Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27
CITY HAS SUPPLY
OF Pure WATER ON
TAP ALL The Time
Recent improvements Have
Hade it Safe and Abundant
in Quantity.
MECHANICAL FILTER IN
Plant Now One Of the Best in the
country-Waste Still Due to
Lack Of Meters.
BY LEWIS !. eIRosALL.

a
~ partment during the last decade by
one not personally familiar with
the history OF the department must nee
essariiy be based upon the published
and unpublished reports of the city
officials during that period. The data
given Is therefore largely drawn from
such reports.
The following shows the var
ious mayors and commissioners of
"aterworks during the period OF
years under consideration:
l9Oi-l902-B. +. Knox. mayor: p.
7. Bancroft, superintendent of water.
works.
9O3-l904-William McConochie,
mayor; p. 7. Bancroft, superintendent
Of waterworks.
l9O5-1906-G. W. McCaskrin, may
or; j. W. Cavanaugh, superintendent
of waterworks.
ly07-l90S-H. c. Schaffer. mayor; J.
W. Cavanaugh. superintendent Of wat
er works.
19Os-1s1O-G. W. McCaskrin, may
or; d. c. Kelley. superintendent Of
Waterworks.
1911-1912-H. VI. Schriver. mayor:
{. c. Wilson, superintendent and Com
missioner Jonas Bear. In charge Of
waterworks.
BEGAN WITH INTAKE.
In 1901 the intake pipe from the
pumping station to a point near the
sand bar north of the slough was re-
paired by means of a diver. The in
take well was rebuilt and refined
These improvements were made with
view TO securing unpolluted water
from the channel near the bridge. In
1903 the quadruplex pump was re-
paired at a cost of 81 900. AS the daily
consumption OF the city exceeded the
capacity Of this pump by half a mil
lion gallons, the superintendent re.
quested that all services be metered
or that new pump be provided.
In 1904 Mayor McConochie asked
for an appropriation for a new pump
and new boilers. The present Snow
pump having a capacity of 5000, 900
gallons daily was purchased by the
city in 1907. The setting OF this pump
required the building Of an addition
10 the pumping station and the install
lation OF 30-iuch leader connecting
with the three pumps. All of these
Improvements were made at an ex.
penditure Of approximately $1,000.
New boilers were also purchased at
a cost OF $4,000.
In 1911 under the direction of Chief
Engineer Wise two new boilers were
installed In place OF the old Sterling
boilers. A new centrifugal pump was
also purchased for the purpose OF
boosting the level OF the water in the
suction well and lessening the III
Of the Snow pump which is excessive
at times OF low water in the river.
An Allis Chalmers centrifugal
pump OF 100000 gallons capacity
and electrically driven was installed
at the reservoir pumping station in
1909 for the purpose OF supplying wa
ter 10 the standpipe on Thirtieth
street. This pump was moved TO
the new filtration house in 1910 and
is now in service there.
PUMPAGE SHOWN.
The accompanying table shows in
concise form the relation of the daily
and yearly pumpage TO the population
and the number OF meters in service
for each year from 1901 to 1911 in
elusive.
The estimated population for each
year has been based upon the govern
ment census reports Of 10. 493 for the
year 1900 and 24,335 for the year 1910
An average increase in population OF
BOO for each year has been assumed
The yearly and daily pumpage records
are those given by the various sup
orintendents OF wateTworks in their
reports presumably allowance having
been made for stoppage OF the
pumps.
IL may be seen from the table thai
the daily per capita consumption o.
water varied from a maximum o.
l77.7 in 1901 TO a minimum Of 1905
in 1907. From 1908 TO 1911 the pei
capita consumption has steadily in
creased from 1897 TO 1919 gallons.
The average number Of meters Sc
each year from 1901 to 1911 inclusiv,
has been 75.2. The total number o
services In 1906 was reported as 4,
100 and in 1911, $500. The percen
tage Of services metered in 1906 wal