The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-06
Possible That by 8
O'clock City Will
Get Water
SUFFERING INTENSE
Doctors Afraid Much Ill
ness Will Result From
Famine.

With the mercury standing at the
102 mark, the weather man promising
CONTINUED warmer for tomorrow, cy-
cry water line in the city absolutely
dry and with little prospects Of any
immediate relief. life IN Fairmont just
now is about as unpleasant as II can
be.
At one o'clock this afternoon Com
missioner Ira l.. Smith of the Water
department announced that one pump
would be in operation about four
O'Clock this afternoon. In making the
announcement he felt confident fol
the pump which is 90 be started has
been thoroughly repaired and It's Is
believed that nothing more can pos
sible happen to It.
Commissioner Smith says: There
Is nothing more than can happen 10
this pump. Everything has happen
ed"
Should the pump be started at four
o'clock IL will be Cight o'clock before
water can be secured in any parts OF
the city. as II takes about four hours
for the water to get TO the consume $
after il is actually started Tor the
river.
The other pump. made by the Ep'
ping Carpenter firm is in a very bad
condition, and 1t is not az all likely
that il can be operated for five days.
Should the one pump be started, as
reported. the needs OF the city Will
be provided for. allowing repairs 10
the Epping Carpenter pump.
In Yesterdays issue OF The West
Virginian it was reported thta some
might have water by evening pro
viding no more unexpected trouble
turned up" The latter part OF Com
missioner Smiths announcement pro
we'd TO be quite important for late yes
terday afternoon, about the time the
workmen at the pump station were
getting ready 20 start things, addition
al trouble turned up and all plans for
a water supply yesterday and even
for today were frustrated.
Since yesterday afternoon when the
additional trouble was discovered,
three shifts OF experts from the Fair
mont Mining Machinery Company, OF
four men each. have been on the job
assisting the regular pump station
force. In the last forty-cight hours
these men have removed 20 tubes from
the condenser, cleaned all except five
or six which were entirely rOtted OUT
and had 10 be replaced with new tubes
and made a general oyerhauling of the
vacuum pump. All this work has been
done on the one pump which was sup
posed TO have been started yesterday
afternoon.
The EpDingCarpenter pump Is ont
OF commission because Of "A broken
piston head which weighs just 1900
pounds. The piston head has been
removed TO the Fairmont Mining Ma
chinery plant where II is now being
repaired.
The representative Of the Epping
Carpenter company and n helper are
working diligently on this pump while
the Mining Machinery employees are
repairing the piston head.
Engineer Hawkins left Fairmont
yesterday for YOUNGSTOWN. o., where
nc - uldhllk an Ills llAAlNA VI AAA' ~
Ond-handed boiler which will likely be
purchased by the city. Nothing more
has been heard from Engineer Miller
who has been in New York city con-
fefing with George ". Fuller in an
effort tohaye him come to FairmOn,
70 make recommendations as 10 how
Improvements that should be made
90 Fairmonts water system. Ensin-
eer Fuller is one OF the best water
experts in the country today, having
been placed Ia charge OF the insial.l.
ton OF the water systems in sixteen
OF the largest government canton
ments Within ninety days after he
assumed his duties the water systems
we're in operation. An effort Will De
made TO have him come 10 Fairmoat
just as soon as he can possibly do 50.
Tie water which had boca stored
up by most Fai.n0nt families the lat
ter part Of last week wlen there was
Q good awter pressure was practically
CONTINUED on Page Eighth