The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-05-09
THE cITY's WATER.
New Wells Will Furnish the Finest
Water in the World

NA> >'NJ ~oh~4 - htculi Will oOoii
have as fine quality of pure water
as can be had anywhere. 1t will ex-
ceed in quality that of nearly any 9TH
er section of the state. The work
of Mr.. L. B. Stalev of Peru, who has
the contract, is nearing completion,
and when the work is completed Mr..
Staley says there VIII be no water ex-
tant that can compare with it.
The system comprises FIVE wells.
each six inches in diameter and at
depth ranging from 100 to 200 feet.
Some twelve years ago Mr.. Staley
drove these wells. for the city, but
having no filters they gradually be-
came filled up with sand until their
ouput in dry seasons was not sufic-
lent for the city's needs. Mr.. Staley
has employed machinery for several
weeks in drawing the sand out of the
wells and sinking them deeper. By
the ne:v process an iron filter, twelve
feet lcHg and punctured with 1000
small holes, is driven its length below
the waer pipe and all the sand in it
is Withdrawn. A shot," which is a
solid piece of iron, over a foot in
length and fitting closely, is dropped
to the bottom of the filter, preventing
any dirt or sand from coming In at
the bottom. The sand gradually COL
lects about the outside of the filter,
through which the water passes into
the perforated iron filter. Eight hum
dred of these perforations are suffic-
lent to fill the pipe to its capacity
and insure a constant overflow, the
other twelve hundred are for a re-
serve in case some of the holes be-
CINE clogged with gravel This pro-
tective system precludes entirely the
possibility of any animal or vegetable
matter getting into the water, and
their great depth prevents any drain
age or river water from reaching
them.
Besides these advantages there is
another very desirable feature that
will attend our future water, and that
is the absence of the iron and min
eral that now discolors with red our
sinks and basins. The water hereto
fore had come from a strata of miner
al and iron ore. While water tinctur-
ed with mineral has been regarded as
healthful. Mr.. Staley says its constant
use is conducive to rheumatism and
kidney trouble. The new wells pass
entirely through the mineral strata
and are sunk into strata of clay,
which of itself is one of the best nat
ural filters of water. 1t also renders
the water to degree more soft.
There is very little lime in this clay
strata, and there is about 1-400 part
of grain of ammonia to the 1000
gallons. 1t is entirely clear of mag
nesia.
There is no better water in Indi-
ana or anywhere else," said Mr.. Sta
ley and his long experience and
thorough knowledge of the geology of
northern Indiana make his state
ments reliable. Mr.. Staley has made
geology life study and State Ceolo-
gist Blatchley's reports are not un-
frequently aided by Mr.. Staley's ad-
vice.
Another feature connected with
these wells creditable to the council
is the air-pressure system, or air-lift,
to be used in case of fires or any
pressing need of more water. To the
general public the air-lift system may
hot be understood 1t consists of
device for throwing with great pres
sure large volume of water into the
reservoir and is particularly valuable
in dry seasons when the flow of water
is limited. A one-inch pipe is drop
ped into the we'll to a depth if 100
feet, at the bottom of which is an ell
bow with a reducer down to one
fourth of an inch. The pipe from each
we'll is connected to larger under
ground pipe that runs back to the
engine room. There a small engine
forces air through the pipe at gen.
eral pressure of 40 pounds to the
square inch This instantly communi-
Gates to the water through the reduc-
er and sends a tremendous volume
with great force into the reservoir.
Its utility is apparent in case of
long continued fire that would ex-
haust the water in the reservoir. as
has some times been the case
In the sense of economy the air.
pressure system is not saving to the
city; it is an expense. as 1T sakes fuel
to run the engine When statements
are made that the air-pumps have an
economic value it is probably because
they have been confounded with the
new hot water heater, which of itself
is great saving as it utilizes the
exhaust steam which heretofore had
been wasted, but this machine is not
part of the air-lift.
The air-lift engine, 'he hot water
heater, as well as the pumping en-
gines, are in charge of John C. Leon
ard, as engineer And right we'll does
he perform his service The machin-
cry is kept clean and bright and
everything about the engine room is
tidy and we'll arranged. John takes
pride in showing visitors about the
premises, as we'll he NAV.