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E P O R T
Oi\ TllK SUBJKCT OF INl'RODUCING
A T E K
CITY OF BOSTON
BY LOAMMI BALDWIN, ESQ
CIVIL EN G I NE E R.
BOSTON:
JOHN H. EASTBURN, CITY PRINTER.
1834.
P O K T •
Charlestoivn, October 1, 1834.
By your notes of May 7 and 10 in behalf of the Committee
of the City Council, I am requested to make an examina-
tion, survey and report upon the subject of supplying the city
of Boston with pure water, agreeably to a vote of the City
Council, passed April 14th, 1834, which provides that a Com-
mittee be appointed " with authority to cause a survey to be
made by competent persons for the purpose of ascertaining
whether a steady and copious supply of pure and soft water
can be obtained, and also what will be the best mode and the
cost of introducing such supply of water into the city, and that
the said Committee report to the City Council the result of the
survey as soon as completed."
As you express a wish to have the survey so far completed
as to enable the Committee to make a report of their proceed-
ings to the City Council at an early period in the autumn I
present the result of my examination and survey for your con-
sideration. It is as complete as the time and other engage-
ments allowed me to make it, though far from being so full
definite, and so much in detail as the important object demands.
By the language of your commission it appears the City
Council have in view only one mode of furnishing the town
with water, and that is, by bringing it in from distant and
abundant sources, either by canals, aqueducts and pipes, or
by aid of pumps. But on reflecting much upon the enterprise,
many other considerations intimately connected with it arose
in the course of investigation that must have an important in-
fluence upon the main design which is the Health, Cleanli-
ness, and comfort of the City.
There are four methods by which water is usually procured
by the citizens of populous towns. First, by collecting in
cisterns rain water falling on the roofs of houses, &c. Second^
by raising it from wells made in the common way. Third, by
boring into the earth and tapping springs below. Fourth, by
conducting it into town from high and distant sources either
by aqueducts, conduit pipes, or Pumps.
RAIN WATER RESERVED IN CISTERNS.
This mode of procuring good, soft water is often adopted in
Boston and is more or less practised in all towns where no
pure water can be obtained from the earth, and in some parts
of the world no other fresh water can be had.
COMMON WELLS.
Where natural springs at the surface are not at hand this is
the first artificial means of obtaining good water. From the
porous nature of the upper strata of the earth this expedient
sometimes fails and is often deceptive, even where the ground
a little below the surface appears saturated with copious
springs. This is because the absorbent quality of the top
layers receive, before it can escape along the surface, most of
the filthy water that has been used, together with other fecu-
lent liquids, which naturally filter through and mingle with
lower veins of water and thus pollute that of wells situated
in such soils.
ARTESIAN OR BORED WELLS.
The name of Artesian Wells, called in French, puits arte-
siens, is derived from that of Artois an old province of France,
now within the department of Pas-de-Calais. It was in this
district, that the practice of boring for water was first carried
to great extent in former times, and where the nature of the
ground and copious springs were uncommonly favourable to
the operation. Hence this very convenient name for such
works has been generally adopted in Europe and particularly
on the continent. (I.)
Artesian wells have been made in Boston and the neighbour-
hood within a few years, but are by no means a very recent
discovery. " The art of boring the earth for bringing up
pure water to the surface has been the practice of ages.
There are many reasons for believing it the invention of miners
who have constantly occasion to use it in their works. Very
small and deep wells are found in the East, called Greek wells,
which could never have been executed without the aid of
(1 ) See notes at the end.
machines ; and some Missionaries relate that the Chinese are
very expert in the art of using the fbuntaineers' auger which
they employ with success in all parts of that vast Em-
pire." (2.)
The first evidence of applying artesian wells to the draining
of land, bogs, and wet ground is found in Elkington on Drain-
ing, though it is stated in the work, that it has been practised
in Germany. (3.) His plan is, where the bog or wet ground
lies upon a bed or stratum of clay or other nonconducting
material underlaid with sandy or porous strata, to bore through
the impervious sheet, and allow the water to descend into the
earth. In Chap. V. page 46 is found the description of his
process.
In the Article before quoted from Annates des Fonts et
Chaussees two or three novel and peculiar applications of such
wells are given. The municipal council of St. Denis, near
Paris,wishing to procure a supply of fresh water, from the known
success of Artesian wells in that district, made a contract with
the Engineers, Messrs. Flachat, Vt^ho bored one near the Post
house 203 feet deep (62 metres) which produced from that depth
more than 9,000 cubic feet, 71.000 gallons (270,000 litres)
in 24 hours. In such cases the same supply is generally con-
stant, and when the hydraulic pressure forces it above the
surface it is impossible to check its flow ; and here great mis-
chief arose from the continual flooding of the street.
This serious inconvenience arrested the Council for some
time in their preparations for sinking another in Flanders
Square. But a remedy for the evil of streets inundated by
water of a spouting fountain issuing from a depth of 203 feet
below the surface was promptly furnished by Mullot, a dis-
tinguished Engineer employed in the environs of St. Denis
who made a contract with the City " to sink again (perdre)
in the earth the water of the well after it should be used for all
the purposes for which it was procured."
Mr. Mullot's very curious method adopted for the new well,
was formed upon his experience in making Artesian wells in
the vicinity, and upon his science of the geological nature of
the soil and strata. The following is a translation of its de-
scription.
" The new well was bored to the depth of 213 feet {65
metres.) Like the first it traversed four sheets or veins of
water. Within the well three concentric tubes were placed
like those of a spy glass, but with this difference, that they did
not rub against each other like those of the optical instrument,
but were seperated from each other by a space of about 2
inches (0,054 metres.) The water of the lowest sheet arose to
the surface of the earth within the smallest of the three tubes ;
that of the vein situated at the depth of 180 feet (54.90 mUres)
was received within the space between the smallest pipe and
the middle one ; and the third pipe enclosing the other two,
received and discharged into the third sheet, which was not
an ascending spring, all the water rising in the two interior
tubes."
Many important advantages may be drawn from Mr. Mul-
let's ingenious plan and several illustrations of the cheapness
of Artesian wells of his contrivance both in ^England and
France are stated in the article referred to. Great facilities
are offered by applying this method to the immediate discharge
of foul or putrid water into the earth in the spot where it is
received and employed, and a remarkable case is given at
page 317 of the same number of Annales des Fonts et
Chaussees.
In 1818 an establishment for making Potatoe Starch was
begun at Villetaneuse, a village a league from St. Denis, sit-
uated in the fields, but not legally authorized before July
1822. It was at first on a small scale, but gradually increas-
ing yearly, it became at last a manufactory, using daily about
20,000 gallons (80,000 litres). This water charged with
vegetable matter and albumen, a peculiar animal substance
and all other soluble materials of potatoes, flowed off by a
small gutter more than a mile across the plain to Enghein
brook and into the Seine. Sulphurated Hydrogen and other
gases arising from Chemical action of the various matters held
in solution, &c. was distinctly perceived along the drain or
gutter and the brook below where the water of the starchery
entered it, so that loud and numerous complaints arose among
the neighbours, till at last the magistracy interposed, and
forbid the manufacturer discharging the waste water into the
brook or even into the gutter.
To silence these complaints the proprietor sunk wells in his
own ground deep enough to enter the upper stratum of sand
saturated with the water that supplied the common wells in
the neighbourhood. Into these new sinks he discharged all
the waste and refuse water. In consequence of this the com-
plaints soon became more violent than ever, as the neighbours'
wells like his own became corrupted, till the owner almost
despaired of continuing his manufacture ; the council of health,
in fact, leaving him no other alternative than " sinking the
water into some subterranean current by means of wells or
holes made by the fountaneers' auger." In this state of
things he consulted Mr. Mullot, who readily engaged by con-
tract to accomplish a remedy by means of boring and to fulfil
two important conditions ; First, " to sink or lose (perdre) the
dirty water of the starchery ; and second, to sink it in such a
manner as not to injure the well of the Manufacturer, nor
those of the neighbours at a short distance from the establish-
ment."
The sounding was driven by the auger to a depth of 210
feet (64 mHres) in the Calcarious Chlorite, stopping a little
above the point corresponding to the deepest sheet of the well
in St. Denis Place. The different sheets or veins of water
passed in boring, were perfectly isolated by cast iron pipes
driven down with great force, that the outside should touch
and bear hard, all the way, against the interior of the bored
hole, so that the veins of water should have no communication
with each other. The two conditions of the contract were
fully complied with, to the satisfaction of the Proprietor and
Engineer and 20,000 gallons have been daily sunk or lost
through the well and absorbed at the lower end of the tube,
ever since the discharge commenced. At the end of the win-
ter of 1832 and 1833 after this singular drain had been in
operation five months, receiving during that time all the refuse
and feculent liquid of the starchery, some of the water, &c.
was brought up from the bottom by a peculiar instrument used
by miners having a valve at the lower end, and both manufac-
turer and engineer were astonished to find nothing but sand
and whitish water.
Success so complete and extraordinary both as regards in-
dustry and health, soon made evident the benefits which might
be drawn from the use of Artesian wells. A powerful com-
pany was immediately formed after the winter of 1832 and
1833, to apply them to draining of a totally new character,
that of sinking all the foul water subsiding from the manure
pits iyoiries) of Paris, of which, there were two, one at Mont
.Faucon and the other in the Forest of Bondy 10 miles from
the City.
The authors of the article in the Annales desPonts et Chaus-
sees, No. 157, give a striking example of the force of such
springs which rise above the ground, quoted from another
French vi^ork. It occurred in England about 3 miles from
London.
" Mr. Brook of Hammersmith having bored in a garden to
the depth of 360 feet 4| inches diameter, obtained so copious
a jet of water, that in a few hours the whole lot of ground on
which the house had just been erected was filled with water ;
all the Kitchens and ground floors within an area of 300 feet
round were filled with it also and the evil became so great that
upon numerous complaints the magistrate was obliged to inter-
pose, expressing fears that the houses would sink into the soil
or have their foundations sapped. Two men attempted in vain
to stop the pipe by driving in wooden plugs, but they were
constantly rejected again. Another man repeated the trial,
but all efforts were ineffectual. At last an engineer proposed
to drive in several iron pipes with diameters successively di-
minishing, one within the other, and in this way the impetuous
stream was stopped, which had created most lively apprehen-
sions and threatened serious damages."
