Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-03
NOW FOR CLEAR WATER.
The Council Concurs In the Hicks
Propositions.

The Hicks proposition, calling upon the
Water and Finance Committees to devise
a scheme within three months for the
installation of plant that Will give the
city clear water which was adopted at
the last meeting of the Board of Alder
men, was concurred in by the Councils
Along with the Hichs resolution, the
proposition from Mr.. John c. Robinson
to supply the city with water from SWifS
Creek was referred for consideration.
The proposition. with contract to be
entered into by the promoter. was pre-
sented by Mr.. W. A. Crenshaw, and on
his motion was referred to the Commit
tees on Finance and Water for their Joint
consideration.
The petition is as follows:
To the City Council of the City of Rich
mond:
Gentlemen,-I herewith submit propo-
sition in the form of a, contract to fur
nish clear and wholesome water to your
city. I ask your full and fair considera-s
ton Of it. as business proposition.
The officials of your Water Department
recognize the pressing necessity for an
Improvement in the water used in this
city, and are now offering to you sug-
gestions for relief. Your body is giving
those suggestions earnest consideration.
| Only two methods have been suggested
to your body, one by your Water Depart
ment and the other is contained in the
proposition which I herewith submit.
| That by the Water Department was at
one time for the construction of a settling
| basin-to that has been added the sug-
sestion of a mocha nical filtration plant.
/! BY the settling basin alone satisfaction
| would not be obtained. as to turbidlty.
! or what is commonly called the color of
| the water; nor as to its purity. BY it the
| water would be merely improved in color,
and would be freed from the heavier de-
posits like those now at times contained
| in it. AS to the benefit Of a mechanical
| filtration plant, I claim that l shall be
| able to show that the results in those
! cities which have tried them have not
| been satisfa story when mea asured by their
influence upon the public health. TO car
| ry out these suggestions. the city is asked
| to appropriate S35O.0OO
| viii Spend S1,5OO,OOO.
| II is not pretended that by such works
| tbe CITY will be able to furnish water
| to Lee District. or such other high points.
nor to give satisfactory pressure IN other
/ nortions of the city. To accomplish tnls'
| the city will have to meet other ana ao-
! ditional expense. attended. OF course, Win
! additional annual expense for operduoil
| and repairs On the other hand SUI
nit to you a comparison OF What Mo''iu
| he the benefits Of accepting the one. !
| herewith make Let me, before calil1le
vow attention to the details of my offer,
| state that the works which Propose
| will, in their original outlay cost ABOUT
81 800 900. AS the city is not in hnanclai
! condition to understake such WORK - iie' :
self, | present to you the simple oues-
ton whether it Is not desirable lot Sot'
| in the interest of the city to contract VIII
some one TO construct the proposed Wo,hs
at his own risk: provided. hrst. that liie
city shall be at no expense if the result
he not satisfactory: and, secondly. that
| tl,, terms be such as that ultimately the
| city shall acquire the, property upon
terms fair and reasonable.
Practical Propositions.
OF course. one of the prime questions Is
whether Swift Creek will furnish a suffl-
cient: or in other words. whether 1he
plan proposed is a feasible one In tne
first place it is not probable that those
i with whom ! will be associa ted Will rlsh
a million and half dollars without some
positive assurance that the water supply
| can be obtained 1t will not be denleo
/ that this is a purely scientific question
It can only be determined by experts max
ing the usual and necessary computations
and calculations from the area of the
! tributary water shed. the rain fall there
4 on for period of years and a study o.
| the conditions as to evaporation. state
10 you that such calculations and compu-
tations have already been made as to the
4 supply of Swift creek by two hydraulic
engineers of high standing: One was made
4 by Mr. Reuben Shirrefs. of this city. q
his ability need scarcely speak. as it Is
too well known in this city. where the
large works of the Virginia Electrical
Railway and Development Company We're
| constructed as planned by him. 1t Is alst
4 a fact that he was for over three years
i with the Metropolitan Water Board q
the State of Massachusetts as principa
Office assistant in charge of designs In stll'
construction of the very largt, systems @
water supply for Boston and surrounding
cities and towns: the principal featur'
If which work is an enormous artihcia
8 storage basin to develop water shed 5bu
Il little larger than that Of Swift creek
The other examination was made b!
4 Mr.. rudolph Herring, OF New.s York city.