REPORT 
OF 
Plan and Approximate Estimates 
OF COST TO SUPPLY THE 
CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS 
WITH WATER. 
PREPARED BY 
WM. E. WORTHEN, OF NEW YORK, 
Hydraulic Engineer. 
INDIANAPOLIS: 
WRIGHT, BAKER & COMPANY, 33 AND 35 SOUTH ILLINOIS ST., CITY PRINTERS. 
1874. MR. WORTHEN'S REPORT. 
New York, December 29, 1873. 
To Messrs. David Gibson, Austin H. Brown, J. H. Woodburn, Robert Kennington, and 
Thomas H. S. Peck, Special Committee on Water Works for the city of Indianap- 
olis : 
Gentlemen-Agreeably to the resolution of your Common Council, 
and in accordance with your request, I respectfully submit the fol- 
lowing report on what I consider the most feasible "plans for getting 
an ample and permanent supply of water for the city and its inhab- 
itants, and an approximate estimate of the cost of the same." 
REPORT. 
The two distinct systems of water supply to cities are by gravita- 
tion and by pumping. Of the first, New York and Boston are the 
most notable examples in this country; of the latter, Brooklyn, 
Philadelphia and St. Louis. 
A supply by gravitation is the drawing of the water from such a 
source that it can be distributed throughout the city at the required 
pressure without the aid of machinery; reservoirs being made use 
of contiguous to or within the limits of the city to maintain and 
equalize the head when the sources of supply are remote. There 
would be no hesitation on the part of any hydraulic engineer in 
recommending a supply by gravitation in preference to that by 
pumping, at a cost of construction equal to that of the latter system, 
and a funded debt equal to the capitalized cost of running and main- 
taining pumps and machinery. I understand that up the White 4 
.River, and at a less distance than that from which New York derives 
its water supply, your city could secure abundant and excellent water, 
with sufficient head for all ordinary requirements. But the cost of 
conduit or main such a distance makes the scheme impracticable to 
a city of your present population and resources. In the future, when 
a quarter of a million of inhabitants, with its industries, depend 
upon its water works for their supply and maintenance, it will be 
desirable and economical to look to the more remote source, where 
the water will then have less causes of pollution, where its softness 
makes it more applicable to industrial pursuits, and the cost and 
contingencies of pumping machinery may be avoided. 
In the system of supply and distribution of water by pumping, two 
methods have been adopted in this country and abroad. The first 
by pumping into a reservoir, and then distributing by gravitation. 
The second by pumping directly into the mains without the inter- 
vention of reservoirs; sometimes on account of inability to obtain 
land of sufficient elevation for reservoirs, or the extreme cost of the 
same; sometimes from a desire to employ a greater head than usual 
for fire purposes and avoid the necessities of fire engines. 
This method is perfectly practicable in small towns, but in large 
cities with which I am conversant, the difficulty lies not in the want 
of head at the reservoirs or pumps, but in the loss of head resulting 
from the small sizes of the distributing mains,* and of this you will 
find a practical example in your own city. 
My preference, and that of our first hydraulic as ex- 
pressed in their reports, is for reservoirs in connection with pumps. 
The reservoirs are the best reserve against all contingencies and acci- 
* " The most serious difficulty under which the city now labors, (and in fact 
most other cities of the United States that have been more than twenty years 
supplied) is the insufficient size of the distributing pipes to meet the yearly 
rapidly increasing demands."-Report of F. Groaf, Chief Engineer of the Water 
Diet, of the City of Philadelphia, January 30, 1873. 5 
dents to the pumps,f often preventing serious derangements by the 
promptness with which the engines may be stopped on the observ- 
ance of an irregularity in their working and the supply to the town 
or city not cut off. The direct method requires continuous working, 
no matter how little the demand of the city, the engines are to be 
watched, the fires maintained, no rest at night nor on Sundays. 
But when, as at Indianapolis, a site for a reservoir can be secured 
of sufficient elevation, and contiguous to the city, to afford a head, 
.available not only for distribution but also for fire purposes, there 
should be no doubt of the expediency of constructing a reservoir, and 
although the contingency may seem too remote to many to be even 
regarded, much less provided for, still with your almost unexampled 
increase in population there is a very great probability that by the 
lapse of thirty years the city may look to a supply by gravitation, 
and that the reservoir now proposed may form a part of that scheme, 
and a very necessary part, as a distributing reservoir. 
DESCRIPTION OF WORKS. 
The site proposed for the reservoir is Crown Hill. Here a reser- 
voir can be constructed of the capacity of thirty millions of gallons, 
t"In connection with these reservoirs, it would not be amiss to advert to 
fact which is too much lost sight of lately in some of our smaller cities, and that 
is, the danger from fire in all cities supplied with water direct from pumping 
engines. 