A favourable opportunity exists at Norfolk in Virginia for
supplying that Borough by means of Artesian wells with an
abundance of pure, fresh water, which the inhabitants do not
enjoy, while nothing but bad water is taken from ordinary
wells. The upper stratum of alluvial soil, characteristic of
that part of the country, for the depth of 10, 12 or 14 feet in
Norfolk, Portsmouth on the opposite side of the river, and the
surrounding precincts, is composed of sand with some clayey
mixture towards the surface, and in a fluid state at the under
side. In this bed is found a quiescent source of good water
furnishing a sufficient supply by common wells. But the soil
is absorbent, and hence in the thickly settled parts of the
town, the water is not good in consequence of the polluted
water discharged on the ground and in streets sinking and
mixing with the spring. Those, therefore, who can afford it,
buy water throughout the year, brought from a well in the
outskirts of the town. Many have cisterns and depend most-
ly on collected rain water. Next below, is a compact bed of
marl with some shells, impervious to water. This is of varia-
ble thickness from 15 to 30 and 40 feet. The next vein under
the marl, or the third stratum, is friable shell lime stone or
calcaneus tufa, which resisted the auger so much that it was
worn smooth or often broken in boring one or two feet into it.
This bed furnishes a powerful ascending spring of purest
water, that rises in a hole bored through the marl to within
about eight or ten feet of the surface of the ground.
At the Dry Dock lately built at the Navy Yard there, the
depth of the vein of water is seventy feet below the top, at
the foot of the Dock next the river, and about 4.5 or 50 feet
at the head. It became necessary to drive the foundation
piles to this bed where they stopped and afforded the only
safe bearing for the work.
This spring is so powerful by its ascending hydraulic pres-
sure, that after piles 30 feet long had been driven three or four
days, the water made its appearance on the heads of most
of them, arising throuo'h the pores of the piles, which were
common pitch pine, [Pinus Rigida,) and stood in thin sheets
with the upper surface flatly convex, often breaking over the
edge and passing down the sides. Towards the head or up-
per end of the Dock, the marl was only 10 or 15 feet thick
after the excavation was effected 40 feet deep. Here the
marl was broken upwards in large flakes or sheets, and the
spring discharged itself through the fissures. This gave re-
gular employment to the steam engine that had been prepar-
ed for it, and when the foundation floor of masonry had been
raised four or five feet, it became convenient to measure ac-
curately the amount of water furnished from this vein, when it
was found 10,000 cubic feet, or about 75,000 gallons in 24
hours. It rises to the height of 9 feet belovr the coping of the
Dock, and its hydraulic effect upwards on the underside of
the floor, between the turning gates and head, produces a
pressure of more than 23,000 tons, and furnishes enough to
water a Frigate in one day.
AQUEDUCTS, CONDUIT PIPES AND PUMPS.
ANCIENT ROME.
Before entering upon an exposition of the sources, routs,
plans, &C. that have been considered for supplying the City of
Boston with water, it seems requisite to give a sketch of seve-
ral methods employed for similar purposes in other places
or countries and in other times. As many such came mto
1
10
view while investigating what scheme should be recommended
to the attention of your committee, it cannot be unacceptable
to the citizens at large, who are all interested in the inquiry,
to know something of the simple, successful, or magnificent
projects adopted elsewhere.
The most authentic accounts we have of a copious supply
of water in towns among the ancients, are those of aqueducts
built by the Romans for conducting water to Rome. All data
for the following tables are drawn from Rondelet's translation
into French of the Latin work written by Frontinus, who
died A, D. 101, and who had for several years the whole su-
perintendence of the Roman aqueducts and of the manage-
ment and distribution of the water flowing in them to the
city (4.)
In the following table is placed, First, the name of the wa-
ter or aqueduct ; in the Second column the era of its con-
struction ; and the Third the length of each aqueduct in
miles and decimals ; in the Fourththe cubic feet discharged in
24 hours, and in the Fifth column the gallons in wine measure
NAME.
Era.
Length.
Cubic feet.
Gallons.
i. Appian Aqueduct,
B. C. 312
10,3250
3706575
27,724,181
2. Old Anio "
" 273
36,6775
8932338
66,813,887
3. Marcian "
" 146
56,9417
9525390
71,249,917
4. Tepulan "
" 127 )
14,234]
( 903795
6,760,386
5. Julian "
" 35
I 2449386
18,321,407
6. Virgin "
" 22
14,3116
5085624
38,040,467
7. Alsietina "
A. D. 14
20,4526
796152
5,656,016
8. Claudian "
49
42,1989
9356817
96,988,991
9. New Anio "'
90
54,1644
9622878
71,979,127
249,3058
50,378,955
376,834,379
In the JVotions Preliminaires prefixed to his translation,
Rondelet remarks, page 20. " It appears from this, that the
water furnished by the nine aqueducts of Rome described by
Frontinus, would be equal to a river 30 feet wide and 6 feet
deep, flowing with the velocity of 30 inches a second, that is,
with a velocity equal to that of the Seine in its ordinary height."
These are French measures given by Rondelet, but reduced
lo English, the velocity would be nearly 32 inches a second.
Some auxiliary supplies or feeders make the total length of
the Roman aqueducts exceed 255 miles, all of which were
built of stone and covered either by arches or large flat
stones. The works consisted of three modes of construction.
First, of subteranean aqueducts, or so placed as to be wholly
covered with '^arth when the ground admitted it, or when high
11
land required deep excavation. Second, on substructions,
where the surface was too low for the level or slope. In these
places a solid mass of stone work was raised to a sufficient
height to build the aqueduct upon, where in modern works
earth embankments would be substituted for masonry ; and
Third where it was to be conducted over streams of water
and deep vallies or ravines, the aqueducts were elevated on
stone bridges, built on arches, in some cases on two or three
rows of arches one above another. In the 255 miles there
were 191 of the first, 42 of the second and 22 miles of the
third kind of construction.
MODERN ROME.
Rome is now supplied with water by three aqueducts, being
three of the ancient works restored in modern times.
First ^qxia Virgini, called by Frontinus Aqua Virgo, deno-
minated in the above table Virgin Aqueduct. The trunk of
the aqueduct having been injured, the reparation was begun
under the Pontificate of Nicholas V. and Sextus IV. and
completed under that of Pius IV, in 1568, This water sup-
plies the beautiful fountain Trevi, thus named from the three
discharges issuing from it, or from its being placed at the junc-
tion of three streets. The water this aqueduct furnishes is
2,322,762 cubic feet daily, discharging through 7 principal
conduits, at 13 public and 37 other fountains. (5)
Second, ^qua Felice. This is a part of the ancient water
of the Claudian and Marcian aqueducts united with many
others, and collected under Sextus V. The daily quantity it
furnishes is 727,161 cubic feet, which supplies 16 public and
11 other fountains. The Moses fountain discharges from this
souice.
The Pauline aqueduct, called Aqua Paola, is the third
of the ancient works restored. The water is collected within
the territories of Arcolo and Bassano, and conducted along the
ancient aqueduct of Alsietina. This was eifected under Pope
Pius V. and directed by Charles Fontana, an eminent Hy-
draulic Architect, who constructed the great fountain of S.
Pietro-in-Montorio. Additional water was also taken from Lake
Bracciano by Fontana in 1694, under Clement X. The w^hole
quantity in 24 hours is 3,325,531 cubic feet, about one third
of which goes to feed the fountains of St. Peters, and those of
the Pontifical Palace on the Vatican Hill ; the rest is distri-
buted among 8 public and 23 other fountains, as well as to 21
12
work-shops, (usines) in St. Pancras street. All three aqueducts
now give 6,375,455 cubic feet in 24 hours, equal to 49,688,403
gallons.
An evidence of the durability of these old Roman structures
is furnished in this junction of water from Lake Bracciano by
Cardinal Orsini, under authority of Clement X., upon condi-
tion that a part of the water should be used to feed a second
fountain about to be built in St. Peter's Square at Rome and
the rest to be divided between the Apostolic Chamber and
the House of Orsini. From the lake the conduit leads to the
old Alsietina aqueduct in which it flows 20 miles to the city
and it was found to be in so perfect a state when the trial
was first made after the restoration, October 13, 1693, that
all the water which entered the old aqueduct was discharged
at Rome without any loss, after its use had been suspended
nearly 1000 years.
It is unnecessary to refer to more of the great and splendid
structures of this nature built by the Romans in various plac-
ces, or by modern nations in Europe. But those erected by
the Romans near Constantinople and that at Lyons in France
deserve notice for their singular character.
CONSTANTINOPLE.
Three aqueducts exist in the valley of Bourgas 8 miles
from Constantinople, for conducting water into the city. One
of them is remarkable for the beautiful architectural arrange-
ment and the solidity of its construction. It is 115 feet high
and was built under the Emperor Justinian, A. D. 527.
These aqueducts are in some parts unlike those of Rome,
which were formed on a continuous line for many miles with
a regular slope from the source to the city, but are interrupt-
ed by reversed syphons. Instead of crossing deep and wide
vallies in the usual manner of stone structures, the aqueduct
terminates on one bank in a reservoir or cistern and a pipe is
laid from it down the sloping side of the hill to a stone pier
erected at a suitable distance ; the pipe rises up the pier to
the top wh^re the water from the reservoir is discharged into
a small cistern nearly as high as that in the reservoir. From
the cistern, another conduit pipe descends to the bottom of
the pier, passes along the ground to a second pier at a proper
distance and rises to another cistern on the second pier, and
so on till it rises on the crest of the opposite bank, where the
water resumes its regular motion along the aqueduct. Owing
13
to friction in the pipes, some loss of head occurs, but the prin-
cipal reason for adopting this expedient was the saving expense
in building a high stone arched way or bridge with two or more
rows of arcades to preserve a regular flow of water on a slop-
ing plane. These piers are called Souterazi, which may be
dispensed with in future works and the pipes laid down one
side, across the bottom, up the other side of the valley and
the continuous motion of the water preserved without any sud-
den angles.
ANCIENT AQUEDUCTS AT LYONS.
" Nothing can give a better idea of the splendor of the city
of Lyons under the first Roman Emperors than the ruins of
its ancient monuments. Here are still observed the remains
of temples, palaces, amphitheatres, basins for exhibiting sea
fights, baths, and of many aqueducts, three of which were con-
structed under Augustus, Tiberius and Claudius for supply-
ing water to that part of the city situated on the Hill. "(6)
AQUEDUCT OF MOUNT PILA.
This was built by Claudius; who was born at Lyons, to
conduct water to the Emperor's Palace, situated on the high-
est part of the city. It was 34| miles long. There were 13
bridges of stone to support the aqueduct over rivers or deep
vallies, two of which were crossed by leaden pipes laid down
the sloping ground on one side, crossing the valley and rest-
ing on the opposite bank. This is called by Rondelet, Syphon
Bridge, (Pont-a- Syphon). A foundation -in masonry was laid
on a regular slope, part of the way on arches, from the termi-
nation of the aqueduct on the top of the hill, to the end of the
Stone Bridge crossing the bottom of the valley. The bridge
was about 40 feet high and the perpendicular height of the
aqueduct above it was 140 feet. Nine leaden pipes of about
8 inches interior diameter and 1 inch thick were laid upon the
surface of this inclined plane, on the bridg^e across the valley
and on a corresponding, ascending plane on the other side,
and thus a communication was opened between the two oppo-
site crests of the valley.
