The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-10-11
CITY?S WATER
INTAKESUBJECT'
0FDIFFERENCES
Difficulties Arising Over Con
structiOn Are Aired at
Special Meeting
CLAIM PLANS WRONG
Question of Whether or MOI
Intake Will Work When
Put In Is Raised

Difficulties arising over the con-
struetion of an intake to the new Bis
marck water works plant were con-
sidered last evening at a special
meeting of the City Commission. The
meeting was called at the suggestion
of Harry Thompson, commissioner in
charge of the water works depart
ment.
It, is claimed by one side to the
controversy that the blue prints pre-
pared by T. r. Atkinson do not ac-
curately set forth the bed of the
river and if the work is completed
as per his instructions that the in
take pipe will be six feet below the
river bed and that it slants the
wrong way to properly feed water
into the we'll by gravity.
City engineers have ordered the
Woodrich Construction company to
continue as per the Atkinson plans.
Mr.. Thompson to avoid any possible
future difficulties in making the in
take work introduced resolution
last evening to have dsinterested
engineer check up the contentious Of
all parties and find if the facts were
| as contended. This resolution was
not supported and the work will pro-
ceed as outlined
Contend Will Cave In
1t is contended by competent au-
thorities that when the cofferdam or
lining about the intake is removed
that all sides will cave in and cover
the intake with silt or quick sand.
1t is also contended that the intake
pipe has sunk some three inches al
ready.
City engineers claim that the work
of the construction company has
changed the general bed of the riv-
er in this section and when sheeting
is removed that the intake will work
At present the perfectly good in
| take of the old water plant and the
we'll in connection thereto are being
used. The water is pumped twice,
from the river into the old we'll by
electricity. When it reaches the new
plant it is lifted by the Diesel en-
gine. This calls for an extra pump
ing CHARGE a burden on the tax
payers.
1t is contended that the old we'll
and intake could have been used at
saving of betweGn $4,000 to $780,
900 to the taxpayers Of Bismarck. MIR.
Atkinson, however. would not have
received percent commission as he
does upon the present contract work
on the new intake. Cost of the new
intake has not been figured as con-
siderable of the work is being done
upon cost plus basis due to alter
ations in levels by the city engineer.
Alleged Defects :.
One of the defects in the present
intake plans, it is urged, is due to the
fact that the intake pipe instead of
sloping down from the river to the
new we'll, rises upward from the
river to the we'll, reverse of what
is usually the case in work of this
kind, engineering experts contend.
City engineers claim the level for
pipe as provided in their plans will
work and not clog up with silt Us
experts opposing this plan contend.
Soundings made privately by ex-
perts fail to coincide as to the bed
of the Missouri and raised the seri-
Gus issue as to the feasibility of the
Atkinson plans as regards the intake.
The City Commission decided, how
ever, to await actual testing out of
the intake before employing addition
al engineering advice.
Considerable interest attaches to
the two views, but it is urged that
most of the work done to date will
be worthless if the contention of ex-
perts for the construction company
as regards the intake are true.
Commissioner Thompson urged
that before the cofferdam is remov-
ed and the work imperiled that the
City Engineer be checked up as a
matter of precaution as already
thousands of dollars of the taxpayers
money had been spent upon the in
take. He said it was merely a pre-
cautionary measure and in no way
reflection on anyone.
Assistant Engineer Dickinson in
Mr.. Atkinson's absence contended
that the work as outlined by the blue
prints and soundings furnished by
him would give the city an adequate
| intake to the new plant,