The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-18
ORDERS EXTENSION
OF Low PRESSURE
New Water Mains, Designed to
Relieve Fire Hazard in Con-
gested District.
NOT WHAT EXPERTS WANTED
Engineers of Fire Underwriters
Favored Merging High and
Low, Pressure.
NOT WHAT EXPERTS WANTED

An important step in the direction
of reducing the fro hazard in the
congested value district was taken
by the Administrative Board yesterday
in an order directing the Supcrintend-
ent of the Water Works TO extend a
twenty-inch water main from Dance
street along Dobson to Beverly Street
and along Beverly to Linden Street
completing in this manner a continuous
twcnty-inch main from the Marshall
Reservoir to Seventh and Cary Streets
The new construction was recon-
mended by Superintendent Davis i'm a
rcpor, submitted TO The board yester-
day NJ: Davis stated that the ex-
tension OF the main in the manner de-
scribed will increase the volume OF
water available in the conScsted value
district and at the same time allow
the twelve inch pipe in Dobson and
Beverly Streets to he connected with
The hiSh pressure system, Increasing
the flow of water in that vicinity. The
estimated cost OF the Improvement is
sS.aa7
While the construction OF the new
twenty-inch mains. recommended by
Superintendent Davis. Will in meas
IRE relieve the downtown situation
the installation Of this Improvement
"tll be further extension of water
distribution scheme. which, in the opin-
ION OF experts. is wrong In principle.
FIRE UNDERWRITERS FAVORED
MERGING WATER SYSTEMS
Engineers in the service OF tho Ma
tondl Board of Fire Underwriters
;cstifying on November II. 1913. be
fore subcommittee from the Council
Public Utilities Committee charged
with the consideration of the water
distribution problem. recomme nded the
complete abandonment OF the old Mar
shall Reservoir and the union Of tho
present high and low pressure ser
vices
The union of all mains In one sys-
tom, fed from the New Reservoir. and
the construction OF new twentv-f four
inch main from Madison along Canal
street to Seventh. and thence to Broad
street thought Chief Engineer Booth
of tie underwriters. would best solve
the problem Of safeguarding the down
town district against connagration.
Tho chief objection to the mainte-
! nance of the separate systems. accord
Ing 10 the experts who testified before
tho subcommittee, lies in the low
pressure supplied under the present
arrangement to the lower Main street
areas. union OF the two systems
II was pointed out, would result in n
! greatly increased pressure for the con-
| Scstcd value district, where an ample
! supply OF water is mandatory, while
the reduction in pressure II would
J uSt III tHe uiSlIiClS now SUpDtlen ny
| tho New Reservoir would no imma-
terial because OF the absence Of the
great fire hazard in those sections OF
! the city.
Superintendent Davis. however. reg
| istcred his opposition against the
| merger Of :hc low and high pressure
! systems. and the subcommittee has not
met in more than six months to press
! the matter further. meeting sche-
duleh for July l. failed for lack of a
! quorum.
Mr.. Davis told the committee that
tho construction of new twenty
| four inch main from the New .cSer-
voir To some point in the downtown
district would amply meet all demands
for frc-hghting purposes. such a sup
! ply would bc superior, he said, to the
! supply furnished by the twentyfour
inch pipe fro,n Madison TO Broad
! Streets. recommended by the under
ter direct from the reservoir Instead
of tapping the supply more than mile
! from it's source.
| The determination TO elaborate the
system. depending upon the Marshall
! Reservoir as u source of supply. would
appear to indicate that Mr. Davis /.
| giving little thought TO the recon l..
! mcndation of the underwriters that
the two systems be merged and the
! Marshall Reservoir abandoned. The
, extensions recommended by Mr.. Davis
! have already been approved by the
board. and work them will begin
! at once.