Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily morning Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1883-1899 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1894)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN, ASTORIA, SUNDAY HORNING, DECEMBER 2, 1894 Nl'f WATER-IMS, Engineer Schuyler's Report on the proposed System. FEW CHANGES ADVOCATED An Interesting Bit of Heading' Re gai-ding the Undertaking: that Means so Much to Astoria. Following is the complete report of the consulting engineer, Mr. Jaimes D, Sohuyler, on the plans and sped!) ca tions for Astoria's proposed water works: To the Water Commission of the City of Astoria, Oregon: Gentlemen: With a due sense of ap preclatlon of the distinction with .which you have honored me by calling upon me for advice In the many Important questions involved In the planning and construction of new water works that shall nicely fit ail requirements of water supply, future demand, and available means, I shall endeavor to give you the result of of my studies of your pro- jeet system as clearly as possible, and present my views in a manner that will, I trust, prove of possible value to you. The expediency of building new water works for the supply of Astoria is ap' parent on the most superficial inspec tlon. The present six inch pipe line is Inadequate to the supply of the town ' It starts at an elevation of 281.0 feet above sea-level, and terminates in reservoir 160 feet above the city base It Is twelve miles long, and has an average hydraullo grade of about 10 feet per mile. . It never did carry over 200,000 to 225,000 gallons per day less than 25 gallons per capita where you need 100 to 150 and It has c-nly been increased in capacity to about 320,000 gullons per day by cutting the pipe near sea level and pumping up to the res ervoir. A large part of the town has no water at all except from wells, and the supply Is too short to afford Irrigation to lawns or gardens In the Bummer. Evidently the city has out grown its first primitive waterworks, and has reached the point where fur ther growth must be accompanied by a corresponding expansion of Its water supply. The topography of the city and Its general physical conditions as well as the growing wants of the community, demand an extension of water privilege to the higher levels and over greatet areus, while a general revision of the arteries of distribution and the estab lishment of a sufficient number of fir hydrants In all parts of the city to afford adequato (Ire protection, is im poratlvely necessary. The city is so entirely built of wood that it requires a very perfect system for the extin guishment of fires and the reduction of Insurance rateB. That a devastating conflagration has not already occurred during the dry summer months is due entirely to good fortune; the Are de partment, although said to tie an elll clent one, would be seriously crippled and practically helpless In case of an extensive fire, as there aro no fire hydrants in the city, and solo reliance Is placed on pumping the supply direct ly from the river. It might easily oc cur that Are on the water front, if It got a Btart, would drive the firemen back and render the river unapproach able. The new water supply, as designed by your engineer, Mr. A. L. Adams, Is admirably arranged in regard to fire protection, and when completed It will inaugurate a new era In the history of the town. Water Supply- Astoria Is abundantly provided with sources of water supply, thanks to the copious ralnfull and the d-snse forests of this region. Voung's river, anl nu mcroua other large streams to the south of the city, would afford practically un limited supplies, but there Is no stream so favorably situated for this purpw as Bear Creek (a tributary of the Columbia entering the river some 10 mlli above AstorltO because of the high continuous ridge extending from upper Bear Creek to Astoria, the lowest por lion of which is over 200 feet above sea level, affording most favorable sup lotting ground for pipe conduit on a nearly direct alignment. By any other route than along the ridge a pipe lino entering Astoria must at some point be down to sea level ek'vatton, and sus tain very high pressure if the high parts of the city are to be supplied. Along this same ridge route can be though comparatively large, Is to smallf struotion. Under conditions of constant compared to the greater volume that can be gathered In the Immediate vl olntfy 1r way of the? ridge route. Bear Creek is evidently a strsam with but slight variation In volume of dis charge. There are no signs of drift wood, floating or lodged, no evidence of erosion, no appearance of very high water. This Is due to the dense for est that covers and shades Its water shed, and the great blanket of thick moss, leaves, and underbrush that re ceive and hold the waters of precipita tion like a sponge, giving them off slowly and gently, to the stream througout the year. This condition Is one conducive of clear water at all times, and is an ideal condition of uni form distribution of run-off that should always be maintained by careful pres ervation of the forest. Caugings of the stream taken during the low water stage of August and September, for the past five years, Indicate that the minimum flow during the dryest years Is a little in excess of 3,100,000 gallons per day, below the mouth of Cedar