The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-29
COUNCIL HEARS
WATER REPORT
EXHAUSTIVE REPORT OF INvEs-
LEGATION TRIP OF FIRE AND
WATER COMMITTEE MADE TO
CITY coUNcIL-PRoF. BECK
WITH OF A. C. GIVES FACTS.

For the purpose of listening to the
report OF the inspection trip OF FIRE
and water committee last September,
the council met last night in an ad =
journed session. The report, which
was exhaustive and technical, was
submitted by Aid. Sam Mcdonald,
chairman OF the committee. Aside
from the account Of the investigations
made in eastern cities, it fully embed
led the need of the local conditions
and q comparison of the water Of the
Red river and that TO be found In
many other sections of the country.
Citing the various plants in order
the visits were made, the report men
toned the filtration plants at Minot,
n. d., where the water is supplied
from the Mouse river, Toledo. O.,
which gets It's water from the Maumes
river, Lorraine and Elyria, o.. both
supplied from Lake Erie and Washing
ton, ID. c., with its immense filtration
plant covering twenty-nine acres of
land purifying water from the Poto-
mac. Special reference was made TO
the miraculous publication OF the
water OF Bubbly creek in the stock
yards at Chicago, which was also In
vestigated by the committee on its
trip east.
Preceding a table of analyses OF
waters OF numerous cities Of the Unit
ed States where filtration plants have
been installed within recent years TO
show the comparison with the city
water OF Fargo, a list of important
municipal plants was given, which IN,
cluded Harrisburg, Pa; Little Falls,
N. j., and Pittsburg. At Harrisburg
the water is taken from the Susque-
hanna river. and at P!ttsburg from the
Allegheny and Monongahala rivers.
The Little Falls plant is probably re-
garded the largest of it's kind in the
world and supplies the cities of Pat
erson and Passaic in addition to the
corporation for which it was originally
constructed
Local Conditions.
In making recommendations to the
council to obtain pure water for Far
go, the committee mentioned three
plants which appeared the most feasi-
BILE to secure a good supply for NUM-
cipai purposes. First mentioned was
altering the water from the Red river.
The second plan proposed sinking
deep wells to water bearing strata.
pumping and preparing II for use by
softening. Piping a supply from the
lakes near Detroit, Mimi. was the
third suggestion.
The chief objection TO the lake sup
ply plan, as stated In the report, would
probably be the cost and maintainance
A close estimate Of the cost Of obtain
ing water from this source Of supply
would be $1,000 900. Attention in this
regard was also called TO the fact that
a filter plant will be necessary I'm con-
nection with any water supply that
the city may finally adopt. A filter
plant, IL was suggested in the report,
built at the present time to purify the
water from the Red river could also
be used to purify the water from the
lakes should the city later decide upon
this course OF supply.
In speaking Of the we'll system. II
was stated that but few cities depend,
ed upon wells as permanent source
OF water supply for municipal pur-
poses. Among those cited as ex-
amples where wells form the main
source of supply were Winnipeg and
Tacoma. In this particular the latter
mentioned city has probably the finest
well supply that can be obtained from
any underground source and a supply
which is also unlimited. The quantity
of water obtainable from wells is con-
sidered very uncertain and II may be
very small. Again it may be uniinit-
ed, which would make the cost Of such
system unable to be estimated with
any accuracy as great deal depends
on the supply from each well, the
number of wells driven, the distance
between wells and the method OF
pumping and many other important
factors, all Of which enter into the
consideration of the proposition.
Filtrntion Most Feasible.
The plan considered the most feast
BILE by the committee Ia to obtain the
city's water supply from the Red river
by filtration. According to City En-
gineer Anders two methods Of purify
ing water for municipal purposes.
which have come into general use.
were cited-slow sand or European
filtration, and rapid sand, or American
filtration. After careful and thorough
investigation, the committee and Mr..
Anders arrived at the conclusion that
the rapid mechanical filter will give
Fargo the best results.
In summing up the local situation
the committee decided that there were
three different localities in the city
where a filter plant could be easily
constructed One was in Island park,
with the intake either at the present
point Of intake or at the intersection
of Thirteenth avenue south and the
Red river. The second location men
toned lis at the intersection of Thir-
teenth avenue south and the Red river,
with the intake at that point. And
the third location proposed is above
the cemetery, near the Rae farm.
Comparison was made with the plant
at Elyria, o., which is a city OF APP
proximately the same size of Fargo.
Professor Recl<with Talks.
Following the reading OF the report,
Prof Theodore D. Beckwith, assistant
professor OF bacteriology and plant
pathology at the agricultural college.
was requested by the council to give
his views on the committees findings
and their bearing on the proposed local
plant. His remarks were wholly linz
promptu, but were direct and full OF
interest.
Professor Bsckwitfi cited examples
OF filtration plants which might favor
ably compare with the conditions In
this city He mentioned the one at
Anderson, Ind, where the city water
supply is procured from the White
river and pf Waterfown III " which