The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-07-31
Man From Sander
son and Porter
Put PumpSin
Shape
BOTH NOW WORKING
But Water Will Be Shut OFF
From City To-
night.

With both OF the city water pumps
working better than they have work
ed for two years and with a fairly
good supply Of awter already in the
reservoir the water famine which has
harassed Fairmont for the past week,
has apparently passed by.
The decided change in conditions at
the CITY reservoir were made over
night. Credit for repairing the pumps
and thus relieving the thousands OF
residents Of Fairmont and surround
ing territory who depend entirely upol
the FalrmOnt water system, belongs
TO w. z. Hamilton, Of the SandersOh
and Porter forces, assisted by mum
Der Of engineers furnished by the Con
solidatlon Coal Company.
Mr.. Hamilton. whom Water Commits
sloner Smith terms a wonder IL
handling machinery voluntarily offer.
cd his services free Of charge when
he learned Of the serious situation.
Dropping his duties entirely in the
construction o: the new Rive5ville
power plant lac went to work at the
city pump station and by $3.50 O'Clock
last night had one OF the pumps re.
paired and shooting a twenty inch
stream Of water into the city reser.
VOir. BY working until four O'Clock
this morning at which time he came
10 Fairmont 10 get something to eat.
the other pump was repaired and
started II did equally as well as the
first pump and today the two pumps
are both running in first class condi.
ton pumping at the rate OF seven and
One-half million gallons OF water per
day.
Going at this rate the reservoir
which last evening was almost dry
Is gradually filling and at o'clock
this morning a water pressure OF
thirty-five pounds was registered and
most everyone in the city were getting
water from their spigots.
Both Of the city pumps were opera.
ted all morning and at noon today the
pressure had increased to over forty
pounds. A sixty pound pressure Is
sufficient TO supply all the city's con.
Sumers with water. The gradual in.
crease in pressure since the pumps
were started indicate that the sixty
pound pressure will be reached before
many hours and that the people In
the most remote and highest parts Of
the city will have an ample supply OF
water
Although the water supply Is getting
better hourly. Commissioner Smith
urges all consumers &c be extraordi.
nary careful in the use Of water. using
water only when absolutely necessary.
Some places in the city where the wa.
ter Is not necessary were refused wa.
ter this morning.
Every effort will be made to con.
serve water and to keep both pumps
going until the reservoir is filled. As
means OF conservation the water IN
the city will be cut off between nine
ana ten O'Clock this evening and re.
ma on until early tomorrow morn.
Ing. With the two pumps working as
~ "NaANN quay u u uEllENGu ludL
the reservoir which holds eighteen
million gallons OF water can be filled
IN two days ard two nights. When
the reservoir is filled enc of the two
pumps will be stopped and additional
repairs made. One pump will be stop.
ped at a time until both have been
properly repaired
II Is believed that within ten or
twelve days the two pumps can be re.
paired sufficiently TO hold out for
eight or ten months until the new
boiler and new electric pump arrive
and are installed.
The aWter department IL grateful
% the excellent work Of Engineer
Hamilton who IS at the pump station
again today. the engineers OF the Con.
Folidatlon Coal Company. Baltimore
and Ohio railroad and Fairmont Min.
ing Machinery employees who so will.
ing offered their assistance.