Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-24
RESERVOIR FILLS AS
INDUSTRIES SUFFER.
ANOTHER SHUTDOWN
Potter to Be Asked to Credit
on FuelteSS Mondays City
Businessmen With Q Time
Lost While Water Is Lou

Lost While Water Is Lou
The water shortage to-day
can be summed up briefly as
follows:
Four feet, nine inches of water
in reservoir.
All industrial plants to re-
main closed at least another
day.
Arrangements completed for
connecting with Steelton water
mains. Steelton water plant to
furnish 100000 gallons daily to
southern part of city.
Entire west end of city north of
Hamilton street being supplied by
Stony Creek Water Company.
Residents using this supply noti-
fed to boil all water for drinking
purposes.
All householders urged to con-
serve water as much as possible. No
hydrants, spigots or other outlets
to be opened unless to draw water
for immediate use.
Exceptions on Industrial order
from Mayor Keister only ipplies TO
public utilities, milk depots, bakeries
and hospitals.
~ There is almost five feet OF water
In the city reservoir now Commits
NFt
ment, reported at noon to-day. This
supply is sufficient for domestic
purposes If. all residents conserve
the amount used, and with the
amount being pumped into the
reservoir showing a slow and steady
gain, danger of a famine has been
averted by the drastic orders of late
yesterday, which closed every man
ufacturing plant in the city. This
order will remain in effect at least
another twenty-four hours.
1t has resulted in a loss of
thousands of dollars to manufa c.
turers and has thrown hundreds of
men and women out of work. Mayor
D. L. Keister, approving the sugges-
ton of a representative of the Har-
risburg Telegraph, said he would
request Fuel Administrator Ross A.
Hickok to ask the government fuel
administration to give the city in
dustrial plants credit for the days
they are closed because of the
shortage and not to compel them to
close on "heatless' Mondays.
1t is understood Administrator
Hickok will communicate with DR..
Garfield at once.
Should Boil Water
The special committee. including
Commissioner Hassler, w. p. Star
key, John A. Affieck. Frank B. Mus
ser, Carl NJ. Kaltwasser and B. F.
Allen. may meet late this afternoon
to review reports from various
plants and from the water works.
Mr.. Kaltwasser last night COM
pleted arrangements for the use of
the Stony Creek Company water for
the west end of the city. AS this is
unfiltered water the State Depart
ment of Health at once notified the
city that the residents using it must
be warned to boil the water. En-
ployes of the water department were
sent over the district this after
noon, and school children in the up
town buildings were told to report
the Importance of boiling the water
to their parents.
Pressure Is Low
A number of complaints of low
pressure in the section using this
supply received at the water de-
partment resulted in an investiga-
ton by George II. Cobaugh, of the
department.
The offer of the Steelton Water
Department was made after a meet.
ing of the Steelton water board
called by President r. ]. Nelly. OF
| the Borough Council. The plan
which was worked out was suggest.
ed to city officials by Oliver p
Baskins, superintendent of the water
department. 1t is planned to lay
two lines of firehose from the mair
at Front and Gibson streets, Steel
ton, to a plug near the Elliott-Fish-
er Company plant in South Cam
eron street. This will give the city
about 100000 gallons daily from the
Steelton department, which fur
nishes filtered water. The supply
will be used for the lower end of
the city.
Up to Householders
That the residents of the city are
almost entirely to blame for the
shortage is the opinion of members
of the special committee named by
Mayor Keister. Commissioner Hass-
Ter declared to-day the wasting OF
water brought about the rapid drop
in the reservoir and said the resi-
dents must conserve now.
Trouble at the pumping station
may be responsible for some of the
shortage also, and as soon as the
reservoir is filled sufficiently the
pumps will be stopped and a thor
ough examination made.
At noon to-day no one had been
secured to come to the city and aid
the water department men in
handling the situation. Council
yesterday in special session author
lied obtaining an expert and long
distance calls were made to-day to
number of points in an effort to
engage a competent engineer.
Mr.. Starkey. of the HARRISBURG
Pipe and Pipe Bending works ar
ranged to send one of the men OF
the company to Pittsburgh to ar
range for the shipment of the g.
600. .000-gallon electric pump and
motor from that city. 1t was re-
ported to Commissioner Hassler to.
day that the railroad companies re-
fused to take the pump because oi
an embargo.
The big thirteen-ton casting fol
the pump now being repaired was
put in place to-day and will be con.