Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-21
DECIDE ON STEAM
TURBINE over AN
OIL ENGINE PUMP
Majority of Council Feels Initial
Cost of Latter Device
Is Too Great.
WANTS A UNANIMOUS VOTE
Commission Stands 3 to for Worth
Inston Machine, but Ruderea
Wants All to Agree.

ne preferred that the council decide
unanimously on the pump to be pur-
chased for the city waterworks. the
Worthington steam turbine device,
costing s6.662, including connections,
would have been accepted.
! Commissioner Reynolds had stated
that he would consider the Worthing-
ton pump as a compromise, and Com
missioners Hart and Rudgren both
/ favored this engine. Mayor Schriver
and Commissioner Bear followed Mr..
/ Sharp's recommendation of a De La
val which costs $3.50.
But Commissioner Rudgren's objec-
ton that the council should make the
action unanimous on the purchase
ended all chances for the time of be-
ing settled at that meeting, and the
informal session was brought to a
close at 4:3O O'Clock after a three
hours discussion.
When the commission convened at
1870 o'clock the matter had simmered
down to the purchase of an oil en-
CINE or a steam device. Mayor Schri-
yer and Commissioner Bear seemed
to favor the advice of Mr.. Sharp and
City Engineer Treichler and declared
for an oil engine, but the other com
missioners were opposed to it largely
on account of the cost, the prices for
these devices ranging from $4,000 to
$4,000.
Eliminate Oil Engine.
The oil engine was thus tentatively
eliminated from the question. The
mayor asked superintendent Sharp
his recommendation on the steam tur-
bines, and he said he favored the De
Laval, because it was recognized as
one of the leading pumps by engineers
all over the country. He said that
while on his vacation during the past
summer he had seen one in opera
ton in Lorraine, Ohio. which had been
installed in 1906, and which had pump
ed 100000 gallons of water in "a
hours. He said that not one penny had
been spent in repairs on the device.
You have nothing against the
Worthington pump. have you?' asked
Commissioner Hart.
NO." replied superintendent Sharp.
but 1t is an inferior pump to the De
Laval"
Il wish that the council would get
together on this unanimously" said
NOllllAiiSSlb4tA 81 NA4- - 4O4Ata %
we have got to borrow money to buy
this, It would look better that we all
agree on the pump to be purchased.
It would be far better than 20 have the
matter carried by a split vote.
Il am for a two-stage Worthington
pump; that is, if it is not objection
able to Mr.. Sharp. l don't want to
force anything Objectionable upon
him. for he is the man who has to
take care of it."
Follow Sharp's Advice.
AT the start was, and am still for
an oil engine first" said the mayor. 81
place utmost confidence in Mr.. Sharp's
I don't know very
much about any particular pump, but
am only acting upon his recommends
ton because l believe he is a capable
engineer and knows his business But
if the council feels that we can't buy
an oil engine on account of the money
end of il. and that we will have to buy
a steam pump, am going to vote on
his recommendation Of the DeLayal
pump"
Il am for Mr.. Sharp's recommends
ton. too" said Commissioner Bear.
But / think said the mayor, that
IL we doubled the amount we are
going to spend, we could buy an oil |
engine and even II we saved only so |
per cent of what the oil engine sales |
men claim we will save, we would |
never regret our action for in a few 1
years the saving would pay US for our /
initial cost"
That would be all right IL this was |
our first or second year in the office" |
said Commissioner Rudgren. Then |
we could look at the matter in a diff |
ferent view But we don't want to |
unload a big bunch of debts on the |
incoming administration"
20. ! don't know" said the mayor. |
4 guess the next administration could /
bear some burdens. When we took !
hold of these Offices We had a debt of
some s15O.OOO TO clear. And believe
hat we too could leave something to
our posterity."
But let's get back to this pump
natter" interposed Commissioner
Hart. II was first for the Cameron
pump because we didn't know any
ming about the matter and hired n
consulting engineer who advised us to
purchase it. We threw away our
money then II we don't buy the pump
lie recommended. / have been con-
yinced now that a single stage pump
s not the one we should buy, but
avor a Worthington pump. or some
cheaper turbine"
No Get Together.
But the commissioners could not
ret together on the matter unanimous
Y. After sparTing for about an hour.
With no switch in expression OF the
levices they favored. they decided to
ldjourn and take up the matter later.
The meeting clearly demonstrated
hat the oil engine has been practical
Y eliminated, unless some one OF the
hree opposed 10 the expenditure OF
he larger amount changes his mind.
I has thus simmered down TO a steam
Jump, and TO a choice between thej