Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1897 — WATER WORKS [ARTICLE]

WATER WORKS

Plans and Specifications Almost Completed. It Will be a Very Complete System And Adequate to The Needs of The City. Tuesday's Daily: ' The plans and specifications for a proposed waterworks system are now practically completed, the only particular in which everything is not decided is the kind and capacity of the stand pipe. The system contemplates 7| miles of mains, so distributed as to reach every part of town; and as an especially advantagous feature, to have, in the whole system, only one “dead end.” thus ensuring a ready circulation of water through all the mains. The system also contemplates a large brick power house, to be built over and around the present light plant. Also a brick smoke stack 70 feet high. There will be 65 hydrants or fire plugs, distributed so as to afford fire protection to even’ part of the city. The question of a stand pipe is still somewhat unsettled. A steel tank to hold 100,000 gallons mounted 125 feet high on a steel tower, is favored most, but there is talk also in favor of an ordinary standpipe to hold 100,000 gallons, and also of a larger one to hold 175,000 gallons. There will be a filter well 12 feet in diameter, and reaching to bedrock. There are to be two steam compound duplex pumps, of | million gallons capacity. It is probable also that an additional well will be required. It is probable that the present boilers in the light plant will be thought sufficient boiler power for a while.