The late fire in Chicago, with a loss of some four hundred million dollars and 
hundreds of human lives, would, in all probability, never have happened had the 
city received its water through an elevated reservoir. To illustrate the danger in 
our own case, even where the engines are, from their remoteness, not themselves 
exposed to the direct action of a heavy conflagration, but only to the uncertain- 
ties in emergencies common to all heavy machinery, there have been many occa- 
sions, for periods of hours, when, if a great conflagration had arisen in the city, 
the engines could not have furnished one drop of water, and our entire depend- 
ence would have been on the water in the reservoir."-Report of Col.-J$ W. 
Adams, Chief Engineer Brooklyn Water Works, January, 1872. 6 
and of which the surface level, when full, will be one hundred and 
thirty feet above the curb at the corner of Illinois and Washington 
street near the Hotel Bates. This location is the only one near the 
city of elevation sufficient for the construction of a reservoir appli- 
cable to fire purposes without the intervention of fire engines. Of 
the area required for the reservoii* the largest part will be taken in 
from the cemetery and part from the Michigan road, in which a 
slight curve must be made. Of the portion taken from the cemetery 
none has been occupied by graves, nor as I am informed has a defi- 
nite plan for its improvement been decided on. 
The position of the reservoir must necessarily have some influence 
on the selection of the source of water supply. 
Indianapolis is undoubtedly underlaid by an immense water basin, 
and successful wells have been driven in several localities. And 
although it has been proposed to supply the city of Berlin, Prussia, 
with a present population of nine hundred thousand inhabitants, 
from such a source, yet in view of the untried character of this 
method for city supply, and of the universal experience that the 
water of the White Biver is much softer, and more applicable to 
steam purposes than that of the driven wells; and as it is nearer to 
the reservoii' than Fall Creek, and of propably less hardness, White 
River has been selected for the source of supply. It is therefore pro- 
posed to locate the pumping machinery on this river, at a point as 
near as possible to the reservoir, and in a line nearly west therefrom. 
A dam is to be constructed a little below the pump house to include 
the water of Crooked Creek. It is supposed that the leak through 
the dam at Broad Ripple, and the drainage of the water shed below 
will be more than sufficient to supply five millions of gallons per day 
without any expense for the diversion of water. This supply is all 
that it is proposed to provide at present and will probably be ade- 
quate to the requirements for three to five years. 
From the best data obtainable, I judge that the flow of the canal 
can be reckoned at fifty millions of gallons per day, of which any 
portion might be acquired by purchase. ... 7 
But it would probably be cheaper to construct compensating reser- 
voirs higher up on the river and its branches, by which the flow of 
the canal now used for power might be kept intact, and the supply 
for the city increased almost indefinitely. By reference to the map 
of the State it will be seen that the water shed of the White River is 
of very great extent, and it may be readily inferred that the require- 
ments of the city will never come up to the supply of the river under 
a judicious system of pondage. I would therefore recommend that 
rather than divert water from the canal, when the water shed now 
proposed for the supply of the city becomes inadequate, that a reser- 
voir be constructed at the nearest point on the river at which a head 
of water can be secured sufficient for a gravitation supply that it 
may answer some years for the supply of the pumps ; and afterwards 
form a part of the gravitation scheme, which, sooner or later, will 
come to be the proper system for a populous and wealthy city. 
The water drawn from the river is to be pumped into the reservoir 
through a thirty inch main, and flow from the reservoir by a like 
main along the Michigan road to Seventh street, and thence through 
Seventh street to Missississipi street, and down this street to Wash- 
ington street, making from Seventh street southward a part of the 
distributing mains. 
Sheet No. 1, submitted herewith, exhibits the position of engine 
or pumping house, rising main, reservoir, conducting main, and dis- 
tribution through the city in Which'estimates have been made. It 
also exhibits the continuation of the branch track of the I. C. & L. 
R. R., by which coal may be supplied to the boiler house. 
Sheet No. 1 defines the position of all parts of the scheme. The 
other sheets give portions of the details of construction, which is 
supplemented and made more full in the following detailed descrip- 
tion of works. 
To commence with the dam. this will be of very simple descrip- 
tion. A strong sheet-piling across the river, with wings extending 
into each bank ; a plank apron supported on mud-sills, and a roll of 
timber and plank, boarded with stone; the design being but to raise 8 
the water two and a half to three feet above summer level. This 
height is proposed that the bottom land may not be flooded by the 
obstruction ; and it is considered that it would be more economical 
to construct one or two dams, if needs be, of the same moderate 
height, between this and Broad Ripple, for pondage reservoirs, rather 
than one large one, which would overflow any considerable extent of 
arable land, and to the prejudice of the quality of the water. 