Creek, a small tributary that Is to be diverted Into the head works of the new pipe line. The gauglngs made are as follows: saturation, however, wood, which is or. dlnarily so perishable, becomes as dur able and lasting as metal. Instances of the preservative effect of water on wood are in evidence all along the wa ter front of your city, where piles be low low water are sound as the day they were diived, 60 or 75 years ago. I have supervised the construction of more than 40 miles of this class of water pipe, 30 to 44 Inches In diameter, used in the water supply of the city of Denver, Colorado, and though long familiarity with it have corns to regard it with entire confidence, whsn proper, ly constructed of the right sort of ma terials. The first pipe of this class that was laid has now been in use In Denver more than ten years, and when I examined It two years ago, was sound as the day it was laid, and probably Is so still. In fact, all the water used In that city of 150,000 people, is conveyed In pipes mode of wooden staves, held together by round bands of steel. They do not decay if kept in use, nor do they leak, or if leaks occur they are never serious enough to do any harm If neglected for weeks, and are gener ally stopped with a splinter, a tliip; wedare or sometimes a toothplc. .We LARGE LINE Sterling and Plated Glare. FINE LINE RINGS, sc t with Diamonds Opals and other precious stones. LOW 8TAGK FLOW IN BJt CHEEK ,r Flow In Onl- xostii. vkah. onsnuvsn. Iunper21lir8. bbmabks. AUKtut.... 190.... C. h PARKER 5,118,0 0 At old diverting point below the mouth of Ccuur Creek. " 1K01 .. W. W". PARKER 4,703,000 " " 1MB ... C. II IHOM,(eng.). ... 4,'.8O0O " " " " IBM.... " ... ':,(II6,000...... At proposed head works In gorge. August 31 IMII ... A. CAHI,SON 2,lir,000 ' " BopU 2.... "! " It,21.",000 ' ' " 5... " . . " . 8,110,000 " " " ... " '102,000 " " ' " 13... " . " 2,522,000 " " 23.... ' 2,03,0O0 ii " f.AHS HERGSVIIC... 2,100,000 ", LOW HTAOE FLOW IN CEDAR CREEK. Aummt 1 . I Iku... U. H. IHQM, (eng.). . 7gSiO . ' Low water Is confined to about six used a good deal of California red wood weeks of Bummer and autumn, and and some Colorado mountain pine, but during nine months or more the aver- Texas long leafed yellow pine was ,th age flow of the stream Is probably material chiefly used. After carefully afcout double the minimum. Calculat- weighing the merits of each, I came Ing the discharge for the year on the to the conclusion before leaving there, baste of this assumption the total run- that the Texas pine was quite equal, off of the entire waiter shed would and In many resepots preferable, to the amount to 30 per cent of the probable red wood. This pine has but little rectpltation, assuming the rainfall to pitch, and cllsely resembles the Ore- be the tame as recorded In Astoria, gon red fir, which certainly has re where the m-rran precipitation, as shown markable enduring qualities, and in by the records kept since 1850, has been my Judgment is entirely reliable ft 75.48 inches; Wie minimum being 49.3S pipe purposes. I saw on the road to Inches In 1884, and the maximum being Bear creek, three large prostrate logs 100.42 Inches In 1871. of red fir, apparently sound, that had A run-off of 50 per cent of this mean been lying so long that trees one to rainfall, or even more, may reasonably two feet in diameter had grown on top be expected from such a water shed, and over them. These samples speak which would give an average dally volumes In favor of the enduring qual- liow of about 9,000,000 gallons. From 'ties of the wood. Fortunately this ma- all these facta and calculations of terlal is the cheapest you could possl measurements of flow, which I assume bly use, on account of Its abundance to have been taken with a fair degree ait your doors. The wood used for the of accuracy, I draw the conclusion staves needs to be clear, free from sap, that If the conduit, as designed be con- or knots, or checks, and partially sea- Htruoted with a capacity of 4,000,000 gal- nea. ir.put togetner with, round, Ions dally, It will not be too large to be nd steel bands, with maleable Iron fully suiplied by the stream, provided shoes, all carefully dipped or painted the water shed bo not stripped of Its 'n some good paint, carefully jointed, forefitsj nor will It be too greatly In every stick scrutinized to see that it xcess of present consumption to be has no defects, and all clinched up hard considered as an extravagant provision antl tight, and thereafter kept full of for future srrowth. In fact. I roirard ths 'water, the pipe thua made will last m capacity of the conduit as planned to',0118T s iron pipe, at least, If not be such as will best meet all condl- longer. tlon, of supply and demand. If the I I have computed the relative capac- stream falls to a minimum of 3,000,000 , Mes of the pipes wood and iron of gallons It is only for so Bhort a period different diameters, and find they have that the shortage of 1,000,000 gallons 0een correctly estimated by your cn per day for say 40 days, can be made Blneer. I have also checked the calcu up by a small Btomge reservoir thut'lutlons of strains on the pipes and find may be cjnstruoted at the point of jthem of proper thickness to safely wlth dlverslon which is located In a narrow stand all pressure that may come upon rocky gorge, admirably suited to the I them. 1 would advise, however, that