The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-28
THAT BIG PUMP.
1t Cost $4,000 and WIN Have to Be
Lowered.

1t Cost 940,OO0 and win Have to Be
| Lowered.
The city of Topeka owns a pump
the purchase price and installation Of
which cost $4,000. The purchase
price was $22,5O0. This amount, add
| ed to the cost OF installing it. ran the
price up to $4,000. according to
water and lighting. The pump was
purchased during the administration
OF Peter Miller as commissioner of the
water department. The work of in
stalling the big pump was mostly
done under the administration Of Mr..
Newland, the present commissioner.
All Of this work was completed last
summer with the exception of con-
Meeting with the intakes. The max;
ing OF these connections was post
poned because the fun capacity Of the
old pumps was being used to meet the
everyday demand and IL either of the
old pumps had been shut down at
that time there would have been
shortage Of water.
| When there was less demand for
water after the hot summer months
had passed, and the underflow had
come up little the connections with
the intakes were made. This was
done in October and Commissioner
Newland announced that the city was
ready to have the big pump tested
the company manufacturing and SELL
ing the pump to be on hand in a
short time.
From time to time since last Octo-
Der commissioner Newland has said.
whenever asked about the matter,
that he expected representatives Of
the company to be here to test the
pump almost any day"
Four months have elapsed, but the
pump has not been tested yet.
Stn Owe $1,000 ON Pump.
Naturally the company should be
interested in making a test, for the
city still owes approximately $1,000 on
the purchase price. The pump is
guaranteed to lift 8,50O.00O gallons of
water in twenty-four hours. and the
balance due is not to be paid until
after the pump proves up to the guar
anty.
4 Commissioner Newland said today
that the company is doing business
In many parts of the United States
and has been too busy to send a rep
resentative here.
But perhaps there is another reason
why a test has not been attempted.
IF that pump was set to work at
it's full capacity-S, 100000 gallons in
twenty-four hoursHwouldn't 1t take
the water out of the wells faster than
1t comes in ?' Mr.. Newland was asked.
mo, it is impossible to take water
away faster than it comes, and there
Is plenty of water in the wells" re-
piled Mr.. Newland.
Eyes, but wouldn't the pump take
the water away fast enough to lower
the surface below the suction line-to
more could be pumped until the water
had filled the wells again to a point
|. above the suction line?'' he was then
: asked.
/ Eyes, am afraid that is the situa-
tion," admitted Mr. Newland.
Mr.. Newland's admission means that
! while the city of Topeka has pump
costing $4,000, at best only part of
it's efficiency can be developed. 1t
also means that its efficiency will de-
when unusual demands for water are
made, will increase.
. Subject OF Much Discussion.
The big pump has been the subject
| of quiet discussion among the city
commissioners for several months For
init it. but now it is matter Of COM
3 mon knowledge that the pump was
, Improperly installed-that 1t was set
too high above the water to be sue
r cessfu!ly operated with the underflow
! as low as 1t has been very frequently
: in the last several years. 1t was set
. on the same level as the old pumps.
! Last summer the water was being lift
&
water by suction a greater height Mr..
Newland said today that the under
. . flow had improved and that now the
! water was being lifted only sixteen
= feet, but even with this improved con-
dition over what it was last summer,
: he did not think there is enough water
to supply the big pump at full ca
pacity.
my solution of the situation said
{ Mr.. Newland, sis not to tear the pump
: out and lower it, for that will cost too
much. 1 think half million gallon
}. reservoir should be constructed into
1 which water could be elevated during
l times of slack demand on the plant.
. and held in storage to be turned into
| 1 would have this reservoir supplied
with individual centrifugal pumps
] It is estimated that this make-shift So
, luton of the problem would cost some-
where between s. 900 and 10000 It would
ciaI IN tms Of neea bns t would DO noth
ing toward correcting the engineering
mistake in tho Installation OF the big
win Have to BE Lowered.
Eventually that big pump will have to
, | be lowered" said w. l. Porter. city COM
missioner Of parks and public property. :
And it will BE- = big cost asked
Jesse Shaw, superintendent OF the water
plant. why the pump had not been set
lower at the time II was installed: He 70
piled that II would have cost 5000 to have
) Il should have been placed. It cost clos
to &1O.0o0 to install It where II II. II It IL
, lowered to where It belongs practically
every bit o. work n m nstelnng All Iii nave se
Z again at even greater expense. Tor when
II b lowered to whefe 1t belongs. It WI
have 20 be cased OF to prevent water from
] covering Il when the river gets h1oh- xho