The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-03-27
WATER BOARD WILL ENGAGE
EXPERT TO INVESTIGATE
BURSTING OF THE MAINS
Commissioners Are Aroused
Over Chemical Analysis Show
ing Defects in Manufacture
ENGINEER MAKES REPORT
He Suggests Twenty Possible
Causes of Breaks, But Adj
mits He's No Chemist

The chemical analysis OF the
iron in the broken water mains as
obtained by The Times and later con-
firmed by similar analysis authorized
by the board of water commissioners
caused the board, Tuesday afternoon.
TO decide to employ the services OF
an expert consulting engineer on the
subject. In his report to the board,
Gorge II. Fenkell. the boards engi.
neer, specified 20 possible causes for
the numerous breakages OF water
mains. but he did not consider the
results OF the chemical analysis.
That is something with which |
am hot entirely familiar, said MIR.
Fenkell TO The Times, referring to
chemical analysis. Our specitica-
tons 40 not call for a chemical an
alysis, although believe 1t would be
GOOD plan hereafter TO Insist on one.
IL is true that too much phosphorus
rand silicon I'm the iron would make
Il brittle and in that case any one
o. the causes | enumerate in my re-
port would be more applicable. | have
assumed in outlining the possible
causes OF the breakages that the pipe
Was VI NC pipes
are tested for strength in the trenches
but II they are made of an inferior
Grade of iron they would not lave
the resistance of standard pipe to
,oyercome the strain to which they
ire sub jected- -dld-Het- have the
report of the chemical analysis from
the Detroit testing laboratory when
prepared my report, having received
ht.f n half hnar hafnra tho nnafinp
Of the, board"
Il first learned OF the result of the
chemical analysis from The Times
and that led me to bring up the sub
Iect in the meeting OF the board, -
said Commissioner Gillespie, after the
meeting There is no question but
that we should have provided in the
Specifications for the proper chem
ical composition of the pipe. What
We have learned in this report viii
undoubtedly lead the board to insist
on a thorough chemical analysis or
al water pipe in the future before 1t
; Is placed in the streets. The Amer
lean Car & Foundry CO.. from which
we purchase large proportion OF
our pipe, ! am told, has no analytical
chemist The pipe is made up much
as woman makes bread. She knows
,about what should 90 into the bread
aud the manufacture of the pipe
know about what should go into the
pipe. We should not guess at a thing
Of this kind. The lest made by the
water board employees is all right.
but the specifications should go fur
her and call for the proper chemical
composition of the pipe.
The PEOPLE who laid the pipe many
years ago should have considered that
Tide OF the question. But now that
we have learned by exerience We can
provide safeguards against breakage
Of water mains in the future.
Il do not believe so-called water
hammer has caused the breaks, as
Engineer Eenkells report shows that
safety relief valves and air chambers
have been used to protect the pipes
Din that respect"
After the report of Engineer Fen.
kel was read In the board meeting
Tuesday afternoon, Commissioner Gil
lespie said:
There has been some criticism
that the pipe is defective in contain
ing too much phosphorus and silicon,
making il unusually brittle. Can you
tnlghten the beard on that?p
There may be something to that,
replied p H. Sullivan. assistant dis.
'trict manager of the American Car
Il Foundry company, to whom the
question was addressed. The board
has no chemical specifications, you
know We comply with the specihca-
tons as required by the board
Commissioner Pound, who had been
reading the results of the chemical
IsInafygfs as obtained by The board,
called attention to the high percent
age OF phosphorus in the pipe as
shown by three separate analyses.
IF yoi only ought to have IL of
one per cent phosphorus in the metal
you have fout times too much" he
remarked to Mr.. Sullivan.
Il admit that that percentage OF
phosphorus In the metal would gen
orally be considered too high" re-
piled Mr.. Sullivan, reiterating that the
board had provided no chemical spec
iflcations.
II understand very little attention
has been paid to this phase of the
natter said Commissioner Lane.
Mr. Sullivan in reply to further
questioning by Mr. Gillespie said that
the pipe as made for the Detroit water
board was substantially the same as
that made for other cities, some in
Michigan, and that no complaints had
been received from those cities The
board then consulted Engineer Fen.
kell on the subject
'If the pipe is too brittle and not
adapted to withstand shocks, It might
still resist heavy. but steady pres
sure and remain in service until sub
iected TO shock when the break
would occur" he said.
cit is my belief we need the ser,