From the pond formed by the dam the watei' is to be conveyed to 
the pump well beneath the engine house by a brick arched conduit 
six feet wide with suitable gates and strainers. 
i 
Sheet No. 2 presents the plan, elevation, and section of the engine 
and boiler house and coal vaults. The engine house is cruciform in 
plan, similar to the Abbey Mills and Crossness Pumping Engine 
Houses near London. It is adapted for the reception of eight 
engines-but one only is proposed at present and estimated for- 
which, with the part of the construction also now proposed, is shbwn 
in black; the future extensions are shown in pink. The size of 
pumping engine recommended is one adequate to the discharge of 
five million gallons per day in its usual and safe working; in case of 
necessity it could be run at thirty-three per cent, increased capacity. 
When the requirements of the city come up to six engines of this 
capacity in full working, the gravitation scheme should be adopted. 
The engines to be of one type-independent engines, not coupled- 
and parts interchangeable. 
The space required for the engines, and the estimates, have been 
based on the engine of the Lynn (Massachusetts) Water Works, con- 
structed after the designs of Mr. E. D. Leavitt, Jr. Subjected to a 
practical test this month by myself, with other experts, it gave an 
unprecedented duty of pounds of water raised for each pound of 
coal consumed. 
In view of its performance and of its cost, I have taken this 
engine as basis of estimate, and as there is greater security against, 
and less liability to, accidents in small pumping engines than in 9 
large ones, with no less duty and no increase of cost per gallon of 
capacity. 
I recommend to you engines of this capacity, and single rather 
than larger and coupled ones. It will be observed, from their loca- 
tion, that even a single engineer might have the supervision of the 
eight engines, were it necessary; but at no time should more than 
six engines be run at once; the two other should be considered as 
reserves. 
As said above the engines estimated for are of Mr. Leavitt's design 
and from his figures, yet in asking for propositions for engines I 
would not recommend you to confine yourself to this particular form, 
but would to the particular type that is to compound steam cylin- 
ders with crank and fly wheel. And that a certain amount of duty 
be guaranteed, say sixty million pounds, raised one foot by the con- 
sumption of one hundred pounds of your best coal, that the capacity 
be five million gallons raised in twenty-four hours from the river 
into Crown Hill reservoir, and that the workmanship and material 
be of the best quality, and kept in repair during one year, the con- 
tractor furnishing the engineer, but the city paying the wages of the 
same during this term. With these usual provisions the particular 
design of engine may be left to responsible parties, and they should 
also be permitted to chose their own type of boilers, as the duty 
depends as much on the economical working of the boilers as on 
that of the engine. In my view the best boilers for your coal are 
Nest boilers, Cornish and the French Elephant boilers. The 
estimates have been based on the latter form. Main boilers, four 
feet diameter, twenty feet long, legs eighteen inches diameter, fire 
grates 3 ft. 6 in. by 4 ft. The boilers to be four set, and coupled in 
pairs, but still with a provision by which any single one may be 
detached for repairs. 
The coal to be stored in vaults along the front of the engine house, 
the branch track from the railroad being parallel thereto. On this 
line the vaults may be extended as far as required from time to time. 10 
As estimated they are of the capacity of about three hundred tons, 
or say a supply for three months. 
The foundations of the building, coal vault walls and chimney to 
be of stone, similar to that used for foundation walls in the city. 
The foundations for engines, pump, well and Conduit, boiler walls, 
and the whole superstructure, to be of brick; the latter to be well 
culled, but not face brick, with sills, caps, belt courses, and ornamen- 
tation in stone. 
The roof of engine house to be heavily framed in timber, suffi- 
ciently strong not only for the purposes of a roof, but also to sustain 
any part of the engine that may require to be raised from time to 
time. The covering of the roof to be of slate. The boiler house roof 
to be of the usual form of plank roof, with one central guide, the 
covering to be five thickness of felt, with tar and gravel. The coal 
vaults to be arched over in brick, the spandrels filled in and struck 
to an even pitch in cement, and protected with a good coat of coal 
tar and gravel. 
No estimate has been made of the cost of the branch railway track, 
as it has been supposed that this would be readily supplied by the 
railroad company, and this should be constructed at the earliest 
inception of the works, and be extended to as near Crown Hill as 
possible, to deliver all material for construction, thereby contrib- 
uting largely not only to the economy but also the rapidity of 
execution. 
