Putnam patriot., 1927-03-25


 some uf the committee members that it may be to some advantage Co cut down the height of the tanks ten fee which they did at the sacrifice of five pounds pressure. In all the esti- mates submitted by Mr Palmer there IS one very important feature that seems Co have been ignored. That is the necessity of running q large main from School street to the Oak hill tank a distance Of a thousand feet CT more at possible cost of between four and five thousand dollars. That part which could not be dispensed with would bring the estimate some what over Sl00. .O00 Although 1t was included in Mir Perry's last statement in The Putnam Patriot as part of the Palmer plan it was not agreed upon until the estimate of Sio0,000 had been given. The adoption was made after Mir. Sharpe and the commis sioners had shown Co the council com mittee that the present service to the Oak hill tank would not be adequate 70 supply a million gallon reservoir. Another matter of expense that has not been mentioned in comparing costs; MT Symonds. in his estimate, included the engineering fees, which were not included in Mr. Palmerss estimates. at least it was not men toned. We don't know what his rates are. but if they are at least ten per cent vou can see what 1t means. So we firmly believe that before the work is completed according to NIT. Pal mer's plan that the cost will not be very far behind our first estimates. And to the mind of the commission CTS not so much in EBe of permanent improvement.
 A Few Companions
 We have spoken of heights and pressures. etc, on account Of eleYa= tion. Now let us make a few com parisons of the relative values of the different locations mentioned for re seevoirs. According ta the typogra= phical chart of the U. :. the level of the top of Richmond hill is about ninety feet higher than the top of Oak hill and about seventy fee higher than the top of Oak hill and about seventy feet higher than Bates hill. This explains the requirements of ninety foot tank on Oak hill and seventy foot one on Bates hill in order to get the same pressure that will be furnished by concrete reservoirs on Richmond hill which would require ne repainting periodically, thereby mak- ing finished and permanent job. And for another comparison. by erecting steel tanks as proposed in the Palmer plan. it will require the erection et about seventy feet of tank on Oak hill before the level of the bottom Of the proposed Richmond hill concrete reservoir is reached and about iift5 feet on Bates hill this will explain that in case of bad fire when the water has been drawn down in tanks in ease of accident to the pumps. the pressure would likewise decrease whilst in the Richmond hill reservoir every drop Of water would be avail able at a higher pressure. There Was q great deal of stress laid on the mat Ter of two reservoirs at different points. which we de not deny that fhere is certain advantage. provid= ing the proper kind can be erected at a suitable height. It Is also recom- mended by the N. F.. Insurance EN- change but they will tell you that they do not look at things from an economic standpoint for city. They consider the fire protection only SD if we get the required amount Of storage and pressure We are rated as well as if We had two or more tanks, as you saw by their letter. that they gave their approval for our first plan.
 After submitting Mir Symonds' and Mr Palmer's second plans. We re- ceived the following reply:
 Letter In Reply
 Boston. Mass, October 30. 1926 Board of Water Commissioners, Put
 nam. Conn.
 Attention Mr. Alexander Gilman. Chairman.
 Gentlemen:
 We have examined the plans and proposals submitted on the three schemes of improvement of the water supply for the city of Putnam
 It is not our province of course to advise on the economic operation of the plant but from fire protection standpoint we always recommend that the greater amount of water storage obtainable beyond the pumps is ad yantageous in overcoming any un- reliability of pumping equipment and force and supply mains.
 The placing of storage at separat- ed points close to the distribution system also increases the reliability of operation and permits delivery of fire flow through smaller supply mains than if from single source of stor. age.
 Two of the schemes contemplate such a separation of storage and from the above statement it would appear the value of these schemes outweighs the third,
 Tn considering the total amount of storage it seems the plan calling for 2 GOO, GOO gallons is none too large. as this amount is only slightly in excess of the present requirements to elimi- nate a deficiency in fire flow demands in connection with consumption, when the two largest pumps may be out of service. With any appreciable in- crease in the consumption rate it would be necessary to provide even greater storage to obviate deficiency on the above basis The caleula fions used in arriving at the deficiency mentioned, contemplated the water power pump would be remaining in service, however. troahles could de- velop in the other pumps at times