Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-12-23

| is uSeQ, Ine surplus goes lntO the clear
water basin, and at such times as the
| pumps take more water than the fill.
tiers produce, the surplus goes into the
\ clear water basin, SO that there always
| exists in the city surplus of filtered
! water which will be contained in the
clear water basin and the reservoir at
| the corner Of Court and Albany
streets.
The old franchise made no provis-
ions in regard to the growth of the
town. The proposed franchise pro-.
vides that as the town increases in
population and the demand for water
increases, the pumping capacity, the
filtration capacity and the clear water
basin capacity shall be increased
Herewith. The franchise contemplates
that the town will grow, because it
provides that while the annual rate
of hydrant rental is fixed for the first
| ten years after that time it shall be
diminished; and the reason for that is
| that as the town grows and eonsum.
ers connect with the mains of the
company, the company con afford to
charge less for hydrant rental
So far as purchase of the works is
concerned, we know of no other way,
in case we cannot agree, than to leave
| the matter to arbitrators.
The company trusts that every cit
| izen who is interested in the prosper
ity and growth of Ottumwa and in
property in the city, will investigate
the proposed franchise and the propo-
sition to build works for the city it.
self, we believe that they will come
to the conclusion that it is better for
the city and better for the taxpayer
that the franchise be given to the com
pany than that the city should attempt
an untried field of experiment There
is not a city in the land that has not
spent thousands and thousands of
dollars which might have been saved
to the public, in all manners of ex--
periments in regard to water supply.
All these experiments this city is re-
lieved from.
Sincerely yours, ETC.,
w. A. Underwood, President.
The proposition of the company be-
gins with a lengthy and detailed state
ment of the pipe lines and hydrants
which the company proposes to add,
and which are mentioned briefly in
the foregoing letter. In addition to
this are several proposed changes
and improYs DEMENT'S at the pumping sta
ton and 61 the system itself as fol-
lows:
In addition to the foregoing it is
proposed to establish an entirely indie
pendent high service system, so that
the outlet for the main system from
the pumping station will consist of one
"a inch and one 16 inch main 1t is
proposed to valve off all the higher
portions of the city, being practically
everything above Second street, as
shown on the pipe map, heretofore
mentioned and herewith submitted; to
establish somewhere in the neighbor-
hood of the reservoir an Independent
pumping station, to be operated by
electricity. A dynamo will be set in
the pumping station and the city will
be asked in the franchise to grant the
right to maintain poles, wires and fix
lures along the proper streets to con-
meet with the new pumping station, so
| as to operate the electric pump. The
water for the electric pump will be
taken from the reservoir and given
sufficient force So that there will be
no building within the high service
| where at least SIS or 60 pounds pres.
sure cannot be had, with the hydrants
and hose properly handled.
Reservoir.
A new reservoir wall will
be built on the west line
| of Court street from and
connecting with the wall built on the
south side of Albany street in 1897,
and extending thence to the southeast
corner of the present wall on the west
line of Court street, and back west
from said west line about IL feet on
the present south wall
4 Filtration Plant.
The present filtration plant contains
six filter tanks. There is room in the
4 building to set two additional filters.
AS a part of this proposition the com
pany proposes to set these two addi-
tional filter tanks, of the same size as
4 the present ones, and in addition there
to to erect a series of sedimentation
basins. There will be eight double ba.
sins, which double basins will be 80
feet long from center to center, with
a partition 16 feet wide in the clear.
Clear Water Basin.
On the opposite side of the canal or
head-race from the pumping station
and where at present there exists a
basin for the storage of water, basin
will be constructed to receive the sur
plus amount of water filtered during
hours of the day when the filters each
hour turn out more water than is
pumped and delivered into the city,
and which basin in turn will furnish
a supply of water during hours of the
day when the pumps are delivering
more water than the filters furnish.
This is more particularly useful at
times of very high water, when the
water contains a good deal of sedi-
ment and more or less of the tanks
must be cleaned every day.
Pumping Station.
The walls Of the present pumping
station will, in the main, be. taken
down and new foundations put in.
4 Wherever any new floors are requir-
ed, or other machinery and items of
that character the same will be done,
so as to make the building not only
commodious but attractive in appear
ance.
i PUMPING capacity.