The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1916-12-23
N IMPERATIVE PUBLIC NEED.

Circumstances attending the de-
struction by fire Of the uptown plant
of the Donaldsonville Ice Co. during
the afternoon of the 18th inst, have
brought into prominence defects IN
the city's system of water supply that
call for the application of effective
remedial measures with all possible
promptness, and it is gratifying to
know that steps to this end have al
ready been taken by the municipal
light and water commission.
The low pressure in the mains and
the delay in obtaining a supply of wa.
ter that would permit the throwing OF
even one good stream on the burning
building, much less six streams winch
the pump capacity of the power plant
and the equipment Of the local fire
department are designed to- PROVIDE,
compelled our willing and efficient
firemen to forego any serious attempt
to extinguish the flames at the point
of origin and to contine their efforts
almost exclusively to saving adjacent
property from the threatened spread
of the fire.
In this line of endeavor they were
wholly successful, and the extremely
favorable atmospheric conditions con-
tributed largely to the fortunate re-
suit Had such a north wind as pre-
vailed the day before been blowing
the afternoon of the ice factory fire,
little short of special providential IN
tervention could have preserved the
city from a disastrous conf1agratlon.
E. NJ Ivens, constructing and con-
sulting engineer of New Orleans, who
makes speciality of water supply sys-
tens, was here last Saturday on the
invitation of the light and water com
mission, and has been engaged by that
body to make thorough investlga-
ton of the local situation and submit
recommendation for it's improve
ment The editor of the Chief had a
long and interesting talk with Mr.
Ivens, and from the latter's cursory
observations up to that time he was
of the opinion that it would be neces-
sary to have an auxiliary source of
water supply, such as would be fur
nished by the boring of wells and the
construction of a concrete reservoir
We need not abandon the river al
together, but it is imperative that we
should not depend upon it altogether
Since the closing of Bayou Lafourche
the batture in front of Donal dsonville
has become what is known aSC. 'smak.
| ing bank"-that is, it is being. ktend.
ed by accretions of silt from year tc
year. The result is that in periods OF
low water the river level is steadily
receding. During the present veal
alone the power plant suction pipe has
been extended a distance of 100 feet
The intake point is now some 500 feet
from the pumps, and the vertical lift
is 20 feet. AS the theoretical limit is
"a feet, and this has seldom been
reached even under the most favor.
able conditions, it is apparent that
our pumps are undoubtedly doing al
| that could be expected of them, anC
that the deficiency of the water sup.
ply on the occasion of the ice factory
fire was in no measure due to in
efficiency on the part of the power
plant equipment or crew.
Plaquemine, White Castle and Ma
poleonville are some of the towns in
this section successfully using wells
as source of water supply for fire
fighting and all other purposes, ano
| there is no known reason why Don.
aldsonville cannot do likewise. Mr.
Ivens says the cost of the installation
will not be great, and there is ample
room Immediately adjacent to the
powerhouse for the location of cir.
cular concrete reservoir, such as vii
be needed under the proposed system
The question of financing the pro
| ject must be solved by the light anc
water commission, with the communi
| tvs assistance. The matter is one ii
which every citizen and property
holder is directly and vitality interest
ed, hence there should be unanimous
and hearty cooperation on the par
of the local authorities and the people
Of the city in providing means for the
| improvement so essential to the gen
eral welfare and protection. What
ever expenditure is made for this pur
pose will be paying investment ii
the long run, since a great saving II
maintenance and operating expenses
will be assured, and the better water
to be obtained from wells will GER
tainly meet with a larger sale thar
the inferior supply now furnished, re.
sulting in more general use of the
product and corresponding increase
of the light and water commission
revenues.