Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-07
WATER BOARDS APPRAISER
John W. Alvord Of Chicago Chosen at
Chairman BOyd's Suggestion.
MAN or MUCH EXPERIENCE IN THE WORK
Engineer in Charge of Many Inn
portsnt PubIic Undertakings and
Arbitrator or Appraiser in
other Municipal Purchases.

John w. Alvord Of Chicago, consulting en-
Rineer for sanitary and hydraulic works.
was chosen by the water board yesterday
afternoon as the appraiser for the city on
the board of three to determine the value
Of the water works plant. His name VIII
be presented to the mayor and council TOT
confirmation next week. II confirmed, the
Omaha Water company must name It's man
within thirty days, which 1t VIII no
doubt do.
Mr.. Alyord is the personal selection Of
Chairman James f. Boyd, who was dele
gated to find a competent appraiser. The
candidates name was accepted unanimously
at the regular meeting by the members
present. Messrs. Boyd, Congdon, Coad and
Barlow. TIE preparation and adoption of
the formal resolution required but a few
minutes as the board had previously de-
cided upon the appointment. Mr.. Alvord
has agreed TO accept the position and the
terms have been fixed.
Career OF the Candidate.
John W. Alvord's biography is given as
follows: Born in Boston in 1851, he was
educated in Washington and for one year
was a law student in New York. from there
going TO Colorado, where he put In two
years at practical railroad work. From 1880
to 1881 he was assistant to the chief engt-
neer on lake inlet tunnel and pumping at
the Hyde Park station in Chicago. Later
he engaged in surveying in Chicago. In
1884 he was appointed city engineer OF Lake
View, now a part Of Chicago, and remod-
eled and extended the Lake View water
works system to four-fold its original ca
pacity. He planned and superintendent
many miles Of street paving, lake shore pro-
lection, lake shore boulevards, and organ
lied all the methods, records and work
that go to make a city and to care Tor the
expenditure of about SO ,50O,OO worth OF Inn
movements made during his term Of office.
When Lake View was annexed to Chicago
in 1888 Mr.. Alvord went to Europe and
spent nearly a year there examining public
works and collecting data on water supply,
sewerage and sewage publication. In 1883
he was appointed chief engineer at Cicero,
a town west and adjacent TO Chicago, where
he designed a system of $50 miles of storm
water sewers and about six miles OF street
improvements. During this period be was
consulted as to water works problems by
the cities Of Muskegon. Mich; Duluth,
Mimi: Hurley, Wis. Ironwood, Mich, and
Terre Haute, Ind.
Chief Engineer of worlds Fair.
Mr.. Alvord was appointed chief Of the en-
cheering department Of the Worlds Colum-
bian exposition at Chicago in 1890, having
charge Of the dredging, grading and filling OF
the grounds and the construction OF roads,
surveys and grades. He was also at this time
chief engineer for a company which con-
s~tructed a pipe line of nearly 100 miles
from Wisconsin to Chicago. supplying the
fair with spring water cooled by refrigerat-
ing machinery and circulated on the
grounds by insulated pipes to numerous
drinking stands all at a cost Of $4,000.
From 1897 to 1901 he was the consulting
engineer of the Illinois and Michigan canal
conductindg successful litigation with the
sanitary district of Chicago. In 1899 he wal
engaged by the city OF Columbus as con
suiting engineer and designed for II a sys-
tenn Of seventy-hve miles OF sanitary sew
ers including a pumping station Of 10000,
900 gallons capacity. He was also employed
by the United States government as ex-
pert in a water works condemnation case al
Sterling. ILL.,. and by Chicago in construct
ing an interception system of sewers.
Experience as an Appraiser.
In 1899, Mr.. Alvord was concerned in an
praisment work similar to what he will do
for the city OF Omaha. in Dubuque, Ia, only
on this occasion he represented the water
company. He has also served as arbitrator
in waterworks appraisal at Shebovsan
Wis. Lake Forest. ILL.,, and Marysville. O
In all he has been connected with more
than twenty-five water works serving 75o
900 people and valued at $500. 900.