From the engine house the rising or induction main is laid beneath 
the canal, and in a direct line to the well or gate house at the Crown 
Hill reservoir. There will be one check value and one gate in this 
line, and a branch connection and gate, with the conduit pipe lead- 
ing to the city, so that water may be delivered and distributed when- 
ever required, without being discharged into the reservoir. 
A precaution against any accident to the gate house, as provision 
has been made, as will be seen, for delivery from the gate house, 
independent of that of the reservoir. 11 
Sheet No. 3 is a plan and section of the reservoir. By it, it will 
be seen, that it is an oval reservoir, 270x550 feet. In order to afford 
as much capacity as possible, it is constructed with a wall inside 
and an earth slope outside. 
It has been the aim to make the contents of the excavation and 
this earth slope as near alike as possible. The surveys are only 
sufficient to make this estimate approximate. The walls are to be 
of concrete, faced with limestone; the material for the concrete 
being taken from the excavation. The perpendicular wall above the 
water line to be entirely of limestone, with close cut-joints, and the 
coping to be of like material; beds and end joints only to be cut; 
top rook face. The bottom of reservoir to be puddled with a clay to 
an average depth of eighteen inches, to be protected by a four inch 
coat of concrete that the puddle may not be washed when the reser- 
voir is drawn off, and that the bottom of reservoir may be readily 
cleaned from any muddy deposit. 
An up and down road is proposed on the slope of the reservoir, 
and a circular road around it at the top. This will afford an excel- 
lent lookout for the citizens, and of easy access, and will be a most 
striking and ornamental feature to the Cemetery grounds. It was 
suggested, at the meeting in Indianapolis, that there would be 
objection, on the part of the owners of the Cemetery, to a reservoir 
at Crown Hill, on account of risk from sudden breakage and conse- 
quent destruction of the memorials of the dead. This risk, with fair 
construction and materials, could not be estimated at less than a 
fraction of one per cent. There have been very many distributing 
reservoirs, and reservoirs into which water has been pumped, con- 
structed in this country, and I do not think that there ever has been 
one that caused any injury by breakage. 
The only reservoirs that have burst with injury to the neighbor- 
hood have been collecting reservoirs, in which some streams have 
been dammed, and the dam has given way under the sudden accu- 
mulation of great freshets. The city of New York has, within the 
limits of Central Park, reservoirs of a capacity of more than one 12 
thousand millions of gallons. Boston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Jer- 
sey City, and many other large and small cities and towns, have 
•distributing reservoirs within their limits which have not given way, 
nor are they considered an element of danger. 
Sheet No. 4 contains plans, sections, and elevations of gate house 
and stand pipe. The gate house is somewhat novel in its arrange- 
ments, and is intended to provide a water supply independent of 
the reservoir, and also, if needs be, at a greater head than that of 
the reservoir, as an extra precaution in case of large fires; but one 
which, I think, will not be found necessary till the requirements of 
the city for water be increased considerably; for whilst the surface 
level of the reservoir be maintained, there will be head enough in 
the city to discharge wrater upon the roofs of any of the stores or 
warehouses. 
Proceeding with the explanation, the gate house is square in plan, 
with an interior well, in the center of which is a stand pipe of 
wrought iron, A, nine feet in diameter. This stand pipe rests on 
masonry, and its bottom divides the well into two parts, the lower of 
which, 5, receives the water from the rising main, 0, whence it flows 
through the cement pipe, J), into the reservoir, discharging it at the 
center. The upper division of the well, B B, receives water from 
the reservoir through the apertures, a a a a, in the gate house wall, 
whence it flows into the stand pipe through the appertures b b b. The 
•conduit main to the city is connected with the bottom of the stand 
pipe. The flow of the water is therefore ordinarily thus : From the 
pump at the rising main, (7, into the well, B, and through the pipe, 
D, to the center of reservoir; thence from the reservoir through the 
apertures a a and b b into the stand pipe, A, and by the conduit 
main, BJ, to the city. 
