The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-09-22
ANENT THE WATER QUESTION
Discussed BY Former Councilman from
a SociaIistic Standpoint

4
have appeared under this head the past
few weeks and will, doubtless, continue
until after the bond election.
The average per capita consumption
for one hundred leading cities in the
United States and Canada was in 1895,
according to Mr.. Knichling, 108 gal
Ions per day. About 110 gallons per
capita would do Seattle with careful
regulations in the summer months, but
100 to 125 gallons would be preferable.
The latter amount should be ample for
city like Leavenworth.
Hill Brothers continuing say, an
eight-inch supply pipe, with head avail
able from Snow creek, would furnish
the required amount of water for 5000
population.
Quoting from a letter recently re-
ceived by me from the engineer
of a large pipe company and which
letter, if desired, will be made pub
lie soon, he says: Discharging the
water directly into the distributing sys-
tenn it would be necessary to deliver
the water with some pressure. Under
these conditions, using $50 foot head
as the pressure on the hydrants, an
eight-inch line would deliver about $40
gallons per minute or $4,000 gallons
in twenty-four hours; ten-inch pipe
under the same conditions would deliv-
er about 1920 gallons per minute or
1,224, 900 gallons in twenty-four hours.
1t is needless to say that pipe OF the
same size discharging into reservoir
would under proper pressure deliver
much more water into the main in the
same length OF time.
Next week l may be compelled to
answer critics on the articles so far writ
ten by me; but I believe any criticism
will be largely on technical or minor
points of little importance to the main
issue.
(The above was intended to be pub
lished in the Echo of last week, but
the explanation why this was not done
given me by the editor was satisfac-
tory.)
In the editorial OF the Echo of last
week there are two points only which
are OF real importance to the question
at issue and those are purity OF water
and as nearly as possible adequate fire
protection, on those two points there
cannot be any disagreement, l am most
heartily in favor OF both.
Here is some past history: On Sep
tember 9, 1909. Roy Zahren, a civil
engineer employed by the then town
council to survey and estimate the cost
of pipe line from Snow creek to the
center OF the town and 100000 gal
lon concrete reservoir reported same to
be $40, ,222.74. On October IL, 1909,
the town paid him in town warrant
the sum of SPAS. 80 FOR the above ser
vices.
AS the assessed valuation of the
town at that time was about $3.50, 900
and as the council was advised that it
could issue bonds for only ten per
cent of the above assessed valuation
the building OF a water system was
wholly impossible at that time.
Since then the assessed valuation oi
the city has increased to about $780,
loco and it may bond itself to the ex-
tent OF ten per cent of that amount.
You will note that in 1909 the then
council had an itemized approximate
estimate OF the cost OF supply end oi
water system.
The present council denies most en-
phatically that a complete water system
can be built for S50,O0O.00. Upon
what information does it base that de-
nial7 Simply and wholly upon the
, bare statement made by our alleged city
engineer.
In the city clerks Office, in which
all documents Of importance should be
. on file, subject to inspection by the
| people, there is absolutely no trace oi
any itemized estimate Of the cost OF any
article, material or labor which enters
: into the construction Of a partial Oh
complete water system. In addition
one OF the councilmen stated to me,