Evening journal., 1903-12-15

For two hours yesterday afternoon, the
Water Commission was kept busy trans
acting business. II was the longest ses-
sion held for sometime ana important
matters were brought up for discussion.
An interesting communication relative 10
the selection OF a site for a water plant
was received from William Bancroft, but
owing 10 the conditions which prevail at
present no action was taken. Mr.. Ban
croft was present. The communication.
however. was presented by MT. Lindsay
and read as follows:
Wilmington. Del, 12th mo-, 1st, 1903
To tho Members OF the Board OF Water
Commissioners. Wilmington, Delaware:
Dear Friends: There are several points
respecting matters which arc now before
you to which l wish TN this way to ask
your consideration.
First As to the offer of Joseph BAN
croft & Sons Company-'that they will ac-
cept az compensation, If you should take
water from their dam OF further up the
stream, . cents per million gallons taken
out. for each foot OF fail owned by them.
am sure they will be willing 10 consider
representations made by any persons who
shall have looked into the matter care
fully as to the reasonableness Of this Of
fer.
As Indicating that there would be a
great saving by taking the water further
up The creek than your present station,
I cal attention to the following state
ment Of the present cost to you Of pump
ing by steam.
Taking your last two annual reports 81
appears that the average cost Of Hitting
the water 10 Cool Spring reservoir, that
passed Through the Worthtnrton and Cor
liss pumps. was $50 per million gallons.
Countlng the lift as 40 feet this Is 4.1l
cents per million gallons lifted one foot.
/ believe Il IS not excessive to estimate
that the two pumps. with the boilers, etc,
fused with them, cost 100000. Assuming
that per cent. per annum Is proper al
lowance on such a plant, the cost for in
terest and depreciation per million gallons
lifted one foot is 3.2i cents.
Adding this TO the pumping expense as
stated above shows that the whole cosi
of lifting a million gallons a foot in the
steam pumps at the city mil Is about
7.S5 cents.
According TO a table IN Folwell's Water
Supply Engineering" the average ex.
lpendlture for iinting a million gallons one
foot in six or eight Of the larger cities OF
THE country. counting coal at 800 pei
ton, was a. cents. OF this amount abou
l2.4 cents was for coal. This statemen'
contains no allowance for Interest OF de
lpreclation.
do not wonder that you hesitate 4
bind the city In perpetuity 10 such
charge as We have suggested. 1t may b.
that In the course Of time the cost O
pumping by power. developed IN some wa.
from the consumption OF fuel. will b
much less than Ct is now; and with llii
thought ! believe q do not in saving Shl
linieai to bind our company. Tor 1 hav
not consulted other members of 1t full
on the point) we might safely agree tina
the price may be revised periodically; &
be fixed by arbitrators, IL IL cannot b
, done otherwise; h at no time to be create
lthan what we now suggest. but TO be one
half what II shall be costing the city a
that time TO lift a million gallons a foot
-f;.ie estimate to contain a proper allow
anco for interest on the cost OF and de