The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-02-02

| is considering tha matter or buying
the local water works, and the mayor
and council are sufficiently interest.
ed to take the necessary steps to sub
| NIT the question to the people in
the form OF bond election. Under
these circumstances it becomes the
duty of the press to furnish the pub
lie with information as to what the
water company have to sell, and the
condition of the property.
Reference has heretofore been
made to the pumping plant but no
statement as to the value or condi-
tion of the property has been pub
lished for a number of years except
ing some that was based upon the
discussions in the council meeting,
some of which was confessedly guess
work.
The organization known as the
Blackfoot Water Works dates from
1910, and it's visible property is To-
Gated in the central part of town at
the corner of East Bridge street and
Stout avenue. 1t consists of tower
and tank 1O5 feet high with water
capacity of $4,000 gallons; surface
tank made of cement, with capacity
of $4,000 gallons; some buildings for
housing the pumping machinery and
wells consisting Of the following:
Two eight-inch wells, equipped
with single-action deep well pumps
driven by 15-horse power motors and
also connected with Is h. p. steam
engines capable of lifting 1000 gal
Ions an hour each.
One 12-inch well, equipped with a
double action American deep well
pump driven by 20 h. p. motor
and also connected with a rs h. p.
steam engine, and capable of lifting
$1,000 gallons an hour.
One IL inch well, equipped with
vertical centrifugal deep well pump
driven by Is h. p. motor direct, no
belts, capable Of lifting $4,000 gal
ions an hour.
One 12-inch we'll, equipped with a
horizontal centrifugal pump driven
by a Is h. p. motor direct, capable
of lifting $50 gallons an hour, and
is used for elevating water from the
surface tank to the tank on the
tower.
One 12-inch we'll, equipped with
triplex fire pump capable of lifting
25, 900 gallons an hour.
Each of the above wells has a
depth Of 12O feet and reaches about
IS feet into the lava beds, and Is
cased up to make it impossible for
surface water to get into it. In ad-
dition to these there is a surface well
seven feet in diameter and 65 feet
deep, cased with a heavy cement
wall from top to bottom. This was
provided for use in times of fire and
with direct connections with the city
mains, so at the moment of fire
alarm, the triplex pump could be
started lifting water from 1t and
forcing it directly into the fire mains.
In recent Encouragement the pump
was removed from this and connect
ed with the new 12-inch well, and
the plans for improvement contem-
plate drilling this shallow well down
to the depth of the others.
A large set of boilers recently in
stalled and connected with steam en-
gines provide means of supplying
high power If the electric power
fails.
The motors and pumps have auto
matte control, SO that when either
tank is filed to capacity, the float in
the top of the tank turns the switch |
and stops the pumping. AS the water
line is lowered by consumption of
water, the float again releases the |
power and pumping continues.
The system of distribution of
water is visible at the pumping sta
ton in seven, six and four-inch
mains leading out along the streets,
and governed by battery of large
valves so it can be sent in any d.
rection at the will of the operator.
There are between 10 and II miles
Of pipe lines thruout the city.
The water company having an
nounced that their plant had II cost
them more than they are asking for
1t, and that their books are open to
inspection by any citizen of Black
foot who wishes to study the ques-
tion of the purchase by the city, the
editor of The Republican visited
their Office and looked over the dup
licate copy of their report made last
June to the utilities commission
under oath, and also examined the
ledger In which are recorded the re-
ceipts and expenditures for num-
Der of years. It shows that the prop
srty has been developed with borrow
I'd money, improvements have been
made each year by the addition of
pipe lines and machinery and these
have been added to the cost of thG1
plant until it now reaches the sum
If 100000 The cost of operation,