Evening journal., 1903-07-16
BOARD WILL SAVE
CASH, SAYS JONES
Defends Action OF Water
Commissioners in Award
ing Contract
CLAIMS CITY WITL Be IN $4,000


None But Davis Company Would
Agree to Give a Bond for Sufficient
Amount Guaranteeing Every Claim
Made by Them.
The old board OF Water Commits
sioners has been severely criticised
lately because OF the contract entered
into between the board and the United
States sand Filtration Company for
plans and specifications for the pro-
posed new water plant. There are
many who are Of the opinion that the
price demanded by the filtration COM
pany is eXorbitant and for that rea-
son object to paying the sum asked
In defense OF the old board, Water
Commissioner Jones, this morning
made the following statement to re-
porter OF the Evening journal.
Consulted Other Engineers.
Long before / became a member OF
the Board OF Water Commissioners. The
department had decided upon the ne
cessity and general plan OF enlarging
the system and water capacity for our
city. Since l have been a member of
the board, the question OF whether or
not new Storage reservoir for NJ
tered water was not a question really
before us. II having. as before stated,
been settled ana found necessary by
my predecessors The only matter,
therefore. TO be determined was what
kind of a system to adopt All OF the
members of the board. including the
president, Mr.. Alfred Belts. spent near
ly year In going 60 different cities.
bringing before them a number OF the
highest reputed engineers. in order to
get the most approved and modern
ideas and plans for the construction Of
reservoirs and the publication of
, water. The three commissioners Mr..
Belts, DR.. Pyle. and myself together
with Engineer Lessen and Chief Bond.
made a visit TO indianapolis, where a
careful examination was made Of the
plan, In course OF construction in that
gty.
An Excellent Plant.
The indianapolis Water Works Is a
private corporation, not owned or con-
trolled by the city, as is The case here ;
and the new reservoirs and filtration
system We're adopted there after sew
tion into all Of the known systems.
Being private corporation. and oper-
ating for profit to the owners of the
company it can be understood how the
directors and stockholders were especi-
ally careful to adopt there an excellent.
durable and economical plant for the
improvements and enargements con-
templated.
Cost Of Filter Bed Company.
II was the unanimous opinion OF the
three commissioners, Engineer Ieisen and
Chief Bond that the showing OF the In
dianapolls plant was by all means the
best that had been submitted TO us. or
about which we knew anything. It was
because OF this that the board adopted
what Is known as the slow sand filtration
system. In connection with that however,
we found at Philadelphia and elsewhere,
that one OF the great and necessary ox-
penses Is the cost of covering the flter-
beds. which cost was fixed by the different
engineers 10 be not less than SIG 200, 900
J each, or for five beds. (being the number
that will be necessary here) would mean
p a total cost OF that one item alone Of $50,
OO0
1t was the intention then and expecta-
tion that the new plant would not exceed
a cost Of 100000 to S5O0.0O0 and when the
plan in project was adopted last March
Il was hoped that the cost might be
brought within 100000.
Saving Of $4,000.
As the cost of covering the filter beds
would be $4,000. when the United States
Sand Filtration Company offered to sell
} 10 the Water Department it's patent doing
away with the necessity Of covering the
hlter-beds. on a basis Of ten per cent.
of the total cost OF the new plant esti.
mated then 10 be say 100000 and Of
which ten per cent. would amount to only
b $1,000. we considered then. and do now,
that by our making that arrangement We
] made a clear and net saving to the city
Of at least $4,000. on this point the board
/ was unanimous.
In addition to the patent doing away
with the necessity OF covering the filter
! beds, we obtained four other patents con,
cedcd to be OF great value. and which
b VIII make large saving to the city I'm an,
' operation Of the filtration plant.
% The United States Sand Filtration Com
plny IS the only company, and Mr.. Davis
the only engineer before us who would
; agree to give to the department bond
; for a sufficient amount guaranteeing
: every claim and undertaking made by
him.
, There is a misimpression about the com
pensaton 10 be paid to Engineer Davi.
and the United States Sand FILTRATION
Company. The five per cent. commits
sion for drawing the plans and specifca
tions and supervising the construction
of the plant under the plans and specih
cations, Is a very reasonable amount, an,
e less than is charged by a number o
other engineers.
Is Statements Exaggerated.
IS The statements in the newspapers tina
y the compensation for patents will run ul
l. to SS0,0O0 Is based upon an exaggeratioi
Of the proposed cos+ Of the new plant
ID The amount Of $4,000 is based upon
ID cost Of $4,000. which is about double IN