The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-01-13


The pumping plant Of the Virginia Light &
Water Co. consists Of one duplex Prescott
pump with II inch steam cylinder, 7 inch wa t.
ereylinder and IL inch stroke, connected to
two castings of 6 and inch diameter driven
vertlcally below the pump to a depth of 4s
feet. and two duplex Voilard pumps of Il
inch steam cylinder. inch water cylinder
and IL inch stroke, one of which is connected
direct with the lake and the other with the
lake and the we'll.
The steam plant consists Of three return
tubular boilers of 80, IS and As h, p, capacity.
The following tests were made:
On Saturday evening, January 7th. after
giving notice to the Superintendent as re-
quired by the franchise, we caused to be op-
ened three hydrants, one at the Roosevelt
high School, one at the new City Hall, and
one at the Korby Hail. and attached 100 feet
of 2h inch rubber hose with inch nozzle to
each. The hydrant at the Roosevelt School.
and the one at the Korbv Hall raised streams
Of water go feet high as required by the fran
chise. but the one at the City Hall could not
raise the water over As feet. owing probabl Y
to defect in the hydrant or pipe near there.
At2 p. no. Sunday. January 9Th, we OPEN
ed hydrant at LantrY & Nelson s saloon, one
at the Finn Hall and one at E. E. Burlev's
residence. These three raised streams of
water about 10 feet high.
No member of the committee was at the
power house during these tests, but disinter-
ested citizens who were there state that the
pumps were 1t working to full capacity and
were probably capable of u higher duty
These tests demonstrate the ability of the
Virginia Light & Water Co. to furnish suff1-
cient pressure for fire protection, under fav-
orable conditions, but whether they can or
do maintain this pressure at all times is
something this committee is unable to pass
ON, and we would recommend that the city
employ mechanical engineer or an expert
pumpman to examine the pumps and boilers
and to see that they are in good repair and
not too old to be unreliable. The failure on
the night ofthe Wesberg and Hauta fire seems
to have been due to carelessness in not keep
ing the packing Of the pumps in order
In making the tests Sunday afternoon
our attention was called to the dirty appear
ance OF the water, the hydrant at Burley's
corner being the worst. Gravel, pebbles and
mud came out with the water and it was nec-
essary to let it run for nearly an hour before
it became clear. The water in the other two
uyuIduIS WaS dlSO IOuls ana We would recon-
mend that the entire system be flushed thor
oughly in this manner at least every 80 davs.
The committee believes that the admission
OF lake water into the mains is largely re-
sponsible for this condition and Manaxer
Kennedy. of the Virginia Light e. Water Co..
assures US that tearly next spring the company
will sink we'll into the water bearing gravel
deep enough to hold a reserve of pure 50 ring
water sufficient for fire protection, making it
unnecessary to admit lake water into the
system. 1t is highly important that thisbe
done, and il this we'll should fail to make
water fast enough to keep the pnmps going in
case of fire, we,would recommend the erec-
tion of tank or stand-pipe in the east end
Of the city, to which the water could be
pumped at times when domestic consump-
-tion is small. and be Immediately available
inFcase Of fire.
Respectfully submitted,
Z N. L. Fay,
l. - J.. D. LAMONT. -,
5r.~a JNO. COsTIN, Jr.
T zs@*' =. r. = COMMITTEES.