The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1910-08-26
Experts Found That Water
in Region Was Not Right
Kind For Use in Boiler
Where Large Quantities
Were Needed.

During the past three months con-
Germ, capitalized at $40. 100000, sought
a location in Hammond for plant
which is to cost in the neighborhood of
81, oO0.o when completed and thor
|oughly equipped
Experts were employed to go over
the question of sites. Hammond was
the ideal location, excepting for one
thing and that was the water supply
for boiler use This one difficulty was
linsurmountable and Hammond lost the
plant.
THE TIMES has the data, which was
secured by the experts who went over
the situation, and the results of a care
full investigation extending over
period of one month are of interest to
every property owner in the city and
especially to manufacturers
| Water and coal are as absolutely ne
cessary to the production of power for
| industrial use as water and food are
necessary for the production Of energy
in the human body.
THREE SOURCES OF SUPPLY.
| The coal is available in large quanti-
ties owing to the splendid railway ia
cilities which bring the coal from the
Indiana and Illinois mines to the very
doors of the Hammond manufacturing
plants.
There are three possible sources of
water supply in Hammond.
| l. Surface or artesian wells.
?. The Grand Calumet river. !.
3. Lake Michigan by means of pub
Lie pumping stations.
All of these sources of water sup
ply are inadequate for the large man
Eufacturing concern which is compelled
to use enormous quantities of water for
boiler or cooling purposes.
The possibility of using the water
supplied by the city of Hammond is
eliminated for the following reasons.
l. 1t is too costly for concerns using
large quantities.
2. Large quantities are not available,
ewing to the limited capacity of the
Hammond plant which is not able to
adequately supply the city of Ham
mond.
8. The Hammond intake is in such
shallow water and is so near shore
that needle ice clogs the intake and
makes the supply unreliable.
MUST DEPEND ON CANAL.
With the possibility of securing a
supply of water for boiler purposes
from the city of Hammond eliminated
the river. the Indiana Harbor canal
and wells are the only remaining
source of supply. The following is
the result of the investigation that has
been made by experts to determine the
availability of a supply from these
sources.
Calumet River-Water hardly suit
. able for boiler purposes unless by ex-
pertinent a compound is found thai
will soften 1t. Supply sufficient. To be
used in emergency cases. 1t is pollut-
ed with sewage. Water is to be used
for condensing purposes up to certain
limits. Owing to limited quantity
trouble may result from temperature
rise. Proposed canal will only slightly
struct passages in surface condensers
CANAL LAST RESORT.
: Indiana Hnrbor CanaI-Supp1y suf
fcient. To be used for boilers will
. the aid of softening compound. Cur
rent flows from canal to lake If no
prevented by north winds and higl
llake levels. Slight reversal of flow ex
Epected when Sag canal is opened
Under current is five miles an hour
Water sufficient for condensing pur
: poses. Quality satisfactory. COOLING
the only difficulty. Temperature rise
as high as so degrees.
i. Lake Mfchfgan-Hard, can be use
, with aid of compound Supply plenti
full. Only problem is that of intake
. Cost of installing intake high Fo
: tcondensing water Is uniformaly of
low temperature. There is a POSSIBLE
ity of having water supply cut off wit
:. anchor ice.
Well Water-If deep we'll is strucl
r water is not to be used for boiler pur
Iposes on account of sulphur Artesia