Weekly journal-miner., 1918-10-09
FIRE DESTROYS WATER PLANT
 AT DEL R|O
MUNICIPAL PUMPING STA TON NORTH OF CITY IS GUTTED BY FLAMES AND LOSS MAY MOUNT TO NEARLY S75.0G0.
(From Wednesdays Daily.)

Caused either by defective wiring or an over-heated stove, the city $ Del Rio pumping plant, which sup plies a large portion of the municipal water. was yesterday afternoon de- suoyed by fire and. ii is feared, the electric pumps and motors seriously damaged
 While presenting a grave problem, city officials last night expressed themselves as confident that the new Groom Creek project, which will be in readiness within a week to furnish water. will overcome in good part the loss. of supply through the destruc- ton of the Del Rio plant.
 Mayor Harry Heap, after a careful review of the situation, stated that with a mile of pipe, water could be pumped directly from Banning creek, through the Groom creek plant, to Fort Whipple In sufficient quantity not only to supply all possible needs of the enlarged post, but possibly to leave surplus for city use. This, with the water that can be developed from the Granite Creek plant, whiie making il necessary to strictly con. serve water within the city, Is expect ed to overcome, in great part, the loss sustained through the destruction of the Del Rio plant, until such time a> new and adequate plant can b. built
 Tn the meantime, City Clerk Frank Whisman. with force of workmen, is. al the scene Of the fire, to ascertain the damage and, if it is found tha, the pumps at Del Rio are still ser viceable. to arrange for the rehabili- tation of the plant as rapidly as pos sible. At the time the pumping en- gineers came in to report the fire, the ruins were still smouldering, so that it was impossible to make an in. spection and ascertain the condition of the pumps.
 Day Engineer ]. K Miller was at the plant at the time the fire wa> discovered. Night Engineer F. F.. Tamison. who occupied rooms above the brick house which enclosed the machinery, had prepared his break fast on the coil stove in the room, at about D. m, and had then gone for a walk Returning shortly, he found the roof in flames. Just as he came up. Engineer Miller, seated reading ;n front of the pump house discover cd the fire, and, with a short hose kept at the plant, attempted to qucnch the flames, but without sue cess. the fire rapidly spreading to the engine room, igniting the oil-soaked interior, with the result that ethe structure was burned to the ground. Both Miller and JamisOn fear the in tense heat may have damaged the big pumps and motors beyond repair
 At the present price of machinery and supplies, 1t IS estimated that full ly S75.000 will be required to replace the loss.
 Until such time as the Groom Creek supply is linked up, it will be absolutely necessary, city officialN point out. for every user of municipal water to curtail their usual require~ ments. in order to guarantee an ade- quate supply in case of fire Consum- CTS are urged to discontinue sprink- ling of laws, and to use no water for any purpose that can be dispensed with temporarily Industrial con- sumers are likewise appealed to. to cut down their consumption to the irreducible minimum With these curtailments, it is believed the city can meet the situation without hav~ ing to resort to more drastic meas