It has often been said thai the Romans were ignorant of
the hydraulic principle that water would rise in pipes &c. to
the same level as the source when unobstructed. But the
same charge of ignorance may be made against the moderns
within the last two centuries with equal justice, if we judge
from the works constructed under Louis J4thj for bringing
14
water to Versailles ; from the aqueduct of Montpelier built
iQ 1752 ; from that of Casertes near Naples built in 1753 ;
and from numerous other modern works.
I notice this ancient monument to shew that a Syphon
Bridge erected nearly 1800 years ago by the Romans is a mo-
del that may be judiciously applied perhaps in some circum-
stances for an aqueduct to supply the town of Boston. (7)
LONDON.
The quantity of water supplied to London is immense and
nearly half of it by pumps and steam engines. The new river
water is brought in an open canal about 40 miles and embra-
ces two sources, one from a spring at Chadwell, between
Hertford and Ware 21 miles north of London ; the other
from an arm of the river Lea, whose source is near the Chad-
well spring, in proportion of two thirds from the former and
one third from the latter supply. The following tabular state-
ment of water furnished to the city from incorporated compa-
nies is taken from a report made to the King in 1828 by com-
missioners appointed by him for that purpose, as given by Mr
Williams in his work on Sub-ways of London. (8)
The 5 first on the list are on the north side or left bank of
the Thames and the 3 last on the right bank. The names of
the Companies and number of houses or tenants are given
in the two first columns and the quantity in cubic feet and gal-
lons stated in the two last columns are those presented in the
report.
TABLE OP WATER COMPANIES FOR LONDON. 1
NAMES OF C0MPANE9.
Houses or
Tenants.
Cubic feet
per day.
Gallons per
day.
1. The New River Company by Canal,
2. The East London Waaler Works,
3. The West Middlesex "
4. Tlie Chelsea "
5. The Grand Junction "
6. The Lambeth "
7. The Vauxhall South London "
8. The Southwalk. "
66,000
42,000
15,000
12,400
7,700
16,000
10,000
7,000
2,000,000
950,000
360,000
282,000
450,000
200,000
160,000
115,000
13,000,000
6,000,000
2,250,000
1,760,000
2,800,000
1,244,000
1,000,000
720,000
Total,
176,100
4,517,000
28,774,000
Among the above named corporations, the New River Com-
pany furnishes the most. It gives a mean of 197 gallons to a
house daily. Taking the number of persons in a house at 7
it is 28 gallons to each, and at 5, nearly 40 gallons to each in-
dividual. In fact this aqueduct or canal supplies nearly half
the water brought into London and the district is better served
than any in the City. All the other seven companies supply
15
water wholly from the Thames by pumps, have 13 reservoirs,
21 steam engines of the aggregate power of 1,340 horses, and
give an average of a little over 143 gallons to a house or
tenant, which, supposing 5 inmates to a house is equal nearly
to 29 gallons to a person, or over 20 to each where 7 constitute
the family.
Taking the eight watering establishments together, they
give a mean of about 163^ gallons to a house or tenant ; and
if each had 7 in the family, then about 23 gallons ; if 6, 27 and
if 5, 33 gallons to each person. Upon the supposition that 6
is the fair average number for each house or tenant, as set
down in the table made up from the Parliamentary report, it
results that the population furnished with water by incorporated
companies is 858,600. But this is wild conjecture. Many
set down as tenants, are owners and pay for several houses,
sometimes a whole street ; besides, the English are a clean-
ly people and use water very copiously for all personal
and domestic purposes ; and although not a public fouotain
and rarely a private one is met with in London, a vast quantity
of water must be employed in manufactures, mechanic trades,
markets, stables, gardens, Stc. which far surpasses the propor-
tion due to the number of people supposed attached to each
house or tenement by the foregoing estimate.
Applying the same form of illustration which Rondelet pre-
sented of the enormous quantity thrown into Rome by her 9
aqueducts, the 8 London works deliver a column of water
equal a river 30 feet wide and 6 feet deep, English measure,
flowing at about the rate of 3^ inches a second ; or otherwise,
the latter compared with the former would be as 1 to II nearly.
It would fill a reservoir as big as Boston Common 2 feet 4
inches daily and that delivered in Ancient Rome would fill it
to the depth of 25 feet 8 inches. What is now furnished to
Modern Rome by her three aqueducts would, in 24 hours, fill
the reservoir 3 feet 3 inches, while an ample supply for Boston
of 5 million gallons — 668,450 cubic feet would cover the Com-
mon daily 4 inches only.
EDINBURG.
A new supply of water was attempted for Edinburg a few
years ago under direction of James Jardine, Esq , an emi-
nent Engineer of the city, and while I was there in the sum-
16
mer of 1823 the works were in progress, but unfortunately I
had not an opportunity of seeing Mr. Jardine. I had the
pleasure of accompanying a friend from Boston to view
the works, about 10 miles from Edinburg. The water
was collected by underdraining in various directions in the
deep gravelly soil of the valley of Glencross Burn, about 9
miles from the city. A small brook or burn runs down the
valley and the water passed to and turned some miles lower
down the stream. Instead of taking the water of the burn im-
mediately into pipes, the process was adopted of digging tren-
ches and collecting it from beneath the surface into a basin or
cistern, covered with a neat stone building, and from the cis-
tern the water entered the pipes and thus was conducted to
Edinburg. Trenches 10, 12 or 15 feet deep were dug in a bed
of loose gravel abounding in purest spring water. Stone drains
were then made about 2 feet wide, the sides laid up in dry
stone rubble walls 4 or 5 feet high and covered with large flat
stones and then filled over with the porous earth which came
from the trenches.
Workmen were engaged on some of these when we visited
the place, and one cistern if not the only one, was completed,
into which a beautiful stream of clear water was running but
passing to waste again because the line of pipes wore not all
laid. To satisfy the millers against injury from this under-
ground encroachment of their right, it became necessary to
provide a supply to compensate their loss, and a reservoir
was provided by a dam across the burn and the valley, which
I saw raised only about half the intended height.
The spot where the work is situated is called Crawley
Springs and on the burn, about a mile above the dam is Hab-
bies Howe the scene of Ramsay's pastoral — The Gentle
Shepherd. I give the following particulars from minutes fur-
nished by my brother George R. Baldwin, who had them
from the Engineer in 1832.
Boston, June 8, 1834.
" Dear Brother,
I have referred to my memoranda kept while in England
and Scotland, relative to the Edinburg Water Works, and
find the following account to be the substance of what I then
recorded.
" Mr. James Jardine Engineer of the water works at Edin-
17
burg, informs me that the water brought from the country for the
use of the City, is collected by digging trenches or ditches along
the sides of hills to intercept the springs. These ditches ter-
minate in one or more reservoirs, from which the water is
conducted to the City in a cast-iron main, that drops 300 feet
below the fountain-head, or surface of the reservoir. The
main at the reservoir is about 20 inches in diameter, and
at the lowest place between that and the City, it may be about
15 inches, (the smallest diameter of the main) and l^ inches in
thickness. The pipes were all proved to support a column of
water 800 feet high, under which pressure none were broken,
except one supposed to have been cracked while on its way
from England.
^' The compensation-dam on one of the branches or burns
of the river,, which would have received the water taken
for the use of the City, was built of earth in the following man-
ner. Across the valley of the burn, an excavation was made
5'2 feet deep, and say 480 feet in width at the lowest place ;
this was filled with good embankmen'-earth, having a puddle-
ditch of clay 60 feet wide at bottom, brought up with it, run-
ning across the valley below the middle of the excavation.
On this base the embankment was carried up together with
the puddle-ditch 75 feet above the level of the burn, the
embankment having a slope of 4 to 1 on the up-stream, and
2 to 1 on the down-stream side of the dam. The puddle-filling
was regularly diminished from its base in the excavation to
the top of the embankment, where it had a breadth of 30 feet,
and occupied the whole top. The slope above the puddle-
ditch was made by depositing from waggons layers of earth
one foot thick, well puddled down in succession."
" The reason Mr. Jardioe gave for digging so deep into the
valley of the burn was, that the natural soil being so loose a
texture it was not considered safe to base the embankment at
a higher level.
" At the level of the burn, a cast-iron pipe was laid through
the puddle-ditch, terminating at each end in stone culverts ;
the up-stream one being 3 feet in diameter, the other 6 feet
high and 4| feet wide, having an oval form for its cection ; at
the other end of the pipe are fianch-cocks for drawing off the
water for the use of the mills below. At a higher level in the
dam, is another culvert for taking ofT the water, and at one
end of the dam through a rock the water is allowed to run oiT
and fall in a cascade to the burn below.
3
18
The water conducted in this aqueduct to Edinburg is col-
lected from pure native springs far beneath the surface of the
ground ; it passes in this manner to the covered reservoir,
hence in iron pipes 9 miles to the City, and throughout its
passage is never exposed to the weather, or even to the light,
until drav/n for use at Edinburg. From these circumstances,
it constitutes, probably, the purest artificial supply in existence,
for the domestic use of a town.
Mr. J, Wright, in his memoir to the Commissioners ap-
pointed to inquire into the state of the supply of water to
London, published in the Parliamentary reports for 1828, says,
after referring to Rome, Paris, &c.
" To look nearer home. The City of Edinburgh receives
a supply of excellent water from a distance of eight or ten
miles. Under the able direction of the late Mr. Ronnie, Mr,
Telford, and Mr. Jardine, and at an expense of only £175,000,
the m.ost magnificent works of the kind in Great Britain have
been completed. The water is excellent ; and the quantity
to an inhabitant is nineteen gallons per day ; and not less than
280,000 gallons are daily permitted to run to waste. In real
utility, they rival the boastful aqueducts of ancient Rome, and
are the admiration of all scientific strangers."
GREENOCK.
A very interesting and extensive establishment, called the
Shaws Water-works, has been effected since 1824, at Gree-
nock on the Clyde, which arose from researches for supplying^
the town with water. Before the operation of this plan, Gree-
nock was badly furnished, and what w'as used for domestic
purposes was brought on carriages from a distance. To reme-
dy this evil, many surveys were made by different engineers,
without effect, Avhen Sir Michael Shaw Stewart employed Mr.
Robert Thorn, an engineer, who, in 1824, explored the envi-
rons of Greenock, and found that not only an ample supply
for the uses of the City could be obtained, but also enough to
create a water-power for mills equal to all the steam-power
then used at Greenock and its vicinity. (9.)
