Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-07
WATER PLANTS
Rock Island Councilmen Get
Valuable Pointers in an
Afternoon Trip
TO DAVENPORT AND MOLINE
Likely an 10000 DO Gallon Pump
Will be Installed
Here.

: council learned something they never
. lspection trip yesterday afternoon,
) and are doubtless posted sufficiently
so that they can act more intelligently
in reference to the changes contem-
plated at the local pumping station.
In the party, which was transported
in special car furnished by the Tri-
City. Railway company, were Mayor
McConochic. all the aldermen, City
Clerk II. {. Schaffer and p. T. Ban
croft, superintendent of water works.
The Davenport and Moline stations
were visited. The one on the Iowa
side, as is known generally, is conduct
ed as private enterprise, and is
owned by Col. James p. Donahue. 1t
j. the largest and best equipped of
those in the tri-cities. and with the
reservoir. which is situated on the hill
in the north part of the city. can mus
ter daily capacity of 27,OOO,OO0 gal
Ions. The water is brought into Il well
| from il 3O-inch intake pipe that extends
to the Iowa side of the channel by
a centrifugal pump of 100000 capa-|
city. There are two of the pumps,
and both can be operated in the event
of an emergency. The capacity of
either pump can be doubled. One of
I he pumps connects with the intake
and with the river direct. so that no
matter what happens, unless the es-
tabIishment should blow up. If is pre-
pared to meet the emergency. The
water passes from the well into
the sedimentation basin. which is
of 5.OOOOOO holding capacity and
which i situated directly north of
the pumping station, thence into a |
fOrebay. where il il submitted to the |
alum treatment. Il grain being used to |
each gallon, and then ii is pumped |
into the 10 mechanical filter basins |
and into the city mains, the surplus
from the latter passing on up the hill
into the reservoirs. The latter have |
Il capacity of 100000.
Abundant Reserve Capacity.
The pumping plant supplies the low
er portion of the city a far north as
Sixth street. and from theat point on
the water is furnished from the reser-
voirs. There are three pumps al the |
Y
of II,OOO.ON1. Nj the river station
there are two 100000 and one g.
600, 900 pumps. all Of the Holly make. |
If necessary all pumps can he operat |
ed at the one time. The pumps at he
waterworks are operated by four IS
horsepower Corliss compound en-
gines. The plant is equipped with four
25O-horsepower boilers. two of which
are equipped with automatic stokers.
The others are not of modern make
and are used only in case of an emer
gency. The water furnished to the
people of Davenport i pure and clear
a. crystal the year round. They have
a plant. as one of the aldermen eX-
pressed it, that they have reason to
be proud of.
Sand Filters at Moline.
Moline i at present installing Il new
tiltering system. Nothing better than
raw water has ever been furnished
there. The filter plant has been
built adjoining the pumping station
on the east. the whole improvement,
including new 100000 capacity
Holly-Gaskill pump, two sedimenta-
ton basins and storage basin. to
The old pump is the Washington type
and * of 100000 capacity. Moline i
to use sulphate of iron as coagu-
lent. The water is first pumped into
wells in the basement, next through
the filters. out into the storage basin
which will hold 100000 gallons. and
then through the city mains. Moline
i putting in the sand filter. There are
five of the filters. each holding 100000
gallons. but only four are to he com
plcted now. The other will be finished
later on and held in reserve. The fill
tiers are cleaned mechanically, the
operation taking only ii short time.
Water and air are employed in the
process. the dregS rising from the
sand through agitation and floating
into troughs mt the sides of the filters.
The new plant viii probably be start
ed inside Il month.
New Pump Needed Here.
The aldermen wound up the trip
with an inspection of their own water
works. where the need was shown for
new pump To replace the old Holly
quadrupleN that has been doing SER
vice since 1852. When il was at its
best its capacity WAS only S.o00.OOO.
but now. il i claimed. ii cannot pump
more than 100000 gallons in a day.
II repaired. and this would require an
expenditure of not less than $1,000.
IL would do little more, and besides
this would be temporary only, as il l.
claimed the pump j. worn by usage
10 the point where it i ready for the
scrap pile. The danger i realized in
IL. l.