The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-21
PUMPS UP FISH
Also Pulls Turtles Out of Their
Shells.
w. l.. POrter'S Machine BaIks at
Bean Vines.

Four turtles, several large fish and
bushel of ground bean vines were
what was found in the big pump at
the foot of Fairchild street, when it
was taken to pieces after midnight last
night to why it failed to work.
They had gone through the twelve
inch suction pipe and lodged in tho
suction valve.
The fish alone would not have
caused the trouble said w. L. Por-
ter. city commissioner. "A twenty
pound fish went through the other
day, coming out nicely sliced into
steaks by the blade of the pump But
the turtles and the bean vines made
trouble. When we opened the pump
all we found of the turtles We're the
shells. Four big turtle shells were
lodged in the valve.
Where were the turtles? The pow
erful suction of the pump had literally
pulled the turtles out of their shells.
Last week after the water had flowed
away from the spill from the pump we
found between two hundred and three
hundred pounds of sliced fish which
had gone through the pump.
q am going to make some recon-
mendations to the city commission
about that pump" Porter continued.
Something must be done to keep
trash from getting into the machin-
cry
A good many people have asked
why The responsibility of keeping the
North Topeka sewer pump in opera
ton rested upon w. L. Porter, who is
city commissioner of parks. Every
thing else connected with city sewers
and drainage is looked after by the
city commissioner of streets.
Wished Onto Porter.
1t seems that the F'airchi1d street
pumping plant was simply wished
onto Porter by the other commission
erS.
when 1 took office there We're a
lot of things 1 did not know. The 9TH
er commissioners told me l had inher-
tied the responsibilities connected with
the North Topeka pump 1 do not
mind the responsibilities, hut / have
not been allowed an appropriation to
meet the expenses" said Porter.
One would expect Porter to com
plain, but he doesn't. He was on
hand this morning to attend a meet
ing of the city commission, after hav
ing only two hours sleep Saturday
night, one Sunday and working in
water up to his neck from midnight
last night until 5 O'Clock this morn
ing.
When the pump failed to work last
night. the suction pipe had to be
hoisted out of the water. There were
a hundred North Topeka people
watching the work but none volun-
teered 10 go down in the water and
attach a rope to the pipe, so Porter
did it. After the pipe had been clean
ed and the pump had been taken to
pieces and put together again, the
whole thing had to be done again, be-
cause one of the workmen had loosen
ed some bolts the motor, and had
then gone home without replacing
them. When the machinery failed to
work. not knowing what was wrong,
the pump was taken to pieces before
the difficulty was located.
Miss Kate King, city welfare work
err, and KilmaurS and Thomas King,
who are always prepared and vigilant
for emergencies, supplied block and
tackle which were used in repairing
the pump and about O'Clock this
morning Miss King appeared with hot
coffee and lunch for the wet, shiver-
ing men.
Besides having trouble with the
pump, the valves which are intended
to prevent water from backing up the
sewer from the river, failed to work
The one at the mouth of the river
had been stolen and probably sold for
junk. The other. located near the
pump, refused to close properly. After
standing in water up to his chin in an
effort 20 fix this gate. and failing,
Porter gained the desired result by
stopping a manhole about 200
,r.Il- HoTa