cheap construction of a masonry dam, lhe 14-Inch pipe be made of No. 12 steel, some 40 feet In height. Such a dam 'and that some of the 16-inch pipe, on would bo but 100 feet long on top, 20 Pressures over 225 feet, be made of feet at bottom, and would Btore ap-'No. 10 steel, I have examined and proximately 4,000,000 gallons, Buch a.olecke1 the computation of the table dam can e built for about 15,000. It of band spacing used and find they need not be constructed Immediately, have a large factor of safety some but Is an available resource for the w hat larger than is customarily em future, 'ployed by engineers. The distribution It Is to be roirretted that a aurvev of air valves and stand iln...i fur has not been projected to Big Creek, 'vent is sufficient to give ample air and more definite data obtained re-escape while the pipe Is being filled, us garding the route, the distance and tha'wetl as admitting It In suttklent quan- avalluble supply from that source. It.Uty to prcveut general collaiae In case would only be the exercise of ordinary of a sudden break. The blow-oifs or business prudence If the commission Hushes, are sufficiently frequent to en- should take steps now, or as early as able one to empty the pipe In every do pratitlcabk to acquire water rights pression while the design of the man. on Big Creek, and secure that supply holes and covers of brick and wood, u sufficient to protect the valves they en close, and give access to them, lu BEST flmericap and Imported Opera Glasses. Fine SWISS. Is AGENT FOR Wheeler & Olilson, AND New Home -Seating Machines. A rare cnance Tor a Ingh grade machine at Jess than first cost. RepeatiW As well as all Grades of American Watches. All work done by a competent workman and guaranteed. Watch repairing for the trade a specialty. First-class Air Rifle, $1.00. Fine 22 Hammerless $7.50. . . ...... - A high grade Ham nici less Shot gun for $47.50. A. G. SPEXARTH; LAMPS 1 LAMPS LAMPS & Specialty This Present Month. to tho future city. The Conduit The conduit as plunned may be de- "!lort, no detail seems to have been iscrioea as roiiows: starting from a '"""" m invvmjng ror a perrec (capacious settling basin Immediately jconJult- an,i 1 flnJ nothing about It below the low masonry diverting dam, ,0 In the way of improvement, an 18-Inch wooden-stave pipe extends exi'ei't the addition of a small receiving conveyed the waters of Hlg Crotfg and! for the first 11,900 feet, where the pres- 'nk or cistern at the head of the li the North Fork of the Kluskanlne to gure a very light throughout; then lncn Btcel Plle 5'150 feet from the uupplement the supply for the city at' follows 1.200 feet of 16-Inch steel pipe ""esorvolr. where the wood pipe ter any time In the futuro that It may crossing West Bear Creek, where the lnte-the objeot being to break the nave outgrown tno Hear Creek supply, maximum head Is 275 feet; then 10,400 con" that point, in order to pre so that In round numbers It may bal feet of wood, with a maximum head of vent a(l1"1 "hocks upon It by the said that there is In sight by this route' 150 feet; then f,M feet of steel; 3,600 ckud'1 of valves at the reservoir, and a supply of about 30.000,000 tallona aftHH of wood; 12,600 fvet of steel; and al to ft"""18" supply head for the day, or a sufficient supply for SOO.OOO finally, 12,750 feet of wood, reaching thlrJ ,evel wvlce. The elevaUou at inhabitants. The watershed of Bear the summit of the ridge overlooking Plnt ia 426 9 eet- A pipe should Creek above the proposed point of the city, at an elevation of 6. feet. run trym tnlj tank west "'ong the ridge diversion. (Including the little trlbuThence to the reservoir site the dh t0 UP'' he cemetery and residences tary of Cedar Creek, which Is to be tance of .6.450 feet, and the fall 144 bove the reservoir level, with a con ducted into Hear Cresk above the feet. A 14-lneh steel pipe u to be used neotiun between this pipe and the seo dnm). U 4.82 square miles, according toIn this eution. The total distance ondevel service, controllable by a gate the county map. Ulg Creek, by the from the head works Is 60,300 feet, or thntjnay be opened by a device placed same authority, ha 11.16 square miles 11.43 miles, of which JS.6.V) feet, of 7.5 lt tire station, similar to the one above tho point of probable diversion ' milea, is mooden stave pipe. ' designed by Mr. Adams for use at the nmt the Kluskanlne, 10.10 tmiare miles.! The nroiKksltlon nf ntnr ,...i.. .... ' low aervlce reservoir. Thi .ki.... - 1 . w.tviiauiiv Tiu t'Ual aroa of watershed of these pipe over s. large a portion of the con- 0,8 flr department to turn on an ex-! tiii'--. fiivaiM is, about 41.S7 square I'ult is one which h.i,i provoked con- pressure. In oa. of fl.-e, at vry ! mil v, i f wM.-h that of n.ntr Ciwk Is eldt ruble Olacusslun und criticism In uort notice by 6rwln on the su.p,y j i I U 1-2 t r rent. It In grrailfyir.R l.Ui t;ty. ttvaus wov-l U generally re :t i ) nt.a-pi.it- tl.a fuct that th lup. gardvil so quickly terudutble as to ' I S" '"' h "" 1 te of d-,:uL;ful value In p, riuantut cou- (Cmtlnu.l on Koxt Pjgi) jt5 Finest ASS0RTBEN1E Crockery. Imported - and - Domestic. Retail Trade SUPPLIED. I Im I JIM THE LARGEST STOCK OF Groceries,- Provisions, ploar, peed, Country Produce; Hardware, Stov es, Tinware, Graipiteware. FOARD & STOKES CO. Incorporate Wholesale and Rcta.l Gcr.iral flerchandlse.