The Wilmington morning star., 1940-10-27

l. col Ioob bSAo" $500
ton caused a variable water con
dition running from extremely
high color, bacteria and very low
burbidity at dead low water, to a
condition of very high turbidity,
with low color and less bacteria
contamination at high water. Thus
the characteristics of the water
we're changing at all hours of the
day and night, reaching two peaks
every day. A peak being at either
high or low tide.
'Third,-The annual increment
of salt in the water of the North
east River, which was gett--5 low
err and lower each year in run off,
or because the tides swept further
and further up the River, caused
by widening, Strengthening or deep
ening the River channel, or for
other reasons beyond control.
Information on hand showed,
that salt water seldom, or never,
reached the lower enc of Toom-
er's Creek. The assumption wa
made, and proved correct, ha
when salt water reached the low
err end of the Creek, it would be
possible to dam the lower end and
take water only from the upper
end. This was done in 1925 or 1926
when salt water reached the low
er end of the creek.
For several years, or until the
lower dam, a temporary affair,
built in three days, broke through,
we had little trouble with salt In
the water.
eve were able to keep it out by
much hard work and numerous
patchings of the lower dam.
I'm 1888, the lower dam having
almost completely given way, it
was decided that with the help OF
CWA we would rebuild the lower
dam on a more permanent basis,
build an upper dam, and dixie the
creek on both sides to prevent the
increment of salt water caused by
further widening, deepening and
Strengthening the channel OF the
river. This was done as an emer-
gency measure, pending the final
Settlement of adoption of a lper-
manent remedy by tapping the
Cape Fear River above and be-
yond the lower locks. This last
work was undertaken to serve un-
fill nermanent remedies could be
adopted. 1t was know, stated and
supposedly understood that this
would serve only until such time
as there was salt water at low
tide at the upper end of TONERS
Creek. This we Rave had since
October 8, 1910, with very little
or no chance of aprovement IN
sight, but with a six weeks dry
spell ahead.
The main contributing factors
at present are; - the lowest rain
fall in ten years over the entire
watershed; - the extremely high
tides, driven up River by north
east winds, and the removing OF
the horseshoe bend ~bove Point
Peter, thereby reducing the dis
lance to our reservoir by n and
one half miles.
IAN adequate watersupply from
underground sources has b ee n
studied for many years. Numbers
of wells have been driven, and it
is the concensus of opinion among
well drillers, that if an adequate
supply is developed by lowering
the head sufficiently, the deeper
strata of water might break
through thus running the whole
source of supply without warning.
Therefore this source is elimin-
ated in that there is no guarantee
of success.
IT understand that at different
times surveys have been made by
numbers of engineers, superficial
ly, also complete survey: by Ha-
zen and Whipple of New York,
Hazelhurst and Andersen of At
lanta, ]. L. Ludlow. of Winston
Salem, and Mr.. c. W. Smedberg,
of the Carolina En-; ,eering Com
pany of Charlotte, and the State
Board of Health, records of which
are not in my possessi' Includ-
ed in these surveys was a report
which was adverse to the use OF
Greenfield Lake rs a source of
water supply for Wilmington.
"In 1882 I filed with the Board OF
City Commissioners a complete,
survey by Mr.. J.. L. Becton, as
sisted by J. A. Loughlin, the pres
ent City Engineer, reporting on
four sources of supply. In this re.
port the conclusion reached was
that there is only one source OF
supply which would guarantee tc
Wilmington water free of salt 1865
days each year.
ION October 10, 1910 the Board
of City Commissioners had a very
lengthy conference WITH Mr.. R. R.
Schweitzer, President of Layne-At-
lantic Company, the w DIS
Largest Ground Water developers,
and one of his engineers.
cat the conclusion of this con-
ference Mr.. Schweitzer was re-