The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-17
WATER PROBLEMS
ARE DISCUSSED
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS CON,
slDERs PLAN FOR MORE
ECONOMY IN OPERATING
SECONDARY PUMP.

The Hancock board Of public works
met yesterday afternoon at O'clock
In the office Of the city clerk to con-
slider a number of matters TO be rec
commended TO the city council at its
meeting this evening for action
The most important matters for con-
slderatIon was relative To the effecting
of more economical operation of the
electrical pump at the No. station.
by eliminating the employment of
men at the station and handling the
pump by electricity from the No sta
ton. The subject was preached about
four months ago since which time En-
gineer Stockly has been studying the
matter exclusively going carefully in
to every phase Of the question, and at
the meeting yesterday he reported
some of the results To the board.
Not relying solely upon his own OBJ
servations he had some outside engin-
GERS and experts visit the No. pump
house with him to see IL the proposed
plan was feasible. 1t has been objected
that the presence of an operator was
necessary, in order to open and close
a relief valve whenever the engine
was started up after being stopped. BY
several actual tests the opening of the
valve was found, to have no effect upon
the ease with which the pump was
started To make doubly sure Mr..
Stockly communicated with the Gould
Manufacturing company, by whom the
pump was built, and they confirmed
his contention that the pump could be
as readily started and without danger
Of injury. when the relief valve was
closed.
Details of the Plan.
To attend to the oiling OF the pump
a visit to the station three or four
times daily by one of the men EN-
ployed at the No. 2 station, Mr. Stock
~ regarded as sufficient, and at the
same time few shovelfuls of coal
could be put into the stove In order TO
keep the station at a suitable tempera-
ture. The expense of electricity for |
lighting would be entirely done away |
with, and by eliminating the necessity |
Of employing men TO take care of the
pump Mr.. Stockly figured that about |
$1,000 per annum could be saved 10
the city.
But Mr. Stockly's Investigations dur
ing the past four months have not |
rested with the solving of the prob
lem of electrical handling of the No |
. pump. He has gone much further |
into the subject than that The cleo |
trio pun? was installed with a view to
oh af. 80 Fra. t..I
wells that were sunk i'm the city tract. |
but which were found inadequate and |
were abandoned. The duty of the
pump is to assist the pump at No. l !
station on the lake shore I'm forcing |
water to the million gallon concrete
reservoir on the hill, and Mr.. Stockly |
thinks that plan might be evolved
by which It could be done away with
entirely by laying another independent
main from the No. / station directly to
the hilltop reservoir
Increased Capacity.
The old pump, purchased in 1900
from the Allis Chalmers company has
a daily capacity of 100000 gallons
against a 2s5 foot incline. Mr.. Stockly
wrote to the Allis Chalmers people
asking whether the pump could be
adapted to forcing the same quantity
To a height Of 455 feet. which Is the
elevation of the concrete reservoir. A
reply was received stating that by re-
ducing the size of the plungers Install
ing a new water end" and making |
some other changes this result could
be attained as the cylinders are large
enough to Withstand the additional |
pressure. The city has on hand an
other pump OF 1000 900 gallons capaci-
~ every twcnty-four hours. which the |
engineer believes might be utilized to
help out the larger pump by being OPP
Grated for couple of hours out of ev
cry twenty-four while the big pump is
busted in forcing water to the upper
reservoir. The smaller pump would
thereby be kept in trim and would be
available at any time in case break
down to the big pump.
The water problem in Hancock in
wolves still more than the elimination
OF man power at the electric station or
the doing away with entirely and do
ing all the pumping from the No. l
station
New Source Of Supply.
Whether the city's supply of water
comes from Portage Lake or whether
u is from springs on the hillside, the
danger Of contamination is constantly |
growing greater. II from springs. then
there Is danger from the sewage from
the houses that have been and are be-
ing built In the Condor addition and in
the Ulseth addition. and IL from the
lake. the new plans for sewering un-
severed portions of the west and pro- |
vide for n sewer outlet only n short ]
distance east OF the pumping station.
IL is therefore only a matter Of time |