Evening journal., 1902-11-21
New Basin VIII Have Capacity of
100000, 900 GaHOns-ROOm
for Another Tank
II Has Been Decided to
CaHNew Receptacle Por-
ter ReservOir-TO be 2zO.
Feet Above Tide Water
Higher Than the SKY
scraping Equitable Guar
antee and Trust Build
ing on Market Street

Probably few people realize what an
immense undertaking the erecting OF
the proposed reservoir on the Weldln
farm, along the Concord pike, is, or
what II will mean for the city OF
Wilmington. When completed VIII
mington will have one of, IL not the
best, water plants I'M the United States.
Although 1t has been more than a
year ago since the property was pur-
chased from the Wcldin estate. no
progress whatever has been made to-
wards erecting the new plant because
OF the action OF City Council In taking
the matter into the courts TO decide
whether or not the department had a
right TO buy land. Now that the mat
ter has BEEN definitely settled. plans for
the new plant will be made.
President Belts Talks
President Belts. OF the Board of
Water Commissioners, stated to a Qe-
porter for the Evening Journal that
the board was now looking for a COM
petent engineer to take charge of the
work. Several prominent engineers
have been before the board, but, asyet NO
D selection has been made. Even after
an engineer has been decided on, there
will stiM be much work before active
work can be started. IL is not likely
q that ground will be broken before next
y Spring.
{, The Wadln farm consists Of eighty
/, eight acres, and is about one and one
- half miles from the city pumping sta.
= ton. Mr.. Belts stated yesterday that,
ri while no definite plans had been map
ped out, a numhr of suggestions had
/, been made by himself, and other mem
y bers OF the board. He said that in all
~ probability a reservoir with a capacity
OF 100,OOO,OO0 gallons would be bull
~ on that section of the farm the farthesi
from the city which has the highes
elevation. Next to this a vacant space
will be left, on which another reservoir
Of the same size could be built in year.
p 10 come. or when the growth OF It'd
u, city required.
~ At point on the side of the vacan
" space towards Wilmington it is pro
posed TO build a filter bed, which all o
- the water from the reservoir woul
y. have to pass through. MIR. Pyle was
ue the opinion, however, that nothin
would be done towards building a filte
bed for at least two years. as the sui
ject of filtration is a very importar
one, and something about which thel
is yet much to harn.
Elevation Is High
T The elevation at the point where I'll
reservoir will be built is about 270 fe'
above tide water. The water woul
have to be forced there through IL
city pumping station. and as the mi
m chinory used at the station at preset
Is not powerful enough for the pu
pose. new and larger machinery wi
have TO be installed. The water fro
the new reservoir would run by grayil
to almost all parts Of Wilmingto
am and could be forced easily to cyel
ne. section OF the city.
de- The elevation Of the proposed site
.os about seventy feet higher than the te
nth floor of tho Equitable Building whi'
vas is the highest structure in Wslmingto
The elevation at Ninth and Mark
ms streets is 102 feet, the Equitable Bull
lns ing is about 100 feet high, whi'
me would make only about 200 feet ell
ian walton compared with 270 feet at q
l9O reservoir.
The Cool Spring reservoir us lao te
II. above tide water. and furnishes wal
y to about thrne-quartelrs of the city. III
Rodney street basin is 24O feet abo
fconinued on second Page)