The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-03-13
CITY COUNCIL.
Municipal Engineer Makes Report
on the Pollman Franchise.


At the meeting of the City Coun-
Gil last Friday evening City Engineer
Luck placed the following commu-
nication before that body:
To the Honorable, The Mayor and City
Council of Weiser, Idaho.
Gentlemen:-Permit me to call your
attention to several serious defects in the
Pollman franchise rs viewed from the
engineering standpoint.
Sec. 2 of said franchise permits Mr.
Pollman to lay pipes of any size and
kind and to erect poles OF any re and
height in all streets. alleys, and public
places in Weiser. The city has nothing
TO say in the matter except which side
of the street they shall be on.
Sec. 1 does not say how far below the
official grade of the streets the pipes shall
be laid. If he lays them too near The
surface and they freeze solid some severe
winter and if disastrous fire occurs
when the water system is thus impeded,
he is not liable; for it would certainly
not be the result OF any 'willful failure
TO supply water according to the fran.
chise.
Sec. fails to specify what kind of an
electric system shall be installed
Sec. II fails to state where the head OF
l25 feet of water shall be. 1t simply
says that the water shall have "a head
OF at least 1875 feet, vertically, If that
means, as it may, that the difference be-
tween the level of the water in the reser-
voir and that in the pipe at the
corner Of Second and Commercial
streets shall be at least l25 feet, then it
provides that the effective head at that
poinl shall be at least As feet; for If the
water is conducted through six or an
eight inch pipe it would lose about rs or
so feet head through friction resistance
That leaves pressure of but 20 lbs. TO
the so. in. 1t requires a pressure of 60
lbs TO the so. in 10 throw Il stream of
water 70 feet high through smooth bore
nozzle a inches in diameter if 200 feet
Of 212 inch hose be used. For perfect
fire protection the water system ought to
be able to throw four such streams at a
time for ut least three consecutive hours
am informed on credible authority
that the fire insurance companies will
not reduce rates on account of any sys-
lem that will not do this
The above calculation is based on the
assumption that the reservoir is to be To-
Gated on the hills justnorth east of town
Sec. ii, however, fails to say where
the reservoir Shall be or how it shall be
constructed: 1t does not specify the sizes,
kind and length of mains to be used nor
what pressure they shall stand; 1t does
not specify whether the system shall be
circulating or have dead ends; it does
not specify the size of the boilers. en-
glnes, dynamo pumps, hydrants and are
lights; and it does not provide for the in
crease of the plant to keep pace with the
growth of the city.
In view of the serious and, to my mind,
fatal defects in this franchise. would
advise and urge that the necessary Steps
be taken TO rid the city of this very OBJ
jectionable and one-sided obligation.
Respectfully submitted
CHAs. w Luck.
City Engineer.
A communication from William
Pollman of Baker City requesting an
amendment Of the water and light
franchise granted him, also the pro-
posed amendment were read. The
amendment was refused by the unan-
imous vote of the council and the
clerk instructed to notify Mr., Poll
man of the action of the council
The street committee reported that
the point of land extending intc
Second street near Bruce street could
be bought from the present owners
for the sum os $25 if the city would
move the fence
The clerk was authorized to draw
warrant in favor of the owners up.
on presentation of deed to the
proper parties.
The time in which to build side
walks ordered was extended thirty
days.
Clerk was instructed to request the
o. 5. l.. Co. to build a cross walk
eight feet wide from the postoffice to
the station.
The following bills we're allowed
and ordered paid:
Brewster Il Candee, publishing
proclamation, IS 90.
b. L. Sleeves, rent, SIS. 90.
Stewart H. Travis, fees, S14.0O.
Ordinance No. Sc providing for
the construction of a bicycle path
from the bell tower to the court
house was passed under suspension
of the rules, and the city engineer
instructed to make estimate of cost
of same.
A. Q. Mitchell appeared before
the council and requested that a fine
OF five dollars paid by him for driv-
ing cattle across a sidewalk, be re-
funded. Fine ordered refunded.