Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-08-10
PRESSURE 0. X.
TRUSTEES SAY
MEN At HEAD OF WATER WORKS
MAKE STATEMENT ON CUES
TON OF FORCE.

Inc pressure OIL WaCef dVdl1npAS
during the Harper & McIntire fire was
at no time less than the regular pres
sure available at all times, according
to a statement issued today by the
trustees Of the Ottumwa Water Works.
The trustees, in their statement,
which is complete as follows, explain
in detail how much pressure always Is
available for fighting fire:
To the Ottumwa Courier: We no.
ticed that in last nights edition OF
the Courier the allegation was made
that the water pressure was deficient
at the beginning Of the Harper & Nc
Intire fire.
II this was meant to convey the idea
that the regular pressure was not on
the mains and at the hydrants, then II
is not only untrue but absolutely an
impossibility.
A great many of the citizens of OF.
tumwa are under the impression that
in times of fire additional pressure fs
put on the water in the mains. This
is not true, as the pressure on the
water mains on the lower levels IN OF
tumwa. which includes the locality OF
this fire, is supplied entirely by the
water In the reservoir at Court and
Albany streets, which is at an eleva-
tion OF two hundred (200) feet above
Main street. This reservoir never be
ing allowed to become anywhere near
empty, gives q pressure Of over eighty
pounds per square inch at all hours
LOT the day and night and every day
In the year.
At the time this fire broke out the
gauge at the reservoir read three CD
feet and six (6) inches, which meant
that the reservoir lacked that amount
OF being full and as it has working
depth OF sixteen (16) feet it meant
that there were twelve (12) and one
half feet of water in 1t at the time the
alarm was sounded. At II o'clock the
gauge read four az feet and three (3)
inches or a drop of only nine (9)
inches during the worst hours Of the
fire, which would not. vary the pres
sure single pound on the mains or at
the hydrants.
This reservoir is never shut off in
time of fire and pressure pumped d.
rect, nor would It be advisable to have
it done, as 1t alone supplies all the
pressure that 1t would be safe to put
on our mains When 1t was seen that
there was possibility of large con-
flagration two boilers were steamed
up for the sole purpose of maintaining 6
the water supply in this reservoir and
not for the purpose of pumping direct
pressure as has been enormously as
sumed These were, however, not
needed and not used.
While it would be unjust to criticise
the firemen, as they did most loyal
and efficient work, any variation in
the pressure at any time must be
placed where it belongs, towit, to un.
necessarily long lines of hose, to leaky
hose and couplings, bursted hose, and
to failure to turn on the full force of
hydrants, largely the result Of an in.
sufficient number of trained firemen.
All of which things took place and all
of which we individually observed
We trust that the above statement
Of facts will make clear to all that it
is impossible for the water pressure
on the lower levels to even vary five
pounds at any time.
Yours truly,
Ottumwa Water Works,
H. L. Waterman,
D. F. Morey.
H. c. Williams.
Board Of water works trustees.
Horace A. Brown, superintendent.
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