The principal source is in a stream called Shaw's Water,
which, with other small tributary streams, fills the great re-
servoir of 296.73 acres, containing 284,678,550 cubic feet of
water. The compensation-reservoir has an area of 40.53
acres, and contains 143465,898 cubic feet. Six auxiliary re-
servoirs, the main feeder, and other parts of the works, make
19
tbe whole amount retained in reservoirs, contemplated in their
unfinished state in 18'29, to be 600,000,000 cubic feet of water,
and from the experience of the two preceding years, the
amount in reserve was above 700 million of feet. The area
of the reservoir, feeder, &c. is more than 396 acres.
Mr. Thorn's calculation was, that the inhabitants of Gree-
nock were 25,000 souls, and to allow 2 cubic feel, making
14,96, or nearly 15 wine gallons daily to each, or 18,250,000
annually for the town of Greenock. For mills and manufac-
tories the provision was 1,200 cubic feet of water a minute
during 12 hours each day, and for SlO days in the year, on
two separate lines of supply, thus making the total consump-
tion for hydraulic power, 565,680,000 feet.
The principal feeder is quite circuitous, and between 6 and
7 miles long. It conducts the water to a regulating-reservoir
on the hill behind Greenock, where the water is 513 feet above
the Clyde at high water. From the reservoir the water is dis-
charged into two lines of mill-sites, one falling into the Clyde
on the east, and the other on the west side of the town. The
whole fall on the west line is 5l3 feet divided into 18 mill-pow-
powers, which gives a mean of 28 feet 5 inches for each.
But on account of the peculiar character of the ground, I pre-
sume, the falls are not all equal. There is one 43 feet 6 inches,
one 42, one 15 feet, the last on the line. They are nearly all
from 25 to 30 feet. The same variable fall exists at the mills
on the east line, where there are 19 sites in a fall of 512 feet
4 inches, giving a mean of 26 feet 11 inches.
The whole work has been put into the hands of a company
by act of Parliament, who have sold out mill-privileges, and
engage to furnish 1,200 cubic feet a minute. The water
passes through the first mill, and runs to the second, from the
second to the third, and so down each line of mills. If any
intermediate mill or mills stop, the water still passes on to
those below. Mr. Thom estimates 1,200 cubic feet of water
falling 30 feet as equivalent, in mechanical force, to one of
Bolton &t Watt's steam-engine of 54 horse-power.
All the contrivances of Mr. Thom are ingenious for regula-
ting the discharges of the reservoir and the supply for the
mills, which is done by self-acting gates or valves. The
whole system shows an admirable combination of hydraulic
science and engineering skill, perhaps never so well exempli-
fied in any other work. But the most original and ingenious
expedient was his method of constructing filters upon a large
20
scale for purifying the water for the ordinary domestic use of
the inhabitants. He constructed three, each 50 feet long, 12
wide, and 8 deep. All filters, however, fill and choke so
much, that after a short time they cease to transmit any water,
and become useless, unless the sand is cleaned or removed.
To remedy this evil, he constructed them so that when the
sand became filled with the sediment, the passage of water
through it is reversed, and thus all the impurities and sediment,
consequent upon the process of filtering, are immediately
washed out and discharged through a waste drain for that
purpose. This operates completely, and is the first instance
of the kind. After th-:^ sand becomes again clean by sending
the water through it in a contrary direction for a few hours,
the filter is restored to its ordinary functions in the usual way.
Mr. Thorn closes a letter to Sir Michael Shaw Stewart,
March 20, 1829, upon the, subject of the filters, as follows ;
" You are also aware that the medium through which the
water flows has been composed in such a way as to remove all
the colouring matter of bog (^marecaguesc) water, and other
similar impurities held in solution, and that in this respect we
have also completely succeeded ; but as the substance em-
ployed for this purpose is expensive and in time becomes satu-
rated and requires being taken out and replaced by new, great
care has been taken to prevent as far as possible the entrance
of such water to the filters,"
" Upon the whole, a filter without the means of removing
the sediment deposited by the water, cannot furnish for any
considerable time a uniform supply of pure water. In fact,
by giving a great surface to the filter, that is, to the surface of
the sand or gravel with which the v/ater comes into contact ;
in giving to the bed great thickness ; in arranging the strata
of materials so that the gravel of coarser sand shall be at
the top, and employing finer and finer sand as we approach the
cistern where the pure water is received, there is no doubt we
can construct a filter to operate for a proportionally longer
time ; but still unless such an arrangement is made that the
foreign matter deposited by the water can be removed, the ac-
tion of the filter will gradually be lessened apd finafly cease.'"
" As to the expense of the new system of filters, which I
propose, it will depend much upon the localities, on the quality
of water before filtering, on the more or le--s favourable situa-
tions in which they may be disposed, on the price and distance
4)f the materials to be used. In some circumstances the con-
21
struction of filters will cost double of those other situations
might require, and the same filter may furnish more or less,
according to the purity of the water to be filtered and the kind
of sediment he'.i in solution.
" In favourable situations these self cleansing filters maybe
so established as to supply a population of 25,000 inhabitants,
with 2 cubic feet daily to each for three hundred jjounds ster-
ling." (10.)
GLASGOW.
The water works of this city deserve notice on account of
the late Mr. Watt's ingenious method of laying cast iron con-
duit pipes across the bed of the Clyde. The town is situated
on the right bank which is clay, while the left bank is com-
posed of pure fine sand. I take the follov/ing extract of a let-
ter from Mr. John Robison to Dr. Brewster, dated April 3 820
— it is published in the 3d vol. of the Edinburg Philosophical
Journal, with a plate shewing the mode of uniting and laying-
the main.
" The Glasgow Water- Works Company derive their supply
of water from a well and tunnel formed in a stratum on the left
bank of the Clyde, which affords a natural filter for the water
of the river. As the City lies on the right bank the convey-
ance of the filtered water across the stream was a problem of
some difficulty. The fertile genius of Mr. Watt, however,
enabled him to solve it.
" He suggested that a flexible iron main should be drawn
across the bed of the river, through which pumping engines
on the north side should raise the water from the well on the
South side. In executing this plan, the well and tunnel were
dug in the sand near the water's edge. The well is 10 feet in
diameter and its bottom is 12 feet under the ordinary surface
of the river, the feeding tunnel is 3 feet wide and 6 feet high,
and extends for a considerable distance into the sand bank ;
the well has a wooden platform bottom ; its sides and those of
the tunnel are built of granite, put together without mortar,
and backed with gravel, to prevent the influx of sand. The
south end of the section pipe (or main) is turned down into
the well to a sufficient depth. That part of it which lies in
the bed of the river, is formed of pieces of 9 feet long (exclu-
sive of joints) and 15 inches interior diameter. Part of the
joints are formed in the usual way, but others are something
like what is called " ball and socket''^ or " universal joint."
22
The whole is laid on strong frames made of parallel logs ; these
frames are joined by strong hinges, having their pivots in hori-
zontal lines at right angles to the axis of the pipes, and passing
through the centres of spheres, of which the zones of the
sockets are portions. The flexible joints are at the extremities
of the frames.
" The frames and pipes were put together in succession on
the south side of the river, and (the open or north end being
plugged) were hauled into and across the bed in a trench pre-
pared for them. The machinery for hauling them was of course
on the north side ; the operation was aided and directed by pon-
toons, &c. The moveable joints of the pipes and hinges of
the frames, allowed them to assume the form of the bed.
" Upon the plugged end emerging from the water on the
north side, it was immediately opened and connected with the
main leading to the pump to secure it against accidents from
floods. There is a contrivance for removing any sand which
may accumulate in the pipe. That part which is under water
is covered over with stones and gravel, to protect it from in-
jury from passing vessels.
" The demand for water having Increased beyond expecta-
tion since 1810 (when this work was completed) a second main
of 18 inches diameter, similar in all respects to the first, has
fiinco been added,
" At present the consumption of water is reckoned about
8,000 tons per diem. The Company's establishment of En-
gines is two of 36 inches cylinder and 7 feet stroke, and one
of 54 inch cylinder and 8 feet stroke. These are employed in
raising the water from the filter to the reservoir for distribu-
tion ; but as some parts of the City lie 150 feet above the level
of the river, there are two smaller engines for forcing water
from the general reservoir to one still higher to supply these
places."
Assuming the population of Glasgow to be 60,000, the 8,000
tons of water daily from the pumps would be equal to about
37 gallons for each. The scheme of making a natural filter
on one side of the river and pumping the water from the other
was a very good expedient, but seems to have met with the
objections incident to artificial filters. The deposition of the
abundant sediment in the Clyde waters, has already lessened
the supply of clear water to an alarming degree, and several
attempts to increase the quantity of filtered Clyde water have
entirely failed, Mr. Watt was consulted, who recommended
23
the making more wells and tunnels in the same bank nearly
surrounded by the river, which was done and the plan succeed-
ed for a while and the inhabitants received a supply of excel-
lent water. But it gradually decreased so that at the end of
some years, they were obliged to take directly from the river.
In the summer of 1828, Mr Thom visited the works and
speaking of them he says "I advised the extension of the wells
and galleries along the sand banks near the River in the man-
ner originally proposed by Mr Watt, which they have done,
and the supply of pure water has since greatly increased ; but
there is no doubt that in the course of a few years, in conse-
quence of the sand being choked with sediment, the product
will gradually diminish so much that other means must be re-
sorted to for a necessary supply of pure water."
PARIS.
Water was brought into Paris by the Romans, under the
emperor Julian A. D. 360, by an aqueduct above 9 miles and a
half long, which was all under ground, except the stone arcade
over a brook and deep valley at Arcueil. It conveyed water
to the palace and hot baths, but was destroyed by the Nor-
mans, and after its use had been suspended 800 years, a new
and beautiful arched aqueduct was erected by the side of the
ruins of the old one, and its final restoration to public use
was completed in 1634.
Other water works were also erected under Louis XIV^
and in subsequent reigns, most of which have been removed,
except the Pumps and steam Engines constructed at the two
Chaliot water works on the right and left banks of the Seine.
The great and only considerable undertaking for supplying^
the city is the Ourcq Canal, which has been nearly twenty
years in completing. It affords an abundant supply. The
canal begins at the River Ourcq above 58 miles from Paris^
and in its course takes in five or six other streams or feeders.
The trunk of the Canal is 36.08 feet (1 1 metres) wide ; depth
8.20 feet (2.50 jKeh-es) depth of water 4.92 feet (1.50 metre)
and slope of the banks 1,50 base to 1 rise. The velocity of
the water is calculated to be nearly 13 inches a second, and
the slope of the Canal about 3| inches a mile.
