The San Francisco call., 1906-08-08
SALT WATER PLANT
FOR OAKLAND.
Elaborate System Con-
templated in Ordi-
nance Before Council.
PROJECT FAVORED

OAKLAND, Aug. THE installation
OF a pumping plant and a system Of
mains which viii cover the entire bust
ness district Of the city, the water
drawn from the estuary to be used not
only for fire protection but also for
street sprinkling, is contemplated in an
ordinance introduced by Councilman
Pendleton last night.
IL is the plan Of Councilman Pendle-
ton 10 install on city property at the
foot OF Webster street two powerful
pumps, which, when in operation, VIII
deliver water at the hydrant at a
pressure Of 125 pounds per square inch
inch.
The ordinance provides for a I2-inch
main on Webster street TO Second; a
I0-inch main on Second street, from
Webster TO Clay; three S-inch mains on
Webster street. Broadway and Clay
street TO Twentieth street; an S-inch
main on Twelfth street. from Clay TO
Webster, and an S-inch main on Twen-
tieth street. from san Pablo avenue TO
Webster. BY this system salt water
would be available in all parts of the
district included in the FIRE limits of
the city, both for FIRE fighting and for
the sprinkling Of streets.
GREAT SAVING POSSIBLE.
City Engineer Turner has prepared
plans and an estimate of the cost OF
INSTALLING the proposed plant, which, il
Is estimated. can be completed by the
city at q cost OF S65.000. This viii in
clude the pumping plant, system Of IRE
mains and the erection Of a reservoir
At the pumping station with a capacity
o. loo. 600 gallons for the maintenance
OF a continuous static pressure on the
mains for street sprinkling.
After the reading of the ordinance
before the Council last night Council
man PendletOn, in explaining his plan
for the installation or a salt water sys-
TEN, said;
Under the present system the city of
Oakland last year expended $4,000 for
water for street sprinkling alone. BY
the installation Of a salt water plant
the cost 70 the city would be reduced
10 the expense Of pumping the water.
There was also expended by the city
last year $4,000 for labor in sprinkling
the streets. Now, If the Board Of Pub
lie Works could make some arrange
ments with the street railway COM
panies of the city, all of whose main
lines intersect the proposed salt water
system. I am confident that by the
employment of water cars the cost OF
this work could be reduced 10 ] cent
d mile for at least fifty miles Of streets.
Recent tests by the Chief or the Fire
Department haye proven that under
the present system the maximum pres
sure at the fire hydrant is forty-two
pounds per square inch and in one case
the pressure was as low as thirty
three pounds per square inch. By the
installation a stationary pumping
plant a maximum pressure of loo
pounds per square inch would be at
all times available for FIRE protection.
! am prepared 10 prove that within
three years time the city would get
back the cost Of its investment through
the saving in streec sprinkling alone.
not only would IL secure better sani-
tary conditions. but the increased fire
protection would at once result in
lower insurance rates.
ANOTHER PLAN ADVANCED.
Another plan for a salt water plant
for street sprinkling and fire protection
was presented to the Council last night
by Councilman W. J. Baccus, who in
troduced a resolution requesting the
City Engineer 10 prepare at once plans
and estimates Of cost of the installa-
ton OF a plant on or near the Grove
street wharf The plan of Councilman
Baccus provides for a system Of mains
along Third and Fifth streets, from
Adeline TO Oak, for the protection Of
the manufacturing district. The reso-
luton was referred TO the committee on
public improvements.
A resolution was introduced in the
Council last night instructing the City
Engineer TO prepare plans and specifi-
cations for an Independent water sup
ply for the irrigation OF Bushrod Park
II is proposed to sink a well and erect
z large tank on a piece Of property at
Sixty-second and Colby streets which
was purchased by the city about year
ago.
The Street Department in eXcavating
for sewers, has found that at a depth Of
about eight feet a constant supply Of
water is available. and the installation
Of an independent water plant would
-, c~to 0a ~ ffxr Of a lea 81
$3.50 a month.
The resolution was referred to the
public Improvement committee.