The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-01
Supply Sufficient for Flu
ture Growth of the
Hill City.
GIGANTIC WORKS
NEAR COMPLETION
Biggest Undertaking of Its Kind
in the south-Hill City En-
ponds Nearly a Million
Dollars to Get Pure
Limpid Water for
All Purposes.
ny nERDEnr +. s1rLEY.

BY HERBERT +. MILEY.
LYNCHBURG, VA, August Sin a
few weeks Lynchburg will put into
commission new water supply whic,,
Will give the city pure and limpid
mountain water ample for domestic
and industrial purposes for thrice Its
present population The new and i'm
proved system Is q municipal one and
the water supply will be brought from
a mammoth artificial lake on the foot
hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, In
Amherst county. twenty-five miles dis
lance. Tho water will be conveyed to
the city In 30-inch main. 1t will flow
by gravity, and the distribution will
be through the old mains from the
old reservoirs, which are elevated suf-
ficiently for high pressure for fire
purposes In all of the business and
manufacturing districts.
The immense dam. which forms the
lake from which the supply is to be
taken. and the pipe line will have
cost the city trifle over 100000
when completed. The dam Is construct
| ed entirely of concrete masonry. 1t Is
built in narrow valley and is just
! 500 feet in length. The highest point
| is seventy feet. 1t Is forty feet wide
at the base and ten feet at the top.
There is spillway ten feet in depth
!
ponds the small river distance of a
/ mile and a half, with an average width
\ In the basin of 1000 feet. The esti-
mated capacity of this basin Is $780,.
900, 900 gallons. supply sufficient for
| the present needs of the city for more
/ t, IN 80 days. The dam cost 100000,
and 1t was completed during the month
/ of December last. and Il has since
been ready for. use, waiting the conf
/ p1affop nf the nine line
4 Three Kinds. OF Pipe.
Il The pipe line has three distinct
Il classes of material in its construction
4 slaves of California redwood steel
1 and cast iron. OF the wooden construc-
4 ton there is Nineteen miles: one and
La half miles of cast iron and two and
/ half miles OF steel. The steel pipe
i is used at points where the pressure
Il is the heaviest. The line Is divided
u into ten different sections by cutoff
4 valves with blow-off valves at the
low levels. and air escapes at the high
err elevations.
The line leaves the city and runs
A almost In northerly direction, going
4 through the. country where the best
Locations could be secured for the
right-of-way. The right-of-way, which
belongs to the city. did not cost larga
amount. and the city will always have
tile IISHC OI dCCcsS W AZ LoA WIG PuhE
pose OF maintaining the system.
The watershed above the source OF
supply will belong to the city. The
! territory drained by the river Is sandy
!, and mountainous. and clear water i.
practically assured for the city at all
Il times, while at the same time 1t can
! never become polluted by any source,
Important Undertaking.
The accomplishment of this great
\ undertaking is said to be one of the
biggest things of Its character at
: tempted in the Southern States, and
the stave pipe is an innovation In
+ the eastern portion of the county. The
. wooden pipe, 1t is claimed. can be re-
patred without trouble should there
r he n break, and it Is claimed that the
/, redwood will last longer than Will
: iron pipe.
n The new supply will take the place
l. OF the water that Is now being lifted
: by water and steam power pumps d.
4 rect from the James River. when sys-
{ tenn was put into commission seventy
: five years ago, with the subsequent
o improvements and engagements.
( The contract was let for the work
i In the spring OF 1904. and 1t was to
h have been completed more than year
: ago, but many conditions, such as the
s lack Of labor and strikes. nave de-
g layed the work on lAe ptpe AA'1o op -
y the present time.
The contractor on both the pipe and
o sam contracts was Mr.. c. G. Wllliams.
1 IF New York City. The work has been
y done under the supervision OF Mr..
e Harry u. Shaner. of this city. as chief
i engineer Mr.. j. Fl. Fuertes. OF New
II york. has been the consulting en-
h eineer. and Mr.. P. B. Wtnfree, OF this
d CITY. was the resident engineer on the
LIZ To ~
! ter. N Y, was resident engineer OF
y the pipe construction. Mr.. William "
Wilson. Jr.. of the Board of Aldermen
Ills chairman of a special Council conf
u lamittee which has had charge OF the
= work since It's inctpiency
!, Clty,s Mater supply.
II The first movement towards supply
l. I'M. Iynchburg with water was n
y 17oa when the trustees OF the then
n small town granted the fire company
y the right to sink several Weils or. on.
IA the main streets and the ersciioh z,
,,,nns over them. In the fall OF ISM
y ~ 'tnwn purchased a fire engine, FOR
~ which It paid $3.50. Following shls
y an ma a movement, when 1t was intend-
y "a ~ nino several springs in the WOODS
- nalon cling to John lynch, 81. ioca'eN
II what ia now Sixth and HARRISON
!, streets, by wooden pipes, and sie
~ water then be conveyed into the Town,
w w Tvs town. was to pay Lynch one-fourth
- or, the profits arising from this ssy rs
!, tenn" Tor tile supply, and he and his
~ chiI,ren mad the use OF the water fsee
81 OF charge. This scheme fell through.
~ ana later In the year John Lynch, Jr.i
~ was given tho right to construct .
:, I private system, provided he furnish
~ tha town the necessary water for tho
=, fgbting. These pines consisted OK
- three-ineh holes bored into tlnbers, 10