But as it is always desirable, on account of its superior purity, to 
•draw the water from the surface of the reservoir, the apertures, b b b, 
in the stand pipe, are controlled by self-actinggateSj opening inwards, 
so arranged that the highest gate submerged opens first. This is 
readily effected by the hanging of the gate only. The gates are all to 13 
be of one pattern; the first, or upper gate, to be so hung that the 
center of gravity and the center of the hinge are in the same vertical 
line; in the next the center of gravity of the gate to be one inch 
inside of the perpendicular from the center of the hinge, meaning, by 
inside, towards the center of the stand pipe; the third gate two inches; 
the fourth gate three inches, and the fifth gate four inches inside the 
perpendicular. It will be perceived that by this arrangement more 
head will be required to open each consecutive gate from the surface 
down, and that no lower gate will open whilst the supply can be 
obtained from an upper one. These gates, as they open inwards, 
also are self-acting when the supply is through the stand pipe inde- 
pendent of the reservoir. It is usual, when possible, to form the 
reservoir with two compartments, that one may serve for the supply 
whilst the other is cleaned or repaired, without serious loss in capac- 
ity to the reservoir (which it is desirable rather to increase.) The 
double reservoir could not here be adopted for your purpose, there- 
fore the stand pipe is suggested. It will be observed that at the top 
of the rising main there is a collar, c, this is an ordinary double beat 
valve, represented in the drawing as open, affording passage from 
the rising main into the well, B, and pipe, c. Above the gate, or 
valve, o, and connected with it, is a flat disc valve, d, which closes an 
aperture in the bottom of the stand pipe. Now if the valve, d, be 
raised the water will flow from the rising main into the stand pipe, 
and if it be raised high enough to enclose the gate, c, with its seats 
on the bottom of the stand pipe and top of the pump pipe, all of the 
water will be cut off from the reservoir and discharged into the stand 
pipe, from which the self-closing gates will prevent any egress into 
the reservoir. For ordinary purposes this charge would be delib- 
erate, and the gates might be raised by an ordinary screw and hand 
wheel, but if required for fire purposes, the gates should be raised 
promptly and should be under the 'control of the engineer at the 
pump house. 
This is effected as follows : On the upper end of the gate stand is 
affixed the piston of a water cylinder, /; if sufficient water pressure 
be extended beneath the piston, it is raised, together with the gate. 14 
If the pressure is relieved, they fall back by their own weight. 
From the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder an inch pipe leads to the 
pump house, and the pressure is put on by the engineer, through the 
means of the donkey feed, or by any special pump, and is relieved 
by the opening of a cock. The inch pipe serves also the purpose of 
indicating to the engineer the height of water in the reservoir. 
Near the bottom of this stand pipe the inch pipe is fitted with a self- 
acting in-let valve which closes when the hoist pressure is applied, 
but at other times is open to the pressure in the stand pipe. The 
lower end of the pipe is fitted with a pressure guage, and in view of 
the engineer. 
The pipe, E, is for the drainage or wastage of water from the res- 
ervoir. Its diameter is sixteen inches, and is closed by a disc valve 
worked by a hand wheel and screw. 
The material for the gate-house below water line, to be of lime- 
stone and concrete ; the superstructure above to be like that of the 
engine house. The stairs to the first gallery to be of stone, the 
others of iron. The galleries for look-out to have cast iron railings, 
and the crown forming the top of the stand to be of iron or zinc 
electro-plated. All these last enumerated items are not essential to 
the construction; in fact you may not consider it necessary to carry 
the stand pipe but little above the level of the coping, and cover the 
whole by a very plain and small building ; but as this is the great 
show point of the works, and as the stand pipe will give a tempor- 
ary head of 46 feet, or 20 lbs. per square inch above the normal level 
of the reservoir, I recommend to provide both for the ornamentation 
and the contingency, and have estimated for both. 
It may be remarked that whilst provision has been made for in- 
crease of pumps, none has been made for more pipe connections with 
the reservoir ; this has been duly considered, but since by the con- 
struction of a walled reservoir the introduction of a stand pipe, and 
direct connection of force or rising main, with conduit main, a con- 
nection could be made at any time with the reservoir, or even with 15 
the stand-pipe, it has not been deemed necessary now to estimate for 
future connections. 
The capacity of the reservoir,-thirty million gallons,-will be. at 
least for the present, an ample reservoir for the supply of the city 
during the time of freshets in white river, and as the water is to be 
introduced at the bottom of the reservoir and drawn from the top, it 
will be, perhaps, but little affected if the pumps be only run at night 
when there is but little draft from the city. The muddy water will 
keep its position near the bottom of the reservoir till it is settled. 
When the necessity arises for further protection from the disturbance 
of freshets, it may be secured by the construction of subsiding reser- 
voirs at or near the river. 
Before leaving the matter of the reservoir, 1 would remark that 
your City Engineer, Mr. Brown, took for me some levels of ground to 
the east of the Michigan road, near the bridge, and found the sum- 
mit to be about 65 feet below that of Crown Hill; and as the plateau 
is of considerable extent, a reservoir of greater capacity could be 
here constructed with earth formed of material in the neighborhood. 
