The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-18

TOO MUCH. CHOKE
City Waterworks Management
Has a Problem.
Must Do Away With Obstruction
in Mains.
COST ABOUTs4,OOO
Then New Boilers Will Mean an
Equal Sum.
Expenditures That Must Be
Made Soon.
WILLCOSTABOUT$4,OOO

In the rebuilding OF the city water
works plant three expenditures of con-
siderable amount will have to be
met. These are the alienation of the
"choke" which exists in the mains at
Sixth avenue and West street, the ere
alton of an additional reserve of water
supply, and the increase in boiler
capacity.
The expense of the first named will
amount to upwards of $4,000; the sec
ond expense is scarcely to be gagged, |
as the plans which have been made |
are flexible; the last Will represent on
an estimate about $4,000.
The alienation of the Choke is, |
according to Supt. Shaw, an item of
the greatest Importance and the one |
which should demand the first atten- |
ton of the board of waterworks COM I
missioners and the members of the |
| city council.
The choke so-called, consists of |
the damming up of the water in its
passage from the large 14-inch main
which runs from the plant to the cor |
ner of Sixth avenue and West streets |
into the 6-inch main which connects
thereon and continues down Sixth I'M |
til Western avenue is reached. The |
water in being forced through a large |
14-inch main cannot of course rush
with freedom into pipe which has
less than one-half it's diameter, and |
this results in a piling back of the
water in the larger main and the |
prevalence of the choke" The allie |
Walton of this choke has been one of
the things which has confronted the !
waterworks management some time, |
and which has been realized as abso-I
lutely imperative in securing better !
pressure for fire purposes. The fault |
of this construction in the first in |
stance is to be laid to the removal of
the source OF supply from the power
plant at the foot of Harrison street |
to the one west of the city when the
system of mains was laid originally
with a view of always maintaining
the Harrison street plant as the prin-
! cipal station Accordingly the larger
mains radiate from Harrison street
outward, gradually becoming smaller
in diameter until they reach the out
skirts of the town. The 6-inch main
which is attached onto the large IA
inch main West street is a part
of the old system laid before the plant
west of the city was erected. When
the 14-inch main was constructed
from the new plant to the city it was
not only continued down Fifth street
but also was run a, block southwark
and the original Sixth avenue main
connected on , ,stgsI7 easFfrs ErsET-
Mr.. Shaw suggests that the 14-inch
4. main be extended southwark from
Sixth to Seventh street and from
there to. Western avenue where "a
14-inch main exists. This construc-
ton would relieve enough of the pres
sure which exists at present at Sixth
avenue and West street to do away
with the choke and lgive a free pres
sure which would adequately aid in
fighting any fire which might origi-
| laid and complete is about $3.50 per
foot and the extension from Sixth
avenue and West street down Seventh
street to Western avenue is about g.
900 feet, making a cost approximately
of about $4,000. The cost of 10
inch main would be CORRESPONDENCE
less, and the connection of such a
main to the 14-inch main would re-
Iieve the Choke sufficiently, says Mr..
Shaw, to give good pressure.
With theS presence of the .'choke"
hard as the pumps may work out at the
plants their complete efficiency is not
felt and is to all purposes handicapped.
The creation of additional water sup
ply by driving wells, or the construction
of open wells or settling tank is another
feature which confronts the attempt to
secure more adequate service. The driv
ing of wells is the cheapest and recon-
mends itself from that standpoint. But
it has this argument against it, says
Mr.. Shaw, and that is that there is no
way by which you can guarantee the
length of time that the wells will con-
/ tinue to supply water. Just when the
| reserve is peeded the worst they may
) fail by going dry. On this account Mr..
2 Shaw faVors an open well, filled by
pumped in water. Open wells have
given satisfaction through this part of
= the country and there is plenty of OPP
portunity for making the water pure
5 and healthful by aerating it. Probably
the best method is the adoption of
settling tank erected upon an elevation.
The cost of erecting such a tank with a
sufficient capacity to insure a good re-
i serve has been estimated at $500. 1t
has this recommendation, that in times
fnV- he
/ lifted by the pumps, simply running
down to the pumps through the force of
gravity. The only work. which the
e pumps then have to do is to force the
S water through the mains. This saves
: considerably upon the efficiency of the
!. pumps and their wear and tear.
s The addition of two boilers of the
J, horizontal type at an Appropriated cost
s of &c. 500 set up is also one of the needs
e of the plant. At the present time there
s are two boilers in use, a combination
S horizontal and vertical type purchased
|, in 1902 and refitted within the past year.
f These pumps are III good shape and
S efficient but are not designed to give as
: good service as the old familiar horizon
n tai type, which were abandoned in favor
= of the former. The combination of the
d horizontal and vertical, is a quick
e steamer but is not so economical to
n handle as the horizontal type which Sc
n cures the passage of the heat twice
s around its tubes where the former has
: but one before escaping. Another thing
!. which acts against the other type and
= in favor of the horizontal is the charac-
n ter of water through this part of the
= country, which carries with it in solu-
s ton considerab BILE lime. This cakes and be-
Y comes deposited upon the tubes which
# lie very close together in the horizontal.
vertical boiler. For this reason Super
intendent Shaw favors a return to the
old type.
+ Figuring that the life of the boilers
/ -e,r115 he
: of emergency better results can be OBJ.
! tanned as regards pressure the installa-
IS ton of an additional set of boilers ha.
: been agitated. The complete cost of in