The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-07-02
CITY TO PUT
IN ITS 0W n
) POWER PLANT
will Furnish Everything in
' Connection With New
Water Works
CITIZENS APPROVE
Question of Bringing Main in
on Avenue c Is Before
Commission
CITIZENS APPROX

The city commission just before
midnight Saturday after long
meeting at which members of the
citizens committee were present and
participated in the deliberations,
adopted motion to purchase oil en-
gines for furnishing power in the
new city water plant.
The action was taken to make the
water plant all-city-owned, to avoid
any conflict with the railroad COM
mission with regard to power rates,
and to give the city absolute con-
troll over the production and dis
tributon of water.
Many responsible citizens had
voiced their sentiment in favor of
the action as method of saving
p>,ney in the operation of the
plant, they urged as stronger rea-
son that the plant ought to be the
city's own in every way, and any
possibility of fights before the rail-
road commission such as have been
had in the past, or in the courts,
be avoided. The members were un-
animous on the proposition.
The commission will meet tonight
and probably determine the type Of
engines to be bought.
Main Question Up
The commission also may settle
the question Of bringing the big 16-
inch main to be installed, in on
Broadway or on Avenue C. City
Engineer Atkinson provided an en-
trance on Broadway; some others
want it on Avenue c to avoid tear
ing up pavement on Broadway. L.
p. Wolff of St. Paul, consulting en-
ginecr, is here to discuss various
matters with the commission.
There also was considered Satur-
day night the question of whether
to depend upon direct pressure sys-
tenn for fire protection or whether
to use booster pump or a pumper
on fire-fighting truck to furnish
extra pressure in case of fire.
The first proposition taken up
was bringing the main in on Avenue
c. A letter from the General In
specton Bureau doubling if this
would be satisfactory was read by
the city engineer. Mr.. Wolff said
that he had tried to find some plan
of avoiding 1G-inch main on
Broadway but had always come back
to Mr.. Atkinson's specifications. He
said the main was needed there to
provide fire protection in the busi-
ness district.
! Best Favors Avenue C
r. L. Best, called by Commission
cr Thompson, said that in 1915 he
took up the matter of fire protec-
ton with w. I. Fisher OF Minnca-
polls who, he said, makes the rates
for old line fire insurance compan-
les. A raise in rates was threaten
cd because there was only 12-inch
main from the water plant. He said
that Mr.. Fisher agreed that if 16
or 10 inch main were brought in on
Avenue C and down to Rosser, COM
pleting circuit and eliminating
dead ends in mains, this would be
satisfactory. Mr., Best urged this.
Henry Reade, state fire marshal,
also favored bringing the main in
on Avenue C to connect dead ends
at Rosser street. He SAID that the
city ought to have'a pumping en-
gine on it's fire truck to provide
pressure in case of fire.
Fire Commissioner Hcnzlcr also
favored use of a pumper and Com
missioner Thompson declared that
Bismarck ought to have pumper-
that it ought not start fighting
fires with direct pressure when 9th
cr cities were discontinuing it.
Mr.. Atkinson said he figured it
would be only $4,000 cheaper to
bring main in on Avenue c than
on Broadway. .
Pump Problem
The question of giving up "a 1000
gallon pump at the new water plant
designed to furnish extra pressure
in case of fire came up. Mr.. Wolff
said that if the 1000 gallon pump
were given up it meant the direct
pressure idea would be given up.
He said that more streams to fight
fire would be obtained by this
method than with pumper. Mr..
Wolff in answer to question said
:, that the pump ought to be started
instantaneously. Mr.. Thompson said
that now in case of fire the local
electric company has to be notified
befores power can be increased suf-
ficient to run it.
Mr.. Henzler reiterated he was in
favor of a pumper. A 75O-gallon
per minute pumper would give three
streams of water in fighting fire,
he said. Mr.. Henzler brought out
that if the direct pressure system
were used there would have to be
a man at the water plant "a hours
day to watch for this. Mt. LUCAS
said there would have to be watch
man anyway.
Fire Marshal Reade said sooner or
later the city would come to the
pumper. He said Minot had one
pumper, Fargo two and Grand Forks
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