But even if the bottom of the reservoir were at the level of the pres- 
ent surface of the ground, and the banks were constructed entirely 
by borrowing, the surface level of water would still be much below 
that proposed at Crown Hill, and as the distance from the city is 
greater, the latter location is to be preferred. 
Referring again to sheet 1, as exhibiting the proposed system of 
distribution : In the estimate, the main from reservoii' to Seventh 
street is considered as a conduit, and chargable to this particular 
source of supply. Whilst below Seventh street, it is considered a 
part of the distribution, and applicable to the supply from any 
source. This main it is proposed to lay on the west side of the 
Michigan road in the gutter, and then cover with earth, improving 
in that way and widening the traveled road. 
The whole line can readily be laid, with the exception of that part 
across Fall Creek, for which it will be necessary to draw off the pond 
for a few days. 16 
In arranging the distribution I have confined myself to a simple 
plan particularly applicable to your city, on account of the little 
diversity in level, and at the same time readily admitting of exten- 
sion. It may be criticised by some, that the portion now estimated 
is less than the present requirements ; but they can readily show on 
the plan how much they would propose to have it extended, and how 
or with what pipes_it would be done, and following the estimates 
given, what would be the cost. 
The system proposed is to extend the 30-inch main through Sev- 
enth street, to and along Mississippi street to Washington street, 
thence 24-inch to Georgia street and Kentucky avenue ; a similar 
main of 30-inch to be laid in East street, from St. Clair to Washing- 
ton street, and 24-inch from Washington street to Virginia avenue 
and South street. This last main of 30-inch and 24-inch is entirely 
beyond the present requirements, but forms an important part of an 
extension which I trust will soon be required ; the purpose being to 
connect this main directly with the reservoir when needed, preserv- 
ing about the same distance, viz : eight squares between the mains, 
for as great an extent as possible, and in the still further future, two 
other parallel mains, one east of East street, and one to the west of 
Mississippi street. In all the streets running east and west, and in 
all the avenues, the mains to be uniformly ten inches; but with two 
in Washington street, one on each side of the street. In all streets 
running north and south, the mains to be six inches uniformly. 
A system like this, if carried out. I am satisfied will be the most 
simple, efficient, and economical. 
For hydrants I estimate the location of a Lowry hydrant on the 
main at every intersection, and post hydrants on Washington street, 
two intermediate in each block between Mississippi and East streets. 
The Lowry hydrant is used at Charlestown, Salem and Boston, Mass. 
It is placed on the intersection of the mains, and protected by a 
strong cast iron case with marble cover. The hydrant head is of 
composition and portable. It is carried on the hose carriage or fire 
engine, and is readily attached. They are made with from two to 17 
six nozzles, preferably with six; for, from its position in the main, it 
can supply readily this number, ami as each nozzle is controlled by 
an independent gate, any less number can be used. The difference 
of weight in the head between that of two or six nozzles, is very 
inconsiderable, f have requested the Boston Machine Company to 
forward circulars to your chairman, in which there are cuts of both 
Lowry and post hydrants, with explanatory text. 
The positioh of neither hydrants nor gates are shown on the plan. 
The first are estimated as above, and the latter as about one to every 
eight hundred feet of main, without definining position ; the object 
being, for the purpose of the estimate, to include the number of 
gates, such as used at St. Louis water works, where the requirements 
of gates should be fully equal to those of your city. 
ESTIMATED COST. 
In the following estimates those for masonry and excavation have 
been based upon the ruling prices of such work at Indianapolis as 
given me by your City Engineer, Mi-. Brown. For cast iron pipes, 
fifty dollars per ton of two thousand pounds, has been taken as an 
uniform price for all sizes, at which it would now be readily fur- 
• nished as a whole. The laying ot the pipe, lead, caulking, excavating 
and refilling are based on the cost of such work at St. Louis. Gates, 
check valves, hydrants, arc based on the prices of such work as 
furnished by the Boston Machine Co , who have as high a reputation 
for good work as any in the country. All the pipe are to be of cast 
iron diameter. 
AT ENGINE OR PUMPING ROUSE. 
Dam$4,500 00 
Excavation for conduit, engine house, founda- 
tions and grading, 9,000 cubic yards, 30 cts. 2,700 00 
Conduit masonry, 200 cubic yards, $7.00 1,400 00 
brick 100 cubic yards, $12.00 1,200 00 
Gates, etc 300 00 $10,100 00 
9 18 
ENGINE HOUSE. 
Foundation, superstructure and chimney 17,000 00 
Engine and boilers 60.000 00 
RISING OR PUMPING MAIN. 
