New-York tribune., 1903-08-30


winter. A couple Of years ago William T.
Morris bought the stock OF the company and
set about improving the water supply After
studying the conditions with the assistance OF
Professor Gardner S. Williams, OF the hydraulic
laboratory OF Cornell who prepared the plans,
II was decided that the erection Of dam In
the valley Of Six Mile Greek, about mile above
the city, would serve the object which 1t was
aesired TO secure. Six Mile Creek is stream
about twenty miles long Its banks are pre-
eipitous and in places 1t cuts through the hori-
Eontal strata OF shale which crop out IN this
section. The gorges are picturesque, their bare
sides rising perpendicularly at points to a
height Of one hundred feet They are separated
by basins. At last the stream enters the fats
west of the city. Owing 10 the precipitous
sides. the stream feels the effect of a storm
quickly, the color of the water changing within
The course OF an hour after shower has arisen.
For number of years the city's water has been
pumped directly from the stream in one of the
lower natural basins. Professor Williams's plan
was to erect q 90-foot dam in of the gorges
at the foot Of a natural basin about a mile
above the city. The rocky sides of the gorge
were counted upon for abutments, and it was
believed from the arch shape given the dam
that IL would be practically impossible for it to
give way. unique feature was to be the ap-
plication Of the arch principle TO its vertical
dimensions. well as the horizontal the foot
being buttressed against a shelf of rock in the
bottom. This would make the structure
semble. in some respects a huge snowplough.
the inside being concave. This was q new feat
ure. and several well known consulting en-
gineers were asked to visit the site and to de-
eide If the dam would be safe They all agreed
that ii would. and the company last year pro-
ceeded with the work of constructing the dam
1t was expected that the height of the dam
would give the gates sufficient depth for natu-
raj sedimentation. main to be run from
the dam down TO the pumping station.
The place selected for the dam was extremely
picturesque. Sequestered from the highway. the
shadows of the leaves would flicker up and down
the walls of the chasm. Below it are two or
three basins. with similar gorges at their foot.
Then the ravine opened onto the fat One of
the local newspapers began crusade against
the dam. Such a high dam. it was declared,
would be likely TO give way and deluge the city.
The Johnstown food would be repeated. Espe-
claIIy dangerous was the peculiar form OF the
foundation of the dam. What would prevent
the base OF the dam from being pushed out?
was asked.
story Of how the scribes tried to get an in
terview from one Of the employees of the water
company known Dynamite Dam is told.
The reporters had long tried to get an inter
view from him on the subject. One night he was
cornered on the street, and this question was
propounded:
Now, Dan, what would happened if the dam
should give way?' All stood with their pen
CHS READY TO JOt down his words. he heumed
and hawed bit, shifted from foot to the
other and back again. AT last he said:
You want to know what would happen?
Well, IL would float down stream and catch in
the next gorge" The interview was not pub
lished
The water company went ahead with the con-
structlon of the dam, notwithstanding the fact
that there a strong sentiment against its
erection Then came the typhoid epidemic, and
evidence was found that the germs had been
brought down the stream. 1t was generally be-
lieyed that the disease arose in camp occupied
by laborers on the dam, but evidence has been
found since which seems to indicate that 1t did
not originate there It was found that there
had been cases of typhoid fever further up the
stream. With the breaking out of the fever
the officers of Cornell University decided after
water experts had studied the situation. that
nltrauon plant would be the best solution OF
the problem of insuring pure water. AS Mr..
Morris did not feel that the company could af-
ford spend the additional sum required for
the plant. in addition to what being spent
for the DAM the university offered to lend the
company the money, taking bonds equal to the
amount. II was decided at this time that with
the construction Of filter the ninety-foot dam
would not be required, and it was only built to
a height Of thirty feet. The filtration plant is
already in operation. and it is expected that the
dam will be ready for use this week The for
mer cost about 100000 and the latter with
the accompanying pipe line and machinery, as
much more.
In the mean time the citizens OF the city
voted almost unanimously that the city ought
10 own its waterworks, and bill was presented
10 the Assembly authorizing the city TO take
over the water supply of the city. Then began
the conflict of opinion regarding the artesian
wells and the filtration plant. Mayor Miller
pushing the former, Cornell University and the
water company proceeding with the other.
While the water furnished by the water com
pany has been used for bathing and other pur-
poses, 1t has not been drunk over every faucet
placed a little sign, declaring it TO be dam
gerous drink the water from the taps. In
some cases the handles We're taken off from the
faucets TO prevent children from opening them
and drawing water to drink. The effect OF the
use OF the filter observed all over the city
the other day. the water was so much clearer
inhabitants when [ took my bath this morn
ing" remarked one, the water was as clear as
a whistle" A professor in the law department
of CATnell University remarked on w edneSoay,
I pit on my faucet handles to-day. / haven't
had them since February" Evidently ne was
not expecting trouble because Of violation or
the ordinance forbdding the use OF the water
under 8 penalty of a fine of 500. 1t propabIy
was a relief to him after prolonged diet OF
boiled water One may see III the store .x VII
dows advertisements OF water filters OF diner
ent designs, and on the menus OF the hotels II Is
distinctly stated at the bottom that arteslan
s well water is the water coolers are
The operation Of the filter which has been
put IN by the water company and when mas a
capacity OF 100000 gallons a day, is simple
when one has been told how il works. Inc
water passes from the pumping station up the
hill to the filter plant through ZV-lhcn pipe
While flowing through this pipe the water re-
ceiyes a solution Of sulphate Of alumina rms
is prepared in concrete tanks made for that
purpose. and is pumped by bronze centrifugal
tanks which regulate the amount applied Ihe
sulphate of alumina is thoroughly mixed Win
the incoming water by taking the combined
water and alum solution through fishway or
concrete where the sudden and rapid turns agi-
tate the water and insure perfect mixture. Ihe
water is then conducted to the coagulatlng
basin where IL is allowed to remain for about
four hours This permits the coagulant. or aIuTnr
10 be precipitated. The precipitate. extremely
rapidly gathers into flakes of larger size, which
surround entangle and combine with the I'M nm