It terminates in a large basin near the Barriere of Villette.
From the S. West corner opens the St. Martin Canal, com-
municating with tho Seine on the East side of Paris and a
short distance before coming to the basin the St. Denis
24
Canal is opened passing down to the Seine near that city on
the north side of Paris.
At the north-west corner of the Basin is taken out the water
for supplying the City by a subterranean canal or aqueduct, on
the north side of Paris, (aqtieduc de ceinture) nearly two miles
and three quarters long. The work is in stone masonry, and
the canal for the water is 3 feet 3 inches wide at bottom, 5
feet 3 inches deep, and 4 feet 6 inches wide at top. On one
side is an off-set 4 inches wide, and on the other afoot-walk
1 foot 6 inches wide, making the whole breadth between the
side walls above the trunk 6 feet 4 inches. These walls rise
4 feet 6 inches covered with a semi-circular arch. At various
points there are galleries and staircases to descend to the sub-
terranean aqueduct. I descended to examine the work with
M. Girard the Engineer,. by a flight of steps from the cellar
of a house where one of the guardians resided.
Convenient arched passages are constructed under three
principal streets where one may walk, and where are laid the
different mains taking water from the aqueduct to conduct it to
the various fountains and other points for distribution. They
are laid upon stone blocks or cast iron frames, so that they
may be easily examined all round from one end to the other.
The beautilul fountain in the Garden of the Palais Royal, that
in the Boulevard of Bondy, &c. are supplied from this water.
The Canal is estimated by Mr. P. S. Girard, the Engineer
who constructed it, and had the whole superintendence of dis-
tributing the Vv'ater in Paris, at 4,000 inches of water (pouce
d''eau de fontainier.) An inch of water is so much as will
flow through a hole 1 inch diameter, French measure, in a
minute, under a head of 7-12 of an inch above the centre of
the aperture, and is equal to SISg cubic inches in a minute,
or, 678 cubic feet in 24 hours, amounting to 2,711,680 feet
for the 4,000 inches daily^ or over 20 million gallons.
'• The quantity of water necessary for a given number of
inhabitants has not been accurately fixed. In France it has
been generally estimated at 19195 litres (i inch) for 1,000 in-
habitants. The Scotch Eng-ineers do not consider the supply
complete at less than 9 gallons a day for each individual in a
city. If we compare the distribution of water in London Vv'ith
the population, the supply is at the rate of 20 gallons for each
person. But there are no public fountains in that city and the
people receive no water but what is furnished by independent
companies. At Paris 4,000 inches of water of Ourcq are ap-
propriated for fountains and for cleaning streets, so that water
25
is raised from the Seine for domestic use. The actual quan-
tity thus used does not exceed 200 inches," (equal 135,584
cubic feet daily) " and it costs from an accurate and detailed
estimate, the enormous sum of 4,265,756 francs," equal to
^767,836. To supply the want of Seine water, on account of
its cost, pumps are employed in nearly all private houses, and
spring and well water is used, although it does not possess the
qualities suitable for mechanical industry." (11-) '
Great inconvenience arises among engineers and hy-
draulicians from the want of a standard unit to denote the
quantity of water flowing in a given time. The fountaineer's
inch (pouce d' eau de fontainier) is used by all French writers
upon the subject, though admitted by most of them to be very
indefinite. It is perhaps sufficiently correct for practical pur-
poses, but not adopted in philosophical investigation. Gen-
ieys says, it is " equal the quantity of water a pipe an inch in
diameter would furnish in a minute, so placed that the centre
of orifice should be seven lines below the surface of the reser-
voir to which it is adapted. To estimate the quantity it is still
necessary to determine the length of the pipe or thickness of
the side of the vessel in which the aperture is made, through
which the water is discharged. Now this has never been
done in such a way as that all agree upon the exact amount ;
but it is generally admitted to be equal to 15 pints, or 13.33
litres a minute, or 19195 litres in 24 hours."
The above are French measures. The litre is equivalent
to 61,028 cubic inches ; hence the fountaineer's inch is 813^
cubic inches a minute, or 678 cubic feet a day. Gallon, as
used by English writers is also a very ambiguous term, Avhen
applied to hydraulic discharges. The gallon, which I employ
in this report,=231 cubic inches ; the beer gallon,=282 j and
the imperial gallon, =277, 274 cubic inches.
Mr. Geniey's statement is that 19195 litres (one inch) is
generally estimated in France, as a supply for 1000 inhab-
itants ; which gives 0.6779 cubic feet, or a little over 5 gallons
to each daily. Seine water is distributed by carriers in hogs-
heads or carts, for which they pay at the pumps or filters 6305
francs the inch, and retail again to the inhabitants for 30462
francs. The amount thus paid by the Parisians is annually
2,864,504 francs. Another class of water-carriers are those
who carry it in buckets, {Porteurs d' eau a breielles) hung to
straps connected with a kind of yoke over the shoulders.
These take water gratuitously from fountains of the second
class, from the Seine, or from the filtering establishments
4
26
on the quay of the Celestins, and sell it for 10 centimes
the voire, or two pailfuls of water ; about two cents for 4| gal-
lons. In this manner the water-porters receive 1,405,252
francs, thus making the total sum of 4,266,756 francs, =
^767,83i5, as before stated, paid annually by the citizens of
Paris for a daily supply of 135,534 cubic^ feet, or 1,013,163
gallons. Mr. Jenieys says " a company might furnish for
domestic use ten times the quantity for the same cost."
BEZIEilS.
In the 2d vol. of Annales des Ponts et Chausses, page 157,
Mr. Maffre, an engineer des Ponts et Chaussees, has given
a detailed account of an examination and experiments made
to prove the capacity and effect of a new steam-engine for
raising water from the river Orb, to supply the town of Beziers
in the south of France, near the Laoguedoc canal. The ma-
chine was intended as a substitute for an old and inefficient
one, and was made and erected by Mr. Cordier, a locksmith
of the town. He engaged to furnish to the basin in Saint
Louis Place IB inches of water for 14 hours a day. Thence
by two conduits are supplies furnish^jd to several fountains and
basins in the town.
The horizontal distance between the suction pipe at the sur-
face of the river and the axis of the pedestal, on the top of
which is a little box or cistern, is 373 feet, (113.7 metres.) The
top of the pedestal is 224.15 feet (68.34 mUres) above the
level of the Orb. The ascending pipe is 4 ^ inches interior
diameter, with the lower third part of its length 1 ^ inch
thick ; the second third, ~^.^^ ; and the upper third part of
the length, ~ of an inch in thickness.
On the top of the pedestal is a small copper cistern 24 inches
long, 20 wide, and 15 inches deep. Into the bottom of the
cistern or box opens the ascending pipe from the pumps, and
from it also descends another pipe 20 feet ; thence a horizon-
tal pipe passes 225 kei to the centre of the basin in St. Louis
Square, where it is turned up, by which the water' issues from
the cistern on the top of the pedestal, in the form of a
low mushroom jet, rising constantly to the same height of
16| inches.
The whole quantity during the day is 18 pouces d' eau, or
inches during 14 hours, equal to 7,1 19 cubic feet, or 53,257
gallons. The cost of the engine house, machine, pumps,
pipes, basins, &c. exclusive of the fountains, was 96,678
francs, 5^17,402. All pipes in the town are of pottery, and
tho annual expense of the works is 11,074 francs,=^ 1,993.
The whole maintenance of the water-works is supported by
the inhabitants of Beziers, and all the water is discharged at
1 1 public fountains. Mr. Matfre found by experiment that
the supply exceeded 18 inches, and that the contractor had
fully complied with his engagements in all respects. He re-
commends that the machine should act more than 14 hours a
day, and says that the quantity may equal 22 inches daily.
He also states that half the expense of the establishment can
easily be defrayed by selling water to the citizens for domes-
tic uses, &c. as is done in other places.
This is another instance of the prevailing taste in France
and other places on the Continent for fountains and public
display of copious and convenient sources ©f water. In Eng-
land and this country this rich and highly useful embellishment
of towns is wholly neglected.
PHILADELPHIA.
The beautiful system of water-works erected at Fairmount
on the Schuylkill near Philadelphia for supplying water to the
City by hydraulic power, stands unrivalled, perhaps, for its
simplicity, economy and effect. Jt was almost wholly owing
to the ingenuity, perseverance, prudence and good sense of
Frederick Graff, Esq. who is, and for many years has been,
superintendent of the water-works. Many of the annual re-
ports have recently been put into my hands, by the kindness
of one of the City Council, Joseph R. Chandler, Esq. and
from the last in the file, for 1832, I shall present an interest-
ing account, drawn from the tables, shewing in detail the vari-
ous objects, uses, and institutions, to which the Schuylkill
water is furnished, with the water rents for each during the
year 1831.
In the report for 1831, made January 12, 1832, Mr. Graff,
the Superintendent, has inserted an extremely valuable docu-
ment in the appendix, being a condensed abstract of the origin
and progress of the works and gradual change into their pre-
sent improved state, to 1832, which I shall take from the re-
port.
" MEMORANDUM
OF VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORKS, &c..
1779. March . Mr. Latrobe commenced the first wa-
ter-works by steam-power.
1812. August 1. Commenced the steam-power works at
Fair Mount.
28
1815. Sept. 7. Supplied the City from the steam-power
works at Fair Blount.
1819. April 8. Councils agreed to build the water-
power works at Fair Mount.
" April 19. Commenced building the Dam at Fair
Mount Works.
1821. April 28. Laid the Corner StoneofMill^Buildings
at Fair Mount.
" June 25. Put in the last Crib of the Dam at Fair
Mount.
" July 23. The water flowed over the Dam at Fair
Mount
1822. Feb. 21. The great ice freshet, which raised 8
feet 1 1 inches above the Combing of
the Dam at fair Mount.
'* July 1. Began to supply the City with water
from water-whee-l and Pump No. 1.
" Sept. 14. JBegan to supply the City with water
from water-wheel and Pump No. 2.
" Oct. 25. Stopped the Steam works at Fair
Mount.
" Dec. 24. Started Wheel and Pump No. 3.
1827. Nov. 10. Started Wheel and Pump No. 4.
1832, Started Wheel and Pump No. 5.
The Dam at Fair Mount is 6 feet 6 inches above high
tide in Schuylkill.
The Mill buildings are 238 feet front— by 56 feet deep.
The water is raised from the Dam into the Reservoir, 96
feet perpendicular height.
Pump No. 1, raises per 24 hours, into
Reservoir, when not impeded by tides, 1,313,280 gallons.
Pump No. 2 and 3 ditto — ditto — each
1,346,400— together, ---»-- 2,692,800 "
" Pump No. 4, -------- 1,615,680 "
5,621,760 gallons.