30-in. diameter, weight, 400 lbs. per foot @ 2-4 
$10.00, 3,400 ft$34,000 00 
Lead and labor, $3.00 per foot 10,200 00 
Two gates and one check valve 3,000 00 
Extra work beneath canal 500 00 
$47,700 00 
Gate house with foundation and superstruc- 
ture$8,500 00 
STAND PIPE WITH GATES AND CROWN. 
Complete, 32,500 lbs. @ 12c$3,900 00 
Electroplating crown 500 00 
500 ft. IG-in. waste pipe, 110 lbs., $3.55 1,775 00 
Gate and band wheel 150 00 
Cement pipe, 275 feet at $2.00 per foot 550 00 
$15,375 00 
RESERVOIR. 
Excavation 70,000 cubic yds., 30 cents$21,000 00 
Concrete wall, stone faced, 13, 600 yds., $5.50 74,800 00 
Top wall, 440 yds., $11.00 4,840 00 
Coping, 1,360 running ft., $2.00 2,720 00 
Puddle, 6,000 yds., $1.00 6,000 00 
Concrete bottom, 1.350 yds., $3.00 4,050 00 $113,410 00 19 
CONDUIT MAIN. 
1 1,500 ft. 30 in., 330 lbs., @ 2| $8 25 
Lead and labor 2 90 
$11 15 $128,225 00 
/ 
EXTRA LABOR AT FALL CREEK. 
One gate $1,775 00 $130,000 00 
Total amount $393,585 00 
DISTRIBUTION. 
In this estimate speical castings, as valves, hydrants, boxes, 
branches, sleeves, are included in the cost of pipe for running foot, 
so that if it seems proper to yohr committee to either extend or 
reduce the quantity of distribution estimated, it can be readily done 
on the prices given. 
11,000 ft. 30-inch main, 330 lbs. weight per 
foot, $13.10 $144,100 00 
2,500 ft. 24-inch main, 220 lbs. weight per 
foot, $7.90 19,750 00 
75,000 ft. 10-inch main, 66 lbs. weight per 
foot, $2.46 184,500 00 
43,000 ft. 6-inch main, 36 lbs. weight per 
foot, $1.50 64,500 00 
$412,850 00 
Amount brought down 393,585 00 
$806,435 00 
Engineering and contingencies, 15 per cent. 120,965 00 
$927,400 00 20 
Land damages have not been estimated, but the quantities taken 
at the several places are specified below, for some expert in real 
estate to till out. 
Between canal and river, two acres. 
Bor rising main, across canal and to gate house, 3,400 ft. x 100 ft., 
to be laid out as street. 
At Crown Hill, from Cemetery say seven acres. 
By diversion of street, two acres. 
Having thus presented a plan and estimates *• for getting an ample 
and permanent supply of water for your city,'' taking into consider- 
ation its present requirements, and looking upon the plan proposed 
as a part of a future and large increase of supply. 1 now offer some 
considerations on the practicable means of carrying out the plan and 
of the probability of the works being self-sustaining, adopting the 
idea of your Chairman, as suggested at the public meeting of the 
Common Council and others, when I was at Indianapolis, that the 
entire works could be constructed by the issue of the bonds of the 
city. I have on my return consulted with two large contractors in 
this particular line of water works construction, and am assured that 
there would be no difficulty in so doing. The financial position of 
Indianapolis is good; its increase in population, wealth, and manu- 
facturing industries has of late been extremely rapid and on a 
sound basis. To any conversant with such matters there is absolute 
certainty that under fair management the water rates would in a 
very few years pay more than the interest on the cost of the works, 
together with yearly expense of maintenance. The city can there- 
fore give a good mortgage note on property worth the mortgage. 
To construct works on the plan proposed would require about two 
years; and the cost, with interest, may be fairly set down in round 
numbers at $1,000,000. The question now is. if this amount be 
raised by the issue of bonds, how soon can the interest of $70,000 per 
annum be met by the water rates and at the same time pay the 
expense of maintenance? 21 
The records of the older city water works can hardly be made use 
of in answer to the above query, except as illustrative of the in- 
crease of water taken and income, as their construction and exten- 
sion has been at most varied prices for material and labor. In many 
of the works like '''those of New York City, the cost of the water 
department has always been a tax on the city at large, and no effort 
has.been made to make it self-sustaining." In others, the cost is 
made up by the issue of bonds, by taxation and by yearly* income. 
Yet, however built, and at whatever cost, it has been more than re- 
paid in comfort and convenience to the citizens; and in no case 
would any of these cities fall back on the old well and cistern supply, 
were the choice between this and water works, at much increased 
cost. 
