The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-01-16

ing the city administrations from
Ashton to Pocatello, assembled a
the water meeting at Pocatello Mon
day afternoon to consider matter!
pertaining to the construction of al
aqueduct from Big Springs to Po
catello to supply water for domestic
purposes. A convass of the situa.
tion and reports from the various
delegates indicated that all of the
towns are either needing better OF
larger water supply or expect to out
grow their present supply in the near
future. All expressed a desire to
enter into a cooperative work for
renewing their supply provided it
was better than they could get, and
provided further that it would be to
the best interests of the valley in it's
development.
Mr. Wilson of the engineering firm
of Cotton & Wilson of Idaho Falls
reported that he had made some esti-
mates on the aqueduct and reported
as follows:
The present population of the val
ley and the cities along the line of
the proposed aqueduct does not ex-
ceed $4,000. He estimates that this
population will double by the year
1880 and will increase another so
per cent by the year 1910. In esti-
mating for the size and capacity of
the aqueduct he based the size for
the probable population of the year
1910. The principal cost of laying
a wood pipe on top of the ground, he
placed at from ten to eleven million
dollars dividing the expense among
the different towns. He allotted
one-fifth or two million of it to be
paid by Blackfoot, about three mil
lion by Pocatello and two and one
half million to Idaho Falls. The
rest being. distributed among the
smaller towns and villages.
He represented that the wood pipe
would not be very satisfactory but
hat the cost of putting in metal pipe
Or cement would be entirely out of
he reach of the present population,
md that the cost of burrying a pipe
would increase the expense. A pipe
aid on top the ground would be sub
ect to the elements, freezing in
winter and making the water too
warm in summer. The leakage thru
he slaves would freeze in winter
Ind cake the pipe thereby doing
some damage and especially peel off
he outer part of it when it was
and falling off. 1t would
llso be subject to damage by fire
With possible breakage and repairs,
nus cutting off the service for all the
owns below such breaks during the
,eriod of repairs
The next engineer to offer some
hing on this subject, was w. A.
INNS of Pocatello. He had made
"A estimate and placed the cost of a
wood pipe at ten and one-half mil
ion and he stated that Mr., Wilson's |
nalysis of the situation was in keep
ng with what he had intended to
ay. When questioned as to the cost
f an iron pipe he said it would cost
Hout twenty million, tho he was un-
BILE to give figures that were at all !
xact and thought cement construc-
ion would cost thirty million.
Mr.. Anderson of the Bannock En-
ineering company of Pocatello had
one over the subject and made care
ul estimates and he occupied the
oor for long tome with his state
lents and answering questions put
y the delegates. He agreed with
he other engineers as to the wood
ipe, but said that the City of Po-
atello had had enough experience
nth wood pipe to wholly condemn
:. 1t leaks badly all the year, is
ubject to heavy damage in winter by
saking and freezing and the life of
7ood pipe is from ten to twenty
ears. He said the wood pipe line
'ould have outlived it's period of
sefulness before the bonds were
aid off. He represented that the
ost of metal pipe would be about
ouble the cost of wood pipe and
lat the life of metal pipe is only
bout twenty-five or thirty years. He
ltroduced a new line of reasoning,
lowing that the pipe line leading
own the valley and following the
abroad, passing thru or near the
,wns to be served, was not feasible
ecause the high pressure was at the
pper end of the valley. The weight
the water in the pipes leading thru
le whole country down onto. the
lain at st. Anthony was greater
ian the pipes would stand. There
re they would have to put in reser-
oirs to kill the pressure. When the
ater was delivered into the pipes in
le valley the grade is so light, the
iction on the pipes would make it
scesary to put in pumping plants to
rce it thru the pipes and up into ;
le buildings in all the towns. He
i'd the grade should be divided
lually by running the pipe line
'ound the foot hills and keeping it
gh above the valley turning the
ater into reservoirs along the way,
aving reservoir to supply each
wn, and a side line extending from I
e reservoir to the town. The res !
voir in each case to be high enough
)Ove the town to give just the {
Mount of pressure they needed. The [
WINS would be SO far from the main {
le it would require side lines ex- {
nding from five to twelve miles tot
inject the reservoirs with the town {
pply. Construction Of the aque-