The Wilmington morning star., 1940-11-03

| quaint IQe puOAS "Aa
taken by its Commissioners TO
meet the present emergency ana
to establish a permanent water IN
take.
On October 9, 1910, Commission
or Wade filed a report with the
City Commissioners regarding the
ralt content Of the City water sup
Nv. The report stated that Is To-
cations had been provided where
fresh water could be secured by
citizens for cooking and drinking
purposes and that the salt content
showed a decrease since October
3. and further reported that he
had been in contact with several
individuals and representatives OF
underground water supply engi-
Fneers: and moved that a special
meeting be called for October 10 for
the purpose of meeting with a rep
r~esentative from the Layne Allan
tic company, the largest under
ground water engineering company
in the world, for a discussion of
ways and means of obtaining a per-
manent supply Of fresh water for
the City of Wilmington. On Octo-
Der 10, 1910, the Board Of City
Commissioners had a lengthy con-
erence with R. R. Schwertzer,
President of the Layne Atlantic
company, and one of his engineers.
Mr.. Schwertzer, under letter Of Oc-
tober q, confirmed his conversa-
ton with the Commission in e.
CARDS to making a complete survey
of underground water supply
sources in this territory. In re-
Spouse to a request made upon the
State Board of Health in Raleigh,
Warren H. Booker, Director Di-
vision Sanitary Engineering, filed
a report with the City Commis-
sioners. On October IA, McKeen
Maffitt, Superintendent of the Wa
ter Department, filed a report with
the Commission and on October 20,
filed another report. Also reports
on salt tests made by the United
States Engineering office on Octo-
Der 5, and October 81, showing salt
content, each giving SAT- content
from the Customs House in Will
mington for a distance of Is miles
up the Cape Fear River, were
filed with tn eCommission. AS
pointed out in a communication
nder date of October %, from
Commissioner Wade to the board
of City Commissioners, the pre-
ponderence of evidence in these
reports above referred to showed:
y That groupd water as a source
of supply for the City of Whining
ton is eliminated. (2) That there
is no guarantee that more salt
water will not reach Castle Hayne
at any time in the future, and that
Elimination of color will be costly
and that industrial plants located
at Castle Haynes on the Northeast
River have already experienced
trouble from brackish water. Cas-
tie Hayne is about q miles from
Wilmington by river. 90 That all
other sources of supply including
Greenfield Lake reported on by
the engineers either containd salt
or the supply is inadequate. "a
That it is absolutely necessary for
the welfare of the City and its peo-
pie to obtain an adequate fresh
water supply at all times.
Thus, the record disclosing that
the only source of supply free from
the likelihood of objectional salt
content and color is at least as far
as Federal Lock Number One at
Kings Bluff on the Cape Fear
River, the only feasible course to
pursue is that looking towards the
construction of an intake at that
point. Accordingly on October %,
the Commission, actin upon the
recommendations of Commissioner
Wade, approved an appropriation
to the public through the city
mains from deep wells, thereby
providing for the public a more
convenient method of securing
fresh water during the period of
existence of the present emergen-
cy. $50 dCl1nS upon Tie IeCOlIl
mendation of Commissioner Wade,
the Commissioners approved Com
missioner Wade's recommendation
that the Board of Commissioners
mendation of c mossimio Wren
intelligent consideration to the rec
ord facts with respect to the water
supply for the City and the seeking
of assistance from WPA and that
an election be called to provide
necessary funds with which to ex-
tend the intake to a point above
Kings Bluff; and that pending fl
nal decision by the Board of City
| Commissioners and the public, the
Public Works Departm INT be auth.
orized to prepare for the consider
alton of the Board, with the assist
ance of WPA a project for provid-
ing for the proposed extension. The
Commissioners are diligently
working on this plan.