The conclusion of the Brooklyn Water Department, January, 1872, 
is of general application : " By reference to schedule showing the 
annual receipts of the department, since the organization in 1859. 
is shown its steady and rapid growth, and carries with it the connec- 
tion that the department requires no further aid from the tax-payers 
than a prompt payment of their annual rent. 
From January 1. 1860, to January 1, 1861. the receipts were 
$256,400. 
From January 1. 1872, to January 1, 1873, the receipts were 
$884,580. ' 
And the daily average supply during this last year. 19,197,000 gal- 
lons per day. 
No charge is made in Brooklyn for city hydrants, of which at the 
date of this report there were 2 092. 
The Board of Water Commissioners of the City of Hartford, 
March 1, 1861. report the first receipts of water rates of 1856, at 
$7,039.00. Current expenses. $5,775. Interest on permanent debt. 
$13,165. In 1860: rates, $30 038.00, expenses, $8,471: interest. 
$22,500. At this time Hartford contained a population of thirty 
thousand inhabitants The supply was entirely by pumping, and at 
the rate of about 1,000,000 gallons per day. The cost of the works 22 
was $437,202, of which $375,000 was the permanent debt in bonds. 
Soon after this the water supply changed into one by gravitation, 
the pumps being retained as a provision against contingencies. Not- 
withstanding the cost of the works was much enhanced by the 
bursting of the dam at the retaining reservoir, and incident dam- 
ages and cost of reconstruction, the following is the exhibit for the 
year ending March 1. 1873 : 
Expenses. $25,763 : interest, $46,431 ; rates, $93,009. At this time 
the actual cost is> say $1,000,000, and the bonded debt, $750,000. 
The first annual report of the Public Water Board of the city of 
Lynn, for the year ending December 31,. 1872, states that "the 
construction accounts show an expenditure of a little less than 
$700,000." The yearly expenses, $10,167; interest, $28,526. water 
rates, $36,557. This supply is entirely by pumping. 
The above are a few illustrations given merely as practical ex- 
amples of both large and small water works, which may or may not 
be applicable to those proposed for you. 
1 propose only to make a comparison with the Brooklyn works, as 
the probable cost of maintenance and income. By the report of their 
Chief Engineer, Col. J. W. Adams, the cost of pumping 1,000 gal- 
lons, (163 ft.,) into the reservoir, was 2 1-10 cents in 1871. The coal 
used is of better quality than yours, and the quantity pumped is 
much larger than that proposed now for your city; but with better 
engines and less cost of coal, and less lift, there is no reason that this, 
the larger item of expense, should be larger at your works than 
theirs, even with a supply of say one-sixth of theirs, or 3,200.000 gal- 
lons per day, or $25,000 per annum. The other items of expense, as 
office rent, salaries and repairs, depend on the economy exercised, 
and the character of the works. 
Pumping 3,200,000 gallons per day $25,000 
Other items of maintenance, say 10.000 
Interest on $1,000,00, at 7 per cent 70.000 
$105,000- 
ANNUAL EXPENDITURES. 23 
RECEIPTS. 
Water rates one-sixth Brooklyn receipts. 
For the year 1871....:$884,580 $147,000 
Two hundred hydrants at $50 per annum 10,000 
Total$157,000 
In addition to this it may be remarked that the Brooklyn water 
rates are less than those for any other city of the United States, as 
shown by the following table taken from their report already quoted : 
I I- 
REGULAR WATER RATES IN PRINCIPAL CITIES OF THE UNITED STATES 
FOR A HOUSE OF TWENTY FEET FRONT, THREE STORIES, 
J NINE ROOMS, EIGHT PERSONS. 
■7J 
! S 
O 
1 * 
Brooklyn. 
! ■ y. 
i £ 
i ■- 
Chicago. 
Detroit. 
V- 
1 
1 cc 
C'eveland. 
■7.- 
to 
06 
i § 
St. Lcuis. 
g 
Louisville. 
00 Sift 
New York. 
00 15$ 
Baltimore. 
00 
O 
o 
Philadelphia. 
00 55$ 
Boston. 
In conclusion I trust that the plan proposed will be deemed prac- 
ticable, and the prospect of income probable. The old system of 
constructing and supporting water works by direct taxation no 
longer obtains, and it is now almost the universal custom to make 
them self-sustaining If they are not so, it is the result of their con- 
struction or management. They perform not only a most important 
function in adding to the health and comfort of the population, but 
also in drawing population from country towns which have not this 
convenience. No city can afford to be without them; and if Gas 
Companies, conducted by private companies, can be remunerative, 
there is no reason that the supply of an article of greater necessity, 
of much less cost, and universal use, cannot be self-sustaining. 
Respectfully submitted, 
W. E. WORTHEN.