" From which deduct one fourth for im-
pediments by the tides and freshets, - 1,405,440
Leaves the four pumps competent to sup-
ply for 24 hours, ------- 4,216,320 gallons.
" The average quantity of water required to scupply the city
and districts for 24 hours, during the year 1831 was about
2,000,000 gallons. In the Summer months, when the streets
29
were washed by means of the fire plugs, upwards of 3,000,000
gallons were consumed daily. "
There are two mains leading from the reservoirs to the city
of 20 inches diameter and at the time the above report was
made, January, 1832, there had been laid within the city nearly
44 miles of cast iron pipes. The following extract from the
report shows how prosperous the establishment is. The whole
cost of pumping is from 3 to 4 dollars a day.
"From all which it must be apparent, that, in case the
water revenue for 1832 shall be equal to that of 1831, of which
there can be no doubt, there will be a balance in favour of the
works, for the year 1832, of ^35,905 05, equal, it is hoped, to
all the needful expenditure for 1833 ; and thus the whole reve-
nue of 1833 may be applied to the extinguishment of debt 'and
the same process be thereafter continued." What were the
flourishing prospects of this admirable scheme of water works
in 1831, may be learned from the following table combined
from those annexed to the report, showing the water revenue
for 1831 arising in the City, The District of Spring Garden,
The District of Southwalk, and The District of the Northern
Liberties. The rate of payment, by the year, is also put
down.
An account of the Dwellings, Manufactories, and Institu-
tions supplied with the Schuylkill water, in the City, the Dis-
tricts of Spring Garden, Southwalk, and the Northern Liber-
ties, for the year ending December 31, 1831,
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
34 Horses, - at $1 00 $34 00
65 Wash Pavements, &c. - - - 2 00 130 00
102 Tenements, &c. 2 50 255 00
992 Baths, 3 00 2,976 00
3 Taverns, 3 75 11 25
1 Tavern, &c. 13 00 13 00
25 Baths, - 4 50 112 50
5959 Dwellings, &c 5 00 29,795 00
6 Stables, &c. 4 00 24 00
9 Dwellings, &e. 6 00 54 00
2 do. 6 50 13 00
296 do. and in courts, - - - 7 50 2,220 00
91 Hatteries, &c. 8 00 728 00
82 Printing Offices, &c. - - - - 8 00 656 00
J4 Dwellings, &c. 9 00 126 00
120 Dyers, &c. 10 00 1,200 00
2 Dwellings, &c. 11 25 22 50
14 Soap Boilers, 12 00 168 «
8 Dwellings, &c. - - - - - 12 50 100 00
1 Dwelling, ------ 13 00 13 00
50 Distilleries, &c.
7 Hatteries, &c.
1 Court, &c. - . -
1 Stable, &c, - - -
1 Court, &c. - - -
29 Taverns, Courts, &z-c.
2 Taverns, &c.
1 Court, &c. - - -
17 Sugar Houses, &c.
I Steam Engine,
1 Tavern, &c. - - -
12 Stables, &lc. - - -
2 Courts, &c. - - -
2 Mansion Houses, -
4 Morocco Factories,
1 Steam Engine,
8 Baths, &c. -
1 Marble Yard, &c. -
3 Hospitals, &c.
2 Courts, &c. -
1 Brewery, &c.
2 Courts, &c. - - -
3 Stables, &c. - - -
2 Manufactories.
2 Breweries, - - -
1 Deaf and Dumb Asylum,
1 Bath, . . : .
1 Mainifactory,
1 Distillery, _ _ _
1 Almshouse, - - -
1 Sugar House,
1 Bath House, - - -
CiTT,
$15 00
$750 00
16 00
112 00
18 00
18 00
17 00
17 00
17 50
17 53
20 00
580 00
18 CO
36 00
22 50
22 50
25 00
425 00
27 50
27 50
29 50
29 50
30 CO
360 00
33 00
66 00
34 00
68 00
35 00
140 00
36 00
36 00
40 CO
320 00
11 00
11 00
50 00
350 00
73 50
73 50
44 00
44 00
45 00
90 00
50 00
150 00
75 00
150 00
75 00
150 00
60 00
60 00
80 00
80 00
112 50
112 50
100 00
100 00
100 00
100 00
335 00
335 00
400 00
400 00
-
$43,682 25
SPRING GARDEN.
4 Horses, at $1 50 6 00
1 do. &c. 3 00 3 00
21 Tenements, ------ 3 75 78 73
58 Baths, - - , - - - - 4 50 261 00
1 Porter Cellar, 5 25 5 25
21 Dwellings, 6 00 126 00
676 Dwellings, &c. 7 50 5,070 00
1 Slaughter House, 10 50 10 50
4 Dwellings, &c. 11 25 45 00
5 do. &c. 12 00 60 00
4 Factories, &c. 15 00 60 00
2 Taverns, &c. 22 50 45 00
1 Dwelling, &c. 24 00 24 00
2 Factories. &c. 30 00 60 00
1 Court, &c. 48 50 48 50
2 Courts, &c. 37 50 75 00
1 Steam Mill, 40 00 40 00
1 Tannery, 57 00 57 00
1 Dwelling, &c. 75 00 75 00
1 Steam Mill, 30 75 30 75
Spring Garden, - - $6,180 75
31
DISTRICT OF SOUTH WALK.
1 Horse, - - - - - - at $1 50 $1 50
3 Bake Houses, &c. 3 00 9 00
49 Taverns and Licensed Houses, - - 8 75 150 00
16 Balhs, 4 50 72 00
1 Conjniissioners Hall, - - - - 5 00 5 00
12 Dwellings with Cisterns, - - - 6 00 72 00
747 Dwellings, - - - . - - 7 50 5,602 50
1 Dwelling, &c. 9 00 9 00
1 School House, &c. - - - - 10 00 10 20
13 Dwellin-s, &c. - - - - - 11 25 146 25
3 llatteries, &c. 12 GO 36 00
1 Dwelling, Tavern, &z,c 12 75 12 75
8 Hattcries, &c. 15 00 120 00
1 Soap Factory, 18 00 18 00
1 Steam Engine, - - - - - 20 00 20 00
3 Sugar Refineries, ----- 22 50 67 50
] Livery Stable, - - - - - 25 00 25 00
1 Distjllery, 27 00 27 00
1 Court, &c. 30 00 30 00
1 Court, 37 50 37 50
1 Brewery, 45 00 45 00
1 Brewery, 60 00 60 00
1 Navy Yard, 75 00 75 00
Southwalk, - - . . $6,651 00
NORTHERN LIBERTIES.
7 Horses, at $1 50 $10 50
14 Wash Pavements, &c. • - - - 3 00 42 00
68 Tenements, &c. 3 75 255 00
83 Baths, - 4 50 373 50
2 Stands for Horses, &c. - - - - 5 00 10 00
72 Dwellings, &c. 6 00 432 00
1360 Dwellings, &c. - - - - - 7 50 10,200 00
1 Stable, 8 00 8 00
5 Dwellings, &c. ----- 9 00 45 00
5 Factories, &c. 10 00 50 00
28 Dwellings, &c. 11 25 315 00
20 Curriers, Hatters, &c. - - - - 12 00 240 00
31 Curriers, Morocco Factories, - - 15 00 465 00
1 Court, 18 00 18 00
6 Taverns, with Stables, - - - - 18 75 112 50
1 Brewery, &c. 19 50 19 50
2 Soap Factories, &c. - - - - 20 00 40 00
2 Taverns, with Stables, - - - - 2J 00 42 00
15 Taverns, with Stables, - - - - 22 50 337 50
5 Morocco Factories, &c. - - - 25 00 125 00
9 Soap Factories, 30 00 270 '
1 Brewery, 33 00 33 00
6 Stables with Taverns, - - - - 33 75 202 50
1 Morocco Factory, 37 50 37 50
2 Tanneries, 52 50 105 00
1 Brewery, ------ 75 00 75 00
1 Dwelling, &c. - - - - - 12 75 12 75
1 f^table, 13 50 ]3 50
Northern Liberties, - - - . _ $13 889 75
Southwalk, . _ qq^^ qq
Spring Garden, -----... q I8O 75
^"'^' 43^692 25
$70,403 75
.32
Much interesting information is derived from tlie a^ove ta-
bles. They exhibit the rate at which the Schuylkill water is
annually furnished at different houses and establishments, and
for a great variety of purposes. The luxury of baths is ex-
tensively enjoyed, and there can be no doubt that the cleanli-
ness, comfort, and health of the City, are vastly promoted by
this and other copious indulgence in the use of the pure river-
water. There were, in 1831, 1,184 baths, yielding a revenue
of ^4,595. Among them there is one bathing establishment,
Swaim's, I presume, that pays ^400 a year ; 8 others paying
$40 : one at ^80 ; 25 others in the City ^4,50 5 the 992 oth-
ers in the City pay ^3 each ; all the rest are in the districts,
paying $4,50 each. The me&n of the whole is $3,88 for each.
CINCINNATI.
This town, situated on the right bank of the Ohio River, is
in a lime stone country and the water from wells is of course
too much affected with the usual lime stone qualities, and for
several years the inhabitants have enjoyed a supply of good
water from the river. To obtain correct information, I ad-
dressed a letter to William Green, Esq., one of the most ac-
tive and intelligent gentlemen by whose exertions these water
works were established. He has promply, in a very kind and
efficient manner, communicated answers to my inquiries, by
sending a full statement drawn up by Mr. S. H. Davis, the
Superintendent of the works from the origin, together with a
short note by himself I cannot avoid giving their account,
instead of attempting to make one so good of my own.
" To William Greene, Esq,.
" I have embraced in the following communication all the
information which I have thought it important to know in the
construction of a new establishment of the kind contemplated
by the City of Boston. The Cincinnati water works were
constructed in 1820. The water was taken from the Ohio
river by the common forcing pump worked by horse power,
and was placed upon the bank of the river sufficiently near
low-water mark to be within the usual atmospheric pressure,
and thrown from that point to the reservoir 160 feet above low
water mark, from which it was conveyed to the City in wooden
pipes. The City at that time afforded no inducement for a
larger supply of water than could be brought through wooden
pipes of 3| inches in diameter, consequently the works at the
33
river were only calculated to supply 'a pipe of that size. A
short time, however, was necessary to prove the necessity of
an increase, and a change from horse power to steam. The
unexpected increase of the City and the consumption of
water, kept it in advance of the supply and from that time
they have been constantly increased and enlarged from year
to year. The works now consist of 2 Engines, one propelling
a double force pump of 10 inches in diameter and 4 feet stroke^
throwing into the reservoir about 1,000 gallons a minute, the
other propelling a pump of 20 inches in diameter 8 feet stroke
and discharging about 1,200 gallons per minute. The reser-
voirs are built of common limestone ; the walls are from
3 to 6 feet thick and grouted. The water is conveyed imme-
diately to the City without being permitted to stand or filter.
