Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-03
FIX WATER PLANTS !.
FIRST, SAYS MAYOR
Moore, After Inspection, Calls
improvements More Neces-
sary Than Art Galleries
100000 NOT SUFFICIENT

A substantial and reliable water
supply for Philadelphia ahead OF art
galleries and bouleverds is urged by
Mayor Moore. Inspection of the city's
water system yesterday convinced him
that It was "run down at the heel
and should be placed on an efficient
basis without delay.
The Mayor, accompanied by Director
Winston. OF the Department of Public
Works. and Chief Davis, of the Water
Bureau. visited the city's filtration
plants and pumping stations.
The inspection brought out the fact
that the water system has been allowed
greatly to deteriorate, and it was pre-
dicted that q SO. 900 900 fund available
for water works repair will be far from
sufficient for this work. More money
will be required.
Queen Lane Needs
Changes may have to be made in the
Queen Lane filter plant, as water left
in the beds to be filtered freezes and it
is necessary to chop through the ice to
run a fresh supply.
Director Winston shares the Mayor s
opinion that it would be better to post
pone some of the city's other under /,
takings and get its water supply in good
condition first. Yesterdays inspection
followed an appeal by Chief Davis. He
said he had been urging examination OF
the citys water system for the last four
years.
first visited the site Of the old Spring
Garden pumping station and IN
spected the site of the reservoir
there, with a view of establishing a
repair shop, which would serve the needs
of the entire water bureau. No definite
decision was reached on that plan.
Davis Tells Needs
The party also visited the Queen
Lane pumping station and reservoir.
That part of the system. Mr.. Davis
explained, was more urgently in need
of improvement. He said it would
cost one half of the $4,000 900 avail
able for the improvement of that sta,
ton. Under the plans already made
by Mr.. Davis, extensions such as he
suggested to the Mayor, would double
tne Cupdclty VI Ine SSueen ,,"AS pi,
More than fifty million gallons would
be added to the present capacity OF
the pumping station.
"This work. the Mayor said,
"should be undertaken at the earliest
possible moment"
At the Torresdale filtration plant,
where Delaware water is purified, an
outlay of $500, 900 was declared needed
for new engines, stokers and other
mechanical devices. The Mayor also
visited this plant.
At Lardners Point
Overbauling at the Lardners Point
Pumping Station, such as is desired by
Mr.. Davis, will cost S240, 900. The
party had intended going also to Shaw
mont and through the West Philadel-
phia district Because of the lack oi
time, however, this part of the inspec-
| tion was postponed.
''It might pay to postpone less nee
ossary matters" said the Mayor, "tc
effect these much needed improvements
Mr.. Davis was correct. found, wher
he pointed out the city's needs in thi!
respect. The system is plainly rur
down at the heel. Much has been sale
concerning the need of art galleries
and parkways. I appreciate the value
of public expenditures for such pur.
poses. But nothing is more essentia
than clean streets, proper police protec
ton and good water supply, and thos,
needs, believe, should first be fulfilled
We have not the money to do everythin,
we would like to do and the availabl,
funds will be used for the most neces
sary requirements"