New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-01
WATER PLANTS INSPECTED.
COMMISSIONER DOUGHERTY AND HIS
AIDS ON A TOUR OF INVESTIGATION-

J. Ham2den Dougherty, Commissioner Of Water
Supply Gas and Electricity, in company with W
A De Long. Deputy Commissioner; Robert van
Iderstine Deputy Commissioner FOR BROOKLYN
I NJ De Varona, chief engineer for Brooklyn;
Robert Van Buren, engineer Of water supply lot
Brooklyn; G. A RoUIli5r, Deputy Commissioner
for the Borough of Queens; H A Ruge cor11lis-
soner's engineer, ard Edward ; Brownson IT.
secretary 10 the Department of Water Supply
spent yesterday in an inspection OF the fltertng
plants at Bafsev's Pond Jamaica, Long Island.
and Springfield. Long Island, and made also an
examination in detail OF the local sources or
supply The Commissioner and his ueutenants are
so occupied with the volume of office work that
they are glad to spend holidays in making them
selves more familiar with the actual conditions on
the ground The party left Jamaica at $50 o'clock
yesterday morning, and made an eight hour tour
TO the various points.
AT Jamaica, the pond east OF the railroad, with
It's outlet Baiseys Pond, first carefully
looked This supply has been called INTO
requsition after several years of disuse, owing 10
the present urgent municipal need OF more water
The officials in local control have begun 10 police
il once more TO restrain adjacent sources of pol
luton and open the outlet freely 10 Baisleys Pond
about a mile southwest South Of this pond, which
contains thrty-tive acres the water is conducted
10 filtration plant. where il is purified by
patented process. which subjects the water 10
sedimentation. oxidation and passage through
graded sand before dschargiug it into the conduit
Joining the Brooklyn aqueduct. A driven Wei
piaut. comprising twenty WelIS OF a CepLN OF Lp'
feet and number 20 feet supplies an additional
volume OF water which does not demand filtration
After a careful inspection of the condition OF
Baisey's pumping station. the pond and its feeders
the party drove 70 Springfield where similar
plant IS installed In addition 70 the driven wells
and a large soil we'll the supply here comes from
series of ponds. including those grouped under the
name Springfield. and Nostrand's- The twin ponds
at Fosters Meadows. and their supply were also
visited
The hltering plants AZ BaisIeys and Springfield
are designed an adaptation Of the English and
German systems The water is first let into TWO
standardization tanks OF $500 gallons volume
saturated solution OF alum being mixed into IL 10
the extent elght-tenths Of grain 70 the gallon
as II enters The alum acts as a cogulun and AIDS
The water thus partially cleared and drawn OF AZ
top, is then fed simultaneously mo LI,s 80
filtration tanks-ten N NUMBER At bdSleS anu
tanks and oNldation oy me ~ ar ~ = IN sal
broken coluInnar dlscn1rse- me t-r Ak RE
surface water falls through a wooden sIot 20
chamber beneath tais e % oad ana IS emitted
through one hundred yalyes in ne actual 2o.Josl
lion and allows the alter and 20 De washed easily
lsrsirg the pumps By so doing the bulk OF water
IS arrested in the inner ,anAs ~Et!e .s.r -
yalves n me po s MINUTES and water for eight
ar Is ~ caste IS allowed b., the contracts
this washing, whica IS done reg4-@Fis ti =
such az present that only per cent waste is made
rhe total daily discharge OF filtered water al
PaisIev's IS 5GG1.d00 gallons and Springneld sou
f06 Al the latter plant the alkalinlty OF the water
Is such that soda ash Is introduced o2e-tourth o
grain the gallon 70 secure better oacteriolos'
/ cal results.
,1re in spite OF any contamination 70 which II may
have been exposed during its passage TO the pump
station Though still experimental stage,
the tests now going on :or two weeks Al time
srfccassiyelv al BaisleyS and Springfield are said
~ he Welding satisfactory results Balsleys sta
lion has been observed for fortnight and the
-frsr test az Sprlnsied ends to-day. Each station
viii be subjected 10 more tests Of a fortnight
each. 49,
kee III. and Plnghamton. y Y. differs from the
/ ErsIfsh altering process chiefly in its greater
rapidity II II proves thorough success II will 9e
{ = marked advance regards riDe-al important
farr0r But il is the sentiment OF the Water Supply
Tensrrruert that the advantages OF the process DO
yo+ ohvare The necessity OF the most rigorous care
ana patrol of the water sources Any unnecessary
amount Of impurities IN The water reaching tne
DELAYS the action of cleaning and diminishes IT'S
. efficiency