Iron pipes of 8 inches diameter convey it through the heart of
the City from which it branches in wooden pipes of from 1^ to
3| inches diameter, from which it is conveyed intO' private
dwellings in leaden pipes at the expense of the inhabitants
who pay from 8 to 12 dollars per annum, according to the pur-
poses for which it is used. Each family, of course, use any
quantity they choose, their hydrants communicating freely
with the main pipes. The iron pipes are made in lengths of
9 feet each and ©onnected together by the spigot and faucet
joint run with lead, which occupies a space round the pipe of
§ or I an inch in thickness. Experience has proved here as
well as elsewhere, that iron pipes should be used in preference
to any others and that it is certain economy to lay down such
a pipe in the first instance, as will give an ample supply for
any reasonable increase in the town or city about to be sup-
plied. The error has never been committed of creating too-
large a supply, but instances of the reverse are of almost daily
occurrence. The foregoing comprehends all that occurs ta
me now as necessary for the letter in my hands."
" Respectfully yours,
SAMUEL H. DAVIES.'*
" Cincinnati, Aug. 2, 1834."
" N. B. 100 gallons per day will not be found to be too
large an estimate for the use of each family.
S. H. D,"
34
Cincinnati^ Aug. 2, 1834.
" Dear Sir,
I have lost no time in procuring the foregoing as a reply to
your favour of 16th ult. I know of nothing that I can add^
except that payments for water are always in advance and
never for less than ont year, though we always pay back any
unexpired fraction of a year and slop off the supply upon any
particular application.
" The gentleman from v/hom I procured the foregoing has
been connected with our establishment from its very com-
mencement. He has greut enterprize, industry and integrity^
and if, with his present practical experience, he had our works
to rebuild he would save us tens of thousands of useless expen-
diture. In my judgment he is just the man to act as your
principal assistant in the work you propose, and I should think
a salary of 1,500 or 2,000 per annum might be wel! afforded
for such a man as connected wit!-i the permanent economy of
such an establishment."
" Very respectfully,
" WILLIAM GREENE."
RICMMOND, VLRGINL^.
I am indebted to the Hon. B. W. Leigh of Richmond, for
sending me a copy oftiie Engineer's report of the water-works
macic by the Watering Committee on tJe 1 !th cf January
1832, and read before the Common Council of the City on
the 12th. Mr. Albert Stein was the Engineer who planned
and superintended the Execution of the works for supplying
the City of Richmond with water from the James River, and
on the termination of the works he made a b ng and de-lailed
report of all parts, from which the following abstract is made.
An Engine House 58 feet lonii and 53 feet wide is erected
of Stone on the bank of the river with the upper story of brick
and only 32 wide and 10 feet high, which is intended for the
keeper or guardian, and the lower part for two wlieel pits and
two pumps, which appear by the report to have been con-
structed and applied in a similar manner to the works at Phila-
delphia. Only one wheel and a double horizontal forcing
pump connected with it was erected at that time.
The water wheel is of iron with the exception of the buckets
and soling, 13 feet in diameter to the points of the buckets, iO
feet wide between the shroudings and 14 inches deptli of
shrouding. The cast iron shaft of the water-wheel is 10 inchee
35
in diameter in the journals and 16 feet 6 inches long. The
crank wheel to which the connecting rod is attached is 7 feet
in diameter, with a rim of 3| inches thick and 5 inches wide,
and hooped with wrought iron around the socket. The head
and fall of the water is 10 feet. The barrel of the forcing
pump is 9 inches in diameter, the stroke 6 feet in length and
the pump intended to make ten strokes per minute, or raise in
24 hours 400,000 gallons into the Reservoir 160 feet above
the pump and when at work the pressure on the piston is sup-
posed to be 6,000 pounds.
The ca^st iron main from the pumps to the reservoir, is 2,400
feet long, 8 inches diameter and for 450 feet from the pump
is I of an inch thick, and for the remaining distance of 1,950
feet to the reservoir is only 9-16 of an inch in thickness. The
reservoir is 194 feet long 104 feet wide and 10 feet 8 inches
deep and contains upwards of a million gallons. It is divided
into four apartments, two of which serve for filtering. The
top of the partition wall is 12 feet above the highest ground
in the City and 182 feet above the Market bridge in E street,
the lowest point in the line of pipes. The filter is 22 feet 6
inches long and 16 feet wide and the process of filtering is ef-
fected by the water a.xending upwards from the bottom, and
the sediment is washed away by dischargir.g water downwards
from the top. This reversing the course of water through the
filter appears to be like tiie plan adopted by Mr. Thorn at
Greenock.
The length, diameter, thickness and cost per foot, of pipe
laid in Richmond are stated below. The pipes and other
castings were delivered in Richmond by Messrs. Samuel and
Thomas Richards of Philadelphia, at the prices stated.
Diameter. Thickness. Length laid. Cost per foot.
10 inches, 9-16 inches, " $1,38
" 1,25
" 1,20
9,816 ket, 70
6,040 " ^2
' 45
8
3-4
8
9-16
6
7-16
4
1-2
4
7-16
3
7-16
3
3-8
7,013
37
34
The stop cocks and fire plugs were made by Messrs Mingle
and Son in Philadelphia, at the foUovving prices .
36
10 inch stop cock with brass faces, cast iron excepted, ^70 00
8 " " " " 56 00
6 " " " , •' 43-50
4 " " " " 33 00
3 " " " " 28 00
A fire plug, including eye bolts " 16 00
The whole amount stated by Mr. Stein as paid by the
Chamberlain of the City for the works, is ^76,860 83,
The Clerk of the City Council has added to the copy of Mr.
Stein's report from which the foregoing statement was drawn,
the following note.
" Mr. Stein has omitted to state in his report, that the pump
and water wheel were furnished by the West Point Foundry
Association, (William Kemble Agent) New York.
" Since the completion of Mr. Stein's contract, another
pump and wheel have been erected, of the same size of the
first, and to work alternately with that, and in case of accidents,^
&c. They were also procured from the West Point F. Asso-
ciation, upon not quite so good terms as the first, but with
some improvements in the construction of the wheel.
" Another Reservoir of equal size with the first, with a
filter between the two, is not completed yet. It has been con-
structed with the view of cleaning the water, which at times
has been found too muddy for use. The first filter does not
seem to have had much effect in purifying the water. The
second differs from it, in filtering downwards instead of by
ascending, and it is expected when in operation, to render the
water fit for use at all times, with the aid of the settlement in
the New-Reservoir.
" These improvements with the extension of pipes into
other streets, and the compensation of the Engineer (not includ-
ed in the report) have made the cost of the works to this time
about ^100,000.
" W. P. S. Clerh C. C."
SUPPLY OF WATER FOR BOSTON.
The first inquiry is, what will be " a copious and steady
supply of pure and soft water" for the town of Boston ? From
the foregoing sketch of several plans for furnishing towns, no
practical scale can be framed to graduate the quantity to each
inhabitant. Mr Treadwell fixed the quantity at 1,600,000
gallons daily, in his plan for furnishing water from Charles
River or Spot Pond, and the population was a little over
61,000 in 1830. In 1840 the census will probably be 80,000,
and the water he proposed introducing would then be 20 gal-
lons for each, and as population increases, the ratio diminish-
es. But much would be lost by waste and leakage, and the
supply would be limited to the discharge of Spot Pond, if ta-
ken from that, or by the machinery if brought from Charles
River at Watertown. In addition to what is wanted for the
inhabitants a vast q-uantity would be taken by the shipping,
and could be profitably supplied by the town.
To make any prudent estimate of water required from dis-
tant sources, it became necessary to ascertain pretty correct-
ly what was the character of the town water, and what the
nature of the geological structure of the Peninsula for ordi-
nary wells. By my inquiries I could obtain no correct, defi-
nite information sufficient to establish a proper scale of works
for the object the City Council had in view. I therefore em-
ployed Mr Eben. A. Lester to make a careful investigation as
to the number of wells in town ; to collect all facts from the
owners or occupants as to the character, quality, and uses of
the water taken from them in every street, and to make a ta-
ble shewing the number, with the peculiar kind of water they
furnished for domestic use. The result of his researches is
very curious ; and his report is full, with a table shewing in
detail all the wells distributed into seven difljerent classes.
The following abstract is given from this Table,
Whole number of Wells, - - - - 2,767
Water drinkable in, - - - - - 2,085
" bad, • 682—2,767
hard, not used for washing, - - 2,760
soft, occasionally used for washing, 7 — 2,767
fail, 427
injured by vaults, drains, or are
nuisances, - - - - 62
brackish, bad, tolerable or turbid,
but drank, - - - - 134— 630
Bored, or Artesian Wells included in the
above, ----- 33
Wells at Distilleries, _ - - - is — 51
Within a few years it has become common in Boston and
the vicinity to boro for water aud to make what are called
Artesian Wells. But 410 certain and valuable result has
grown out of these endeavors. I cannot find that any geolo-
gical science has been acquired by any one to guide or to
check those fruitless attempts ; and great sums of money are
idly expended every year upon mere projects founded on
guesswork. In my previous remarks relative to Artesian
Wells, a few instances were given where this mode of obtain-
ing water was valuable ; such as at Knightsbridge and Ham-
mersmith in the neighborhood of London ; in Artois and the
vicinity of St. Denis, in France ; and Norfolk in Virginia.
Many other places may also be named ; but the Geological
formation of the Peninsula of Boston seems to afford no cer-
tain resource of this kind. There are 33 bored Wells, as
.given by Mr. Lester, only two of which are stated as furnish-
ing soft water.
All the dug or Artesian Wells of Boston, are in strata of
different materials in very irregular position, so that whatever
.may be the success in making one well, no certain result can
be predicated upon another trial at a short distance from the
first. The wells in town are polluted by the dirty water
at the surface being absorbed, settling and mingling with the
veins below ; or are adulterated by mixture with little streams
of sea water. That the latter case frequently occurs is very
natural, as can be illustrated by the following facts.
