Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-07
Chicago Engineer Will Furnish
Plans For improvements
to Water Works
COST WILL BE AscERTAINED
Bids Will Be Advertised for as soor
as Plans Are Secured, and the City
With then Know Accurately What
the Expenditure Will Be-Mead's
Report Generally Discussed.

u.
lie engineer, who has presented to the
city council an outline of what he
works system should be, will furnish
the city with plans for the proposed
improvements, after which bids for
reservoir will be advertised for and the
city will then be in a position to deter
mine the cost, which Mr.. Mead has es-
timated at $4,000.
All of the wards We're fully represent
ed at the adjourned meeting of the city
council Thursday evening except the
Fifth, which had no member present.
Chairman Greene, of the water works
committee, in order to bring the matter
scented resolution calling for the water
works committee to employ an engineer
to draw plans and specifications for
the improvement land later to advertise
| for bids on the work. Considerable dis
cusson was brought out. along lines in
general, and the resolution was amend
| ed in few instances, particularly that
| Mr. Mead be the engineer employed.
The resolution, as amended, which
carried unanimously, is that the COM
mittee on water works be and is hereby
instructed to employ Daniel w. Mead
| to draw plans and specifications in ac-
cordance with report of said Mead, and
| is further instructed and authorized to
4 III 81 ty,.N r,t.lY
as soon as said plans and specifications
are approved by the water works COM
mtttee and accepted by the city coun-
ell.
The first point raised in connection
with the resolution. upon its presenta-
| ton, was by Mr.. Kreutzer, who did not
see the necessity of advertising for bids
when it was not known for sure wheth-
| err the Improvement would be made. Mr..
| Greene supported the resolution by
stating that the council could not get
at the cost in any other way than by
advertising and receiving bids He con-
sidered that Mr.. Mead had made an
estimate that would be about half OF
| what the real work would cost, and 1t
is to determine the exact cost that he
covered that point In his resolution.
Mr.. Mcbride did not think Mr.. Mead S
figures are much out of the way. he
talked at the Detroit convention with
a number of reservoir men and with
representatives of cities that have put
them in and the information he re-
ceived was to the effect that a 100000
gallon reservoir cost from $4,000 to $12,-
| 600. Mr.. Mcbride thought the condi-
| lions here were favorable to building
| it at less expense than at most places.
Mr.. Greene thinks that there will be
| anywhere from $4,000 to $4,000 differ
ply store water and one that will care
properly for aeration and sedimenta-
ton, such as Mr.. Mead proposes.
Mr.. Ingledue favored a reservoir at
any cost, and thought that plans and
specifications should be secured at once.
Mr.. Webster said that he considered
Mr.. Mead as good man as can be
found in the country for this line OF
work, and he thinks that from what
the people of the city know Of him and
his work, they will have the confidence
in his judgement. Mr.. Webster asked
for information on one point, as to why
the water could not be pumped direct
from the reservoir and do away with
the pump pit. Mr.. Mcbride explained
the situation from what he had learned
from MIR. Mead, that the water would
have to be drawn too great distance
If taken direct from the reservoir. In
cases of speeding up the pumps. for a
fire, lot of water would be taken up
at once, and vacuum left in the pipe.
This is liable to cause jam, when the
water comes together, and in1ure the
pumps. Mr.. Mead explained that the
better way was to have a short suction,
from a pump pit, and allow the water
to run by gravity into the pit from the
reservoir.
Mr. II. j. Benson, chairman Of the
water works committee when the wells
from which the present supply is OBJ
tanned were sunk, was at the meeting
and was called upon to speak. He said
that he had given the water question
some thought, and had read with in
terest Mr. Mead's report. He had met
Mr.. Mead about three years ago. at
| Rockford, ILL.,, when he had a very
difficult Job on his hands in connec-
ton with the Rockford water works
He considered him one who under
stood his business, but he was little
disappointed In his recommendation for
| the pump pit Mr. Benson thinks the
pump pit system is the cause of some
| of the trouble, and he would favor
putting in a large enough suction pipe
| to draw direct from the reservoir, thus
doing away with the pump pit entirely
While the pump pit may be tight at
| frst, he thinks that it may not always
be that way, and that some day repe-
| tition of the trouble of last spring
might occur.
| The red sediment in the water was
discussed by Mr. Benson to some eX-
tent. He considers it due not to iron
as does Mr.. Mead, but to the presence
of. a fungus growth in the wells. Whlie
| it does not give the water SO good an
appearance it is known to be harmless
Mr.. Greene then talked on THIS
point and disagreed with Mr.. Benson
as to the cause Of discoloration
He thinks the exposure to the at
| mosphere has considerable to do with
| the turbid condition of the water, and
| SAYS that In his opinion the color Is
| due to oxidation Of different harm
| less ingredients with the iron that may
! be In the water He cited his person
al experience in deep we'll of his
own, where the quality of the water
was found to be practically Identical
with the city water. 1t had the same
turbid appearance at times, especially
after exposure to the sun, ana that
Ian analysis showed the presence OF
laluSlinum, sulpher and magnesia, all