The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-22
Congested District, Says
Engineer Booth, Inad-
eQuately Protected.
WOULD GET RID
OF OLD RESERVOIR
Experts Recommend Merger of
Low and High Pressure Sys-
TENS and Construction of
New Main From Madison
to Seventh to Correct
Conditions.

Il 1on't know OF any city in tho coun-
tfy the size OF Richmond ,hat has as
poor water supply tor It's downtown
distrlctH m YOU have" said chief En-
gineer George w. Booth, Of The Ma
'lonal Board OF Fire Underwriters
hpcakine last night To the special pub
nc Utilities Committee investigating
'ne Guys water distributing system
Your congcstcd value district is iuude-
Iuately protected against serious Are
Win this summing up Of the down =
town fire hazard, Mr., Booth outlined
y plan OF corrcct tton. the main feature
"f which is the union OF tn. c!tv's high
and low pressure systems ana tho dis.
"srdinS OF the old Reservoir The
merging or all mains into ono systern
red from the New Reservoir and tho
construction Of II new twenty four inch
main from Madison street along Canal
street 10 Seventh. and thence 10 Rroaa
street. in his opinion would give ,ba
c"ngestod value distrlc, adequate pro
tcction.
Downtown I'm jeopardy.
The statement OF Nh Booth was am
llhed by Engineer = II iIowland. Who
spent mouth in Richmond last sprlny
III m exhaustive survey Of water am.
liN conditions Ilc submitted the de-
iailcd report cfnbodyinE his iuvcstt.
cations. and pointed ont what he re-
tarded the weak points IN the present
system.
The tests We made convincea US
mat Sour downtown business dis
ificiH is in a icopardous condition ~
regards the risk OF oonnagra,ion Your
mains supplying this section could
not In the event OF a fire or this tyn.
deliver the water that would be
needed
Tie union 81 your present nigh ana
low water systems would give your
downtown district better pressure. ano
tr.t 1f,,,,
mains recommended in our report.
would give You an arterial system able
- afford the needed protection"
Davis Opposes pInn.
superintendent Davis, Of thc Water
Works. declared his opposition Ia
TENS and was OF The opinion that such
" plan would bring disastrous results
10 plumbing and 10 outlying sections
- high altitude The increased press
urc, ne said, would play havoc with
fixtures in households now supplied by
low pressure The dr.iurht OF ~.
downtown districts. however, thought
Mr. Davis would drain III" connec-
lions In the elevated portions OF the
city. and leave many homes water
Air Davis WAS decidedly .. tnc opln-
ION that the distributing system was
hy no means as ailnG as the UNDER
writer's report represented il to he
u
twenty fourinch main from the new
reservoir TO tho downtown district
would meet all hre Aghtng demands.
such main, he said. would he much
more emcient that the main from Madi
son 10 Seventh Streets proposed hv Mr.
Booth and Air. Howland. which would
tap its supply more than a mile from
tic source
Recommends High Pressure
A written report transmitted to the
David n. Banks, OF Baltimore gave IL
as his opinion that full and economi-
cal protection OF the congested value
district In Richmond can be attained
only by an Independent high pressure
SYSTEM on the lines OF the Installation
in baltimore and other cities
Mr.. Banks addressed the committee
~ person last week. a was request
81 by the committee 10 prepare n ten
tatlve plan for a high pressure sys-
tenn for this city. An Independent pipe
line system and a power plant, ade-
quate for present needs. he estimates
in his report. could he constructed for
about s25o.00o.
The committee voted At the conclu-
sion Of the hearing TO defer its report
until another meeting 10 be called by
the chair OF the three members
Chairman Mills and Alderman Mitchell
were In attendance. Among others
present were Carlton Mccarthy. Of the
Mann and Lecky. Of the Fire Board:
superintendent Davis and Assistant
Superintendent I.awton. OF tho Water
Works; Chief .ioNncs. Of the Fire De
partment aud Superintendent Ira afford
Of the Electric Plant
indOrse Independent System.
Engineers Booth and Rowland gav.
their unqualified Endorsement of an in
dependent high pressure system in
every case where 4 city can afford its
installation. Mr.. Booth had his doubts
rs TO the wisdom Of saddinG upon Il
city of Eichmonds size the heavy
maintenance charge of such Il system
and much the same fears were cx-
pressed by Mr. ilowland. They declined
10 express any preference as between
tho high pressure systems in il,
Baltimore, New York, san Francisco
and other cities.
II the city electric plant could he
enlarged TO supply the power needed
for the operation of sucii Il system.
thought All. Booth. Richmond might
install one with profit An cilicen;
system he said, has recently been in
(COntIpued On Nipfh porn.