The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-09-11
Plan &c Supply agency aid Bunker
mis- MIN Ud:ti.
Mr.. White Of South Bend, Indiana,
Makes an Estimate.
Cost Would Be $4,000 for Plant and
$1,000 All Told.
Cost of Operating The Plant Would
Be Very Little.
From Tuesdays Daily.

j. L. White of South Bend. Ind, was
in the city today on his way to Lake
Crystal, where he expects to close a con-
tract for furnishing the village with
compressed air pumping system for the
waterworks. He represents the National
Construction company of South Bend,
which he says has furnished compressed
air systems for forty towns and villages
in Iowa and seven in Minnesota.
At the request of Aid. Coy, Mr.. White
met the board of public works this fore
noon and explained how his system
works, and how it could be used to sup
ply water to the residents of Agency
and Bunker hill. He recommended that
separate system be used to supply the
two hills together or that each hill have
separate system.
If Mr.. Whites first and most feasible
recommendation was followed, the sta
ton would be located on either Bunker
or Agency hill and the water would be
taken from the present water mains
through an extension up the hill as far
as the water would rise. A building
would be erected there and a plant in
stalled. The plant would consist of q
twenty horse power gasoline engine, an
air compressor, and a triplex pump of
100000 gallons capacity. This plant
with the accessories would cost S2,S0e
and would be guaranteed for one year.
The price would include putting in place
but would not include building, which
could be either of brick or frame struc-
ture. one story brick building with
iron roof and Genet floor, 20 by 40 feet
would cost perhaps $500.
The plant includes tank EIGHT feet
IN diameter and thirty six feet long. This
contains the compressed air and the
water. The tank is filed and the COM
pressed air will force the water ont
through the mains with pressure of
slxty-five pounds to begin with and
gradually decreasing as the water ooes
out. To supply the population ON the
two hills, the engine could be operated
one hour a week, and the water stored in
the compressed air tank would then
last through the week. As the water
would not come IN contact with the air
It would remain as pure and fresh as
when first pumped out of the earth, but
IN summer might become a triae warm
'r than that which comes out of the
mains at present.
Mr.. White thought that the expense
# operating the plant would not exceed
100 year, but he has probably got that
lgure too low. He said that a resident
m the hill should be appointed to take
are OF the engine, as for instance the
nan who takes care of Highland park.
me expense of the engineer need not
xceed So month. He should be near
he station, for whenever fire pressure
7as desired, he would have to start the
nglne up, making direct pressure on
ne mains. A pressure gauge should be
laced on the operators house, so that
e could at all times know what the air
ressure was, and if desired it could be
,pplenished whenever it fell to thirty
r forty pounds.
Mr.. White said that a 100000 gallon
liant would be big enough for many
ears to come, but as the cost of q plant
18th double capacity would be but $500
lore, he favored the 100000 gallon size.
he compression tank should be big
nough for the future
Mr.. White made one suggestion that is
orthy of consideration. He said that
he owned the property on either of the
n improvement association which should
ay part of the cost of water system,
the city did not feel able to pay the
hole amount. A good water system and
Their improvements would cause that
sction to grow rapidly and lots that are
ow worth only 500 would then be
orth $500, and the subscribers would
lore than get their money back.
The plant which Mr.. White proposes to
ut in does not include any water mains,
hich the city would have to put in.
is estimated that the mains and hy-
rants needed to supply portion of the
vo hills would cost $500. And to this
ne cost of the compressed air plant,
2 800, and the cost of the building, $500,
nd the total cost would be $1,000. If
lere was any demand for the water the
ains would soon have to be extended,
ut outside of this the cost is more than
kelly to exceed $1,000, as there are al
avs number of things to be done, not
,unted on. For instance, main would
ave to run from the Silver ravine road
, the top of Bunker hill, and it would
ave to cross private property, This
light be an expensive job. i would
e safer to say that the whole cost,
lady to operate, would be $4,000.
The mains that crossed Glenweod ra-
inc could not be tappel in the ravine,
5 the pressure would be too great for
eople would have to be supplied from
he present system, by running a pipe
ne up the ravine.
MIR. White said that he was the first
} put in the compressed air system.
e is now working on a plant to have
lese plants operated automatically, so
nat the services of an engineer can be
ntirely dispensed with. He said that
e expects to have this perfected within
year, as he is now on the right line. If
Ich an improvement is to be made SO
BON, it might be well for the city to
ait another year and taken advantage
the latest invention and thus be in
position to save operating expenses.