In excavating in hard compact gravel mixed with some
clay, for the foundation of the Dry Dock in Charlestown Navy
Yard, at the depth of about 40 feet, they came to a small
spring of fresh water on the S. W. side next the ship house, a
few feet outside the exterior line of Masonry. This became
valuable and convenient to use in the mortar. But it was ne-
cessary also to separate it from another spring of salt water
which arose within a few feet of it. This was done by sink-
ing a hogshead and puddling it all round with clay to pre-
serve it pure. In this way fresh water was furnished from
this little spring for making mortar throughout the whole
work and no other fresh water was used. Had any one at-
tempted to dig a well from the surface on this spot he might
have hit the salt instead of the fresh source, or both, and his
well be good for nothing. So on the opposite side of exca-
vation, near the head of the Dock, where the hard gravel
stood perpendicular for 30 feet, two similar springs issued
from the side 20 feet from the surface, within a few feet of
39
each other, one of which was of beautiful pure water, fre-
quently drank by workmen and the other was salt as sea
water. The same geological phenomena doubtless exist in
most parts of Boston where the same kinds of strata are Ibund
in well digging.
From these circumstances it seems advisable not to confine
the supply to any limited wants founded on what the town ac-
tually affords, but to provide for a supply for all purposes-
whatever within the town, and to render it copious and conve-
nient to every section of (he City, and sufficient for fountains
in tl\e squares and other public places. With this view I
have examined the subject and think I can satisfy the com-
mittee, that two or three million of gallons more or less, will
make but little addition to the expense, when compared with
the immense advantages. I shall therefore proceed to the
investigation of the means of supplying or of bringing withia
the control of the town 5 million gallons daily.
The water brought in from Jamaica Pond by the Aqueduct
Corporation is found to be excellent, and together with a vast
deal collected in rain water cistern is wholly used for wash-
ing. During the last year the Directors requested me to exam-
ine their whole scheme of water works, and report upon the
best method of extending their establishment, and making it
more generally useful to the public. Engagements with gov-
ernment prevented me from attending to it then, but last
spring I performed these services in part, and as the interest
of this company may become the subject of inquiry by your
committee, I take the liberty of inserting, in the Appendix (A),
a copy of my report made in May last. This establishment
will not interfere with any plan the town may have in view,
as the corporation will be perfectly ready to surrender their
franchise to the City upon equitable and fair terms, to be de-
termined by disinterested and intelligent persons, if the cor-
poration and the City authorities cannot adjust it themselves.
There are many Ponds within the distance of about twenty
miles from which a supply of pure water may be had by
its natural flow to ground, within four or five miles of Boston,
sufficiently elevated without the intervention of machinery, to
pass through pipes to the highest points of the City and even
to flow upon the floor of the State House. Some of these
ponds, which have been examined, are put down in the folr
lowing table. Most of them have been analysed by Dr. C. T
Jackson, and found to be sufficiently pure. They are all high
40
enough, but they are not all equally adequate for a steady and
copious supply. In the table, the letters are marks of refer-
ence, used by Dr. Jackson in his clear and valuable analysis,
as given by his report in the Appendix (B. ) Column 1, is
the name of the Pond ; 2, the town where situated ; 3, the
areas in acres, quarters, and rods ; 4, the height of surface
above marsh ,• and 5th column, the distance from Boston.
LIST OF PONDS, &c.
™™«™=™.
■^.:;^n»»^-»»^-M.ii... lUM.,..— .
Area 1 Jt't. above
JJistdnce,
1 J\ame ol rona.
Town.
A. a. R. 1 Marsh.
mis.qrs.rds.
A 1.
Spot Fond, Stoneham,
260 " "
143 58
B 2.
VValtham Pond, Waltliam,
52 51
192 67
11 3 55
C 3.
Sandy Pond, Lincoln,
152 1 24
222 95
16 3 26
D 4.
Baptist Pond, Newton,
33 2 24
137 46
9 3 40
K 5.
Punkapos Pond,
Canton,
217
147 77
15 41
F 6.
Charles Rivei-,
Watertown,
G 7.
Massapog Pond,
Sharon,
H 8.
Long Pond,
Natick,
600 2 24
127 91
24 3 08
I 9.
Farm Pond,
Framingham,
J 93
149 37
26 2 60
10.
Sliakum Pond,
a
89 2
155 01
27 20
11.
Learnard's Pond,
>c
36
158 32
27 1 70
12.
Dug Pond, Natick,
30.?
133 66
24 63
13.
Morses Pond, Needham.
20.=
112 40
20 70
14.
Billiards Pond, "
35.?
104 45
19 7
1. Spot Pond, in Stoneham, was contemplated by Mr.
Treadwell, in his report of November 4, 1825, as a source for
supplying the City, to be brought in cast-iron pipes. But it
is very doubtful whether it would be sufficient for furnishing
1,600,000 gallons daily, which he recommended to be brought
into town. Besides, the mode of bringing it across the beds
of two salt-water rivers, the Mystic and Charles, by iron
pipes, appears very objectionable, and the intermediate coun-
try is too low and irregular for an aqueduct. The area is 260
acres, and it is 143.58 feet above the marsh in Medford. The
result of Dr. Jackson's examination is favorable to the water
as marked A. No good opportunity has occurred this season
to measure the discharge. All the water flowing from it es-
capes by leaking through the dam and gateway, exeept the
gate, which is occasionally drawn for the mills below, during
the present wet summer. It was shut on the 7th September ;
and on the lOth, by measuring the velocity of the current in
the ditch, some way below the dam, the discharge was found
to be 1.67 cubic feet a second by Dubuat's formula, and the
1,600,000 gallons, proposed by Mr. Treadwell, is =2.41 feet
a second, which is to this calculation nearly as 3 to 2.
2. fValtham Pond, in the north part of \Valtham, near
Sherman's Hill, on Hale's map, is 192.67 feet above t^e
marsh level in Watertown, and has an area of 52 acres.
From the analysis made by Dr. Jackson, and from its char-
acter in the neighborhood, it is not sufficiently pure. This is
marked B in the table.
3. Sandy Pond, near the meeting-house in Lincoln, is a
beautiful lake of 152 acres, and 222.65 feet above the marsh.
The whole shore is formed of sand and gravel. It is fur-
nished by springs, but its discharge does not appear adequate
to the supply, though it has not been guagcd. It appears
from Dr. Jackson's trial to be the most pure, from its specific
gravity being equal to pure water. It is C in the list. The
whole intermediate country to high land in Roxbury or Dor-
chester is mostly too low and very unfavorable for an aqueduct,
and the distance too great for pipes.
4. Baptist Pond in Newton near Dr. Homer's Church, is
only 33 acres and an half and 137.46 feet above marsh level,
It is a beautiful sheet of water in a gravelly bason, fed by spring's,
and has a small outlet, but is too small lor the occasion, un-
less like many others, it be united as a feeder to some other
source. Its place is D in the table.
5. Punkapog Pond in Canton has an area of 217 acres and
147.77 feet above marsh level, or high water mark at the
mouth of Neponset River. From the appearance of the pond
and of the copious discharge from it, it was hoped that this
was a practicable and abundant source, and the analysis of
Dr. Jackson marked E, shows it to be sufficiently pure. But
on trying the levels, in two or three directions, the ground was
too low for an aqueduct. Finding these circumstances un-
favourable, I turned my attention next to sources in the west
and examined the Ponds in Natick and Framingham. But
attempts were subsequently made to find the amount and to
guage the discharge from Punkapog. The U. S. Engineers
on their surveys for the Weymouth Canal, in 1830, had the
outlet guaged by allowing the v/ater to flow through a weir or
notch 24 inches wide and it was found to be, as I am informed,
10 inches deep, which gives by a rule in Robison's Mechani-
cal Philosophy, II Vol. page 515, 5.10 cubic feet a second.
But five million gallons daily v^ould require 7 7 cubic feet.
This measurement was during a dry summer, and much water
escaped by leakage at the weir. On the i Ith of September,
I attempted to guage the water flowing through two gateways
at the mills abont a quarter of a mile below the pond. At the
6
42
mill-gate it was 15 cubic feet a second, and at the guard-gate,
at the head of the mill-pond, it was over !2 feet. But the
measures attainable at these points conld not be considered
accurate, though sufficient to show the supply is ample at this
season.
6. Charles Rivir water. This specimen, F, was taken
by the falls in Watertown, at the head of tide-water. This
river-water was formerly, and still is by some, used in the
manufacture of paper of all kinds, but was soon found to be
unfit for the finer kind on account of its having a dark tinge
usual in boggy or ditch water. Such was the effect of this
discoloration several years ago, when paper was made at the
mills of Bemis & Eddy, at the second dam above Watertown
bridge, that they were at the expense of conveying pure water
to the manufactory from a distant spring for making the best
sort of paper. Some families, who still use the river-water
for washing, do all the rinsing with that of a spring. The
Waltham factories, next above on the same stream, carry on
an extensive bleaching operation, in connexion with the man-
ufacture of cotton cloth, and sometimes employ the river-
water, but it often gives a shade of reddish tint to the goods,
and spring-water is used for rinsing. Complaints are occa-
sionally made on this account by customers in Boston for
whom they bleach, and the bleaching is performed wholly
with spring-water. The river-water at times is much clearer
than at others, and the discoloration is probably much in-
creased of late years, in consequence of the extensive but
shallow fiowage over meadows and swamp land, caused by
the upper dam of the Waltham factories having been raised.
These facts I have from Caleb Eddy, Esq., Seth Bemis, Esq.
and from Dr. llobbs, agent of Waltham factories, whose state-
ment in writing is in the Appendix C, with a second letter
from Dr. Jackson.
The water of Concord River, from Sudbury to the Middle-
sex Canal at Billerica mills, has the same defect as to its dis-
colored state, together with the additional objection of its
possessing some poisonous quality. I remember when the
locks, &c. of the Middlesex Canal were built 30 or 40 years
ago, the workmen obliged to labor in the water, complained
that it made their hands and feet sore, and if a little scratch
occurred to their flesh, or the skin was torn or bruised away,
the water would cause it to fester into a serious wound, and
it was often necessary to suspend working in it that the sore
might heal. This character of the water was confirmed to
43
nie a few days ago by IMr Wilson, a master Carpenter, who
has been employed 20 years in the direction of the Canal
works there, whose expression was " if a man gets a little
piece of skin knocked off his hand while working in it, the
water would fester it up so that I don't know but it would eat
his hand up in time ; but working in the Merrimack river
would wash it well again."
This natural defect of streams flowing through extensive
boggy soil and lying as the water does in winter and spring,
and often in summer, upon immense fields of morass lands
bordering on the Charles and Concord, should induce great
caution in taking their waters for the supply of towns. On
the other hand, rivers springing from pure lakes and moun-
tain brooks, and flowing throughout in rocky, gravelly and
sandy beds like the Merrimack, must always be free from per-
nicious vegetable solution.
7. This specimen of water was taken from Massapog Pond
in Sharon and is marked G. Analysis has given it a good
character ; but there are the same objections to bringing it in
an aqueduct which exist to that of Punkapog. Its elevation
above the tide has not been ascertained