The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-09-26

rare to find a municipal water supply
of this magnitude so free from organic
or mineral impurities.
Below is a chemical analysis of q sam
pie of the water, as drawn by your
engineer from the hydrant in the yard
of the Keyser building, and the re-
marks made by the chemist who ana
lyzed it, who is the official chemist
and bacteriologist of the Wilmington
water department, and a man with
wide experience in making water eX-
aminations.
The power house is in fair condi-
ton, although within the next few
years it will require a new roof and
trUSSGs and floor
The brick stack, which was original
" 100 feet high, including the pedes-
tai, is now but so feet high, lightning
having struck it several years ago,
breaking OF the top, but otherwise il
is in good condition.
The two 40-h. D. boilers. which were
erected with the plant in 1855 or 1885.
were removed in 1902, and two sch.
p. boilers of the same make were in
stalled. The present condition OF
these boilers IS good, except the set
ting, which is not in good condition,
and needs early repairing.
One OF the main pumps has its cast
iron base broken, its engine end is
in poor condition, it having been
changed from a cOndensing compound
10 a compound duplex, and thus its eff
ficiency has been very much reduced
1t cannot at this time pump 100000
gallons of water per day against a
head of 10 feet, or the natural head
due to the top of the stand-pipe. Its
slippage Is nearly 10 per cent. about
dOUblP what il ShOJTld be
The other pump seems to be in good
condition, except its original design
has been changed from compound con-
denSing to duplex nOn-condensing, and
hence has not the efficiency for which
1T was first intended. Its sIippage is
| about 5 per cent. or about normal.
The boiler-feed pump and heater are
in fair condition, and will answer the
purpose for some time 10 come, al
| though the heater is too small to meet
| the requirements with efficiency. and
should be replaced by A larger one.
The wells are in good condition, so
| far as your engineer could determine
although the water is being pumped
| from them in very extravagant man
ner, consuming an abnormal volume
of steam, and. of course. fuel.
The five single acting pumps, used
for pumping the well water to the
reservoirs, are in fair condition, a.
| though two of them have worn out
plUngeTs and cylinders on their water
, end. which will have to be renewed
if this method of getting the water
| from the wells i continued.
While the. two reservoirs have been
! built but few years. they cannot he
said to be in good condition. as the
| leakage is entirely too great. and a.
| the daily consumption of water in
CreaseS these leaks must be stopped.
which may prove an expensive opera
| ton The roof is out of repair and
will need constant repairs as long as
! this kind of roof i maintained over a
reservoir Wood will not last long
when one side is constantly exposed
to moisture and the other side to sun
and air, and the repairs to these reser-
vOirs may be expected 10 be expensive
as long as a shingle roof is main
| tanned
The stand-pipe is in fair condition,
although it needs painting very much,
and upon examination there seems 70
| be considerable oxidation of the iron
| OF which it is composed, but on the
| whole it has many years yet TO live.
The tower and tank is practically
| new, is of first class design. is
only present need is a coat of paint.
| The present condition of the dist-l-
button mains laid in 1884 is not 81
good as might have been expected
| from the quality of the water which
! has been pumped through them. Be-
! fore the reservoirs were erected the
/ well water was pumped direct into the
mains, this well water contained car
Donate of iron, and some sulphate,
which have combined with the iron in
/ the pipes, making a ferric oxide. This
| is shown very clearly by opening the
! FIRE hydrants at almost every point
upon the system. except on PalafOX
street. The water elected is filed
with iron rust from the pipes and al
| though IL may be allowed to run for
fifteen minutes the oxide still comes
out in large quantities. This oxide