The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-25
AWAIT REPLY
 OF CHAMBERS City Councdmen Are
 Interested. LIKE ELECTRIC PUMP PLAN New Boilers May Not Be h.
 stalled. Power Company Onicial is Now Tn Com- munication With Engineers in
 Regard to Cost to

The Water Works Committee of the City Council is waiting for the infor- nation promised by President Cham bers of the Montgomery Light and Wa ter Power Company before making further report to the City Council con corning the proposed improvements III the city pumping station.
 The Council had been contemplatins the installation of new boilers. but in the midst of the session of the Water Committed. which was discussing The bids for installation of new boilers, MT. Chambers asked for a hearing at the Council, a few nights ago, ana proposed putting in an S.o0o.000 gallon electric pump, that would be operated at the same expense 1t takes to run a steam pump with a capacity of 3.000,000 gal Ions a day.
 Although the electric pump was pro- posed over a year ago by Alderman Virgin, Chairman of the Water Com mittee. the proposition was not then made. with the plan of so little expense advanced and it did not take very well. But Mir. Chambers point blank proposal to furnish power TOT an electric pump at almost three times the capacity of steam mechanism and at thme same price. brought the Aldermen to attention, ana they decided to hold all proceeding until the power company omclai coulo present a written contract. to De ih- spected. a
 The proposition as 1t now stands IS that instead of putting In addi.ionai boilers and enlarging the pump mouse at an expense of approximately $12.oeo. thus materially increasing the running expenses. the Council will, or may. ado to the present pumping force pump driven by a motor, independent Of the other mechanism in the building. Thls pump will cost about 325,0oo, more than twice as much as the additional DOH CTS. but instead of increasing the pres ant boiler capacity only, 1t will give the city an independent pump that Will double the pump capacity now avail able. It will only cost as much 10 op- crate it as 1t did last year 10 run tne present used pump. at 3,OOo'ooo gai' lon strength.
 Aldermen Favor Plnn.
 Almost to a man the Aldermen are Tn favor of the electric pump. the sav- ing 1t will make will pay for IL In few years. but the maAn attraction IS its giving the city two Independent pumps. rsed by the city is 3,000.0o0 to 3'boo.ooo gar Ions a day. The city's reserved water supply is only little over tha. amount HnOulu ahJ
 nut inc pump station out of commits sion for a few days. the reserved wa fer of the city would only last twenty four hours, then water would not pc available for either city use or TOT fighting fires.
 osition 1t was stated that the present boilers in use. although doing the pres ent duty demanded of them, were at lA,, akr tV 0n- ally made leaky, and that to keep them in use. one of them was always cold and undergoing repairs. while the others were carrying its load. It Is this condition that the city councilmen wish to eliminate and the big electric pump Is considered by the aldermen the thing to make the city independ- ent.
 In his proposition to the council. Mir. Chambers definitely stated that two wires would be connected with the pump. one direct to the Tallassee power plant, and the other to the old steam plant formerly used by the cleo trio company.
 Mir. Chambers is now in communica- tion with electric and hydraulic en- gineers relative to the cost of install- ing the electric pump and if his prop osition to the council Is born out by
 
 chances are that the electric pump will be installed.
 There Is a proposition now before the council. introduced by Alderman Virgin, relative to the purchase of site in South Montgomery for a new fire station, and also to have room enough on the property purchased for another standpipe. This is still under advisement. for the land suitable for the purpose has not yet been selected.
 Aldepfnan Virgin, chairman of the water committee of the city council. said yesterday that steps would be taken at once for the replacing of the water plugs. for fire department use, that have been such a source of annoy ance to the city. These plugs at the council investigation of the cities fire fighting facilities. were pronounced by the firemen examined. to be defective and the men said they were constant ly having trouble with them