Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-12-14

Mr.. Hall reports that the pumping
capacity is adequate and this is cor
rect. Indeed we have considerable
excess capacity over ordinary de-
mands.
The Triplex Pump is driven by an
over-shot water turbine. While this
power is cheaper than electricity
there is considerable expense about
it; for example, the race will have to
be cleaned next summer for q
distance of about one-half mile which
is an expensive job and should be
distributed over the period since the
last cleaning. No cleaning was in
cluded in the year upon which our
| figures are based.
The recent repairing and housing
referred to was the building OF
house over the turbine, necessltated
! by the tearing down OF the old mill
I, building, and the replacement OF the
forebay and apron which had rotted.
/, We believe that the cost OF these
would have been only small per-
centage of the cost of installing an
under-shot turbine, and we do not
see how Mr. Hall can make the state
meDt which he does without knowing
how much we spent on these inn
provements or making any estimate
of the cost Of the installation Of an
under-shot turbine under the exist
ing condition.
In regard to the Reservoir over
flowing, we do not believe that this
has happened more than two or three
times in the last year, and the water
wasted is negligible. In order to
maintain the highest efficiency of
service, we aim to keep the water
about three feet from the top of the
reservoirs, but there is constant huc-
tuation, of course, and occasionally
4 it may be greater than usual and
cause slight overflow.
4. Distribution System.
Pressure naturally depends upon
the topograph of the country and, as
Mr.. Hall states, it is as good as can
be expected unless the reservoirs
were raised which would mean great
expense and increased cost of pump
ing against a higher pressure.
In regard to fire-hydrants we have
just had each hydrant inspected by a
competent man, who has worked on
this system for years, and files his
affidavit herewith. It appears there
from that none of the nozzles are
too near the ground for efficient use
except the one on South Mildred
street, where the street is now being
filled in, the work not yet completed,
and this hydrant will be raised to
meet the new street grade as soon as
practicable. For the present it
could be used in emergency, as it is
only surrounde dby loose earth, the
the street not yet having been laid.
1t will appear from the affidavit that
only three of the MIGRANTS sho wany
signs of leaking, and that these are
very small leaks due to defective
washers of the valves not being tight
ly closed. They would in no way in
terfere with the use of the hydrant
unless they caused freezing, and we
have ordered new washers to be put
in, if necessary, before freezing
weather.
| Al of the fire hydrants are on six
inch or four inch mains. In regard
to the fire in August 1920, Mr.. Hall
has evidently reported hear-say
which he has picked up without prop
erly investigating the facts, and we
are prepared to show, if necessary
that during this fire we had the usua
head of water in the reservoirs, ano
that the Fire Marshall did not ever
have an engine connected with this
plug or make any attempt to pump
out of it. 1t is on high elevation
at long distance from the reser
voirs and the gravity pressure is nee
essarily less than on most of the by
drants. If the Commission wishes
to consider this matter we ask an op
portunity to be heard on the facts
In regard to the three MIGRANTS il
Ransom, we call the Commissions at
tention to the fact that less than IL
: per cent of our revenue is derived
from Ransom; that these three plugs
were placed under an agreement
with the Old Improvement Company
many years before the Town came
into existence, and that up to Apri
LIST last, they had, as far as the Re
ceiver knows, never been paid fol
and the Company had left them there
as mere accommodation to its con.
sumers, who were nearby property
owners. Last spring we needed one
of these hydrants in Charles Town
and notified the consumers in the
neighborhood that we would have to
take these hydrants up and use then
elsewhere if they were not paid for
The consumers in the neighborhooc
therefore agreed to pay for them in.
dividually and afterwards at their in
stance the Town assumed the obliga-
ton and began paying as of April
LIST last.
S. Rates.
We do not comment on this Sec
ton, as the arrangement of sche-
dule of rates falls within the prov
ince of the Commission itself, whose
members are qualified to pass upon
the questions involved upon the facts
presented, and we submit it is not
the engineers business to advise the
Commission in this respect.
6. Contract Consumers.
The estimate of 100000 gallons
per month used by the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad Company must neces-
sarily be a matter of guess-work as
we understand that Mr.. Hall made nc
effort to make a fair estimate except
by talking to the Agent and others
about the number of trains etc. We
consider this figure too high guess,
but if the railroad is to be metered,
it is immeterial except that it should
not be used in estimating the amount
of revenue that can be obtained from
the Railroad Company. 1t is our
opinion that an annual revenue of
$1494.00 as estimated in the report
is unreasonably high and that if this
amount were insisted upon the Rail
road would be forced to discontinue
the service at Charles Town as they
have plenty of water at Millville, a
nearby station, which they could
pump themselves much more cheap
ly. A fairly accurate estimate of
the amount used by the Railroad
Icould be obtained by Keeping a rec
ord of the capacity If the locomotive
tanks and noting the amount of