ser
vice could not oe averted, although 1t
would not have come until the reserve sup
ply in the big Brghtwood reservoir had
been used up. TO the watchfulness of the
engineer department of the District is due
the success which has so happily resulted.
The scene Saturday and last night at the
u street pumping station was one Of ami
nation. The workmen were doing their ut
most to hurry the repairs, and Superintend-
ent Mcfarland was personally directing op-
erations.
The first break noticed was in the big
Barr engine, which faces the door and does
engine only being called upon to relieve
the other in cases of accident, and when
1t is necessary to give the machinery of
the big pump an overhauling.
Character of the Breaks.
The first break occurred in the big CYL
inder which is located underground and
through which the water is forced at a
tremendous pressure to the high service.
This cylinder Is in the shape of two hemi-
spheres of highly tested STEEL put together
with studs" A stud in mechanical par
lance is a heavy bolt with a screw, under
which engages a screw socket and brings
the two hemispheres together, making a
very much stronger joint than if the bolts
went completely through both sections, and
being held in place by nuts" 1t appears
that the pressure was so great as to break
twelve of these studs, and Engineer Fink
had his attention first directed to it by
the swishing Of water which escaped
through the big cylinder. hasty exam
ination revealed the fact that it was i'm
possible to even temporarily repair the
break. and 1t was evident that unless the
engine was Immediately stopped the other
studs would give away and the entire vol
ume of water would escape into the cellar
of the pump house. So the big engine was
turned off and the auxiliary pump called
upon to take up the work of it's big broth
er. For short time all things went well,
but the beam which connects the two pis-
boxes and acting much the same as
working beam on steamboat, suddenly
snapped.
Meeting "a Serious Condition.
Both pumps were put out of commission
and the officials Of the water department
were confronted with a serious condition
In the reservoir at Brightwood a supply
of water which would serve the city in it's
high service for three or four days was
kept and 1t became necessary Immediately
to draw upon this reserve force to help
out. Unless the pumps could be repaired
within three days 1t was known that all
Of this supply would be exhausted and not
one drop of water would go into that great
section supplied by the high service, which,
as stated above. includes all that territory
north of Florida and a part of Georgetown.
The dangers of a water famine were not
exaggerated. To take away from any por-
tion of city its daily water supply, means
sickness, pestilence and death. Engineer
Commissioner Beach and his assistant.
Captain Harding. Immediately dispatched
Superintendent Mcfarland and Foreman
John Fitzgerald to the scene Of the pump
house Here they worked necessarily for
twenty-five hours, and yesterday morning
at seven minutes past Foreman Fitzger-
aid opened the big high service valve at
the corner of 10th and U streets, and once
more water was being pumped into the
high service and a famine averted.
Man for the Emergency.
While the engineers were examining the
damage, Blacksmith Cramer, who is con-
stanty on duty at the pump house, was
called into consultation. He said he be-
lieved he could fit wrought iron band over
the disabled portion cf the working pump
and make 1t answer. He was directed to
proceed at once, and in little while the
forge in the blacksmith shop was spouting
sparks and a great bar of iron, which had
been carefully selected was being shaped
by the deft hands of the smithy into a
splint for the injured member. SO care
fully did he calculate that when the band
was ready 1t fitted to within the smallest
fraction of an inch, and its attachment to
the working beam Immediately began. Big
drills worked their way through the hard
ened steel while carefully tampered bolts
were being prepared to lock 1t securely in
place. At length everything was ready
The damaged beam had been strengthened
thousand fold and its crucial test begun
Gently at first the great wheel was turned
by employees Of the station and as the
beam swung to and fro 1t was evident that
the repair had been success for with
old-time precision the pistons swung up
and down as though nothing had happened
to their main support.
Anxiety Relieved.
Engineer Fink turned on steam, ard rs
the invisible power found its way into the
steam chamber the great piston to the east
was forced up and gracefully took up the
work allotted to 1t. Engineer Mcfarland
smiled compiacently and Foreman Fitzser-
aid thanked God in his rich Irish brogue
q h0 r0vat o~f0 80 n