The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-07-27
INSPECTED The
WATER WORKS
NEWSPAPER BOYS GUESTS OF
SUPERINTENDENT KNIGHT
FOR A. DAY.

the city water works are all that could
be desired, is the unanimous verdict
of all the newspaper men who went
with Superintendent E. A. knights to
inspect the creek, the head works and
the surrounding conditions on upper
Mill creek, yesterday. Not only were
there no dead cattle or horses found,
but there were only few cattle seen
running at large, comparatively few
campers were found, and the few that
are there have been given warning to
move.
Superintendent knight several days
ago asked the three papers of the city
to send representatives to the head
works that thy might see for them
selves just what conditions We're So it
happened at about o'clock yesterday
morning four heavy-eyed newspaper
men aroused themselves and an hour
later were on their way The party
was composed Of Superintendent
Knight, E. A. Swezea and Clarence
Morrow, of the Morning Union; Robert
Fisher, of the Bulletin; and Harold
Ellis, Of The Statesman.
Followed the Pipe Line.
The pipe line was followed on the
way up and but one place where it
was exposed, was found. This was
where the workmen had recently made
a repair in the line and had not had
time to cover the pipe.
But one event marred the trip up
the creek and that was when Bobby"
Fisher could not understand why up
hill was downhill and why the water
incline instead of the other way. Su-
perintendent knight carefully ex-
planned this to the deluded pencil push
er but all day the mind of the latter
ran to reverses and he would persist
in falling up a hill or asking how far
it was up to the bottom of a canyon.
He is better today, however.
Camping at kIickers.
The party proceeded at once to the
camping grounds above the intake.
Here were found several camping
parties, the most of them being at
Kicker springs. Two camps were
found above. Below Kicker there were
but two camps. However, in all cases,
these camps were found to be in the
most sanitary condition. Outhouses
had been placed back against the hills.
But further than that, these campers
have been notified to leave their
grounds, as all the land along the Dor
ders of the creek, has been leased by
I've city and camping and one-day pic
MICS, will not be allowed.
Plenty of camping grounds can be
found below the intake, where the
ground has been cleared by Superin
tendent Knights, the pipe line tapped
so that campers may get water and
everything arranged for their COM
fort. The difference in altitude is small
The newspaper boys were taken
through the water works. At the dam,
where the water is taken from the
creek. are two sets of gratings, one
very coarse to stop driftwood or any
thing Of that sout, the other is finer
and serves to- prevent small sticks,
etc. going between it's inch meshes.
The dam has been provided with an
opening in the bottom, whereby the
water can be drawn through instead
of letting it run over, in case of flood,
| thereby lessening the head on the in
take. and preventing much debris from
entering.
Leaving the gates the water goes
through a 24-inch pipe to the settling
basins. These are covered, as are the
gates at the DAM The first basin re-
ceives the water. whence the course is
through the next basin. Between this
and the third basin is a set of screens,
with S-mesh wire, through which the
water must pass Between the third
and fourth basins is a set of 12-mesn
scheens. These screens are washed
from three to eight times daily, ac-
cording to the condition of the water
Further, the basins are washed and
scrubbed with steel brushes when they
get dirty and every day are opened
sufficiently to cause a strong undertow
and wash the bottoms Of the basins
thoroughly.
From these basins the water goes
into the barrel pipe and down through
the line to the city. At the Wicker
sham bridge is the emergency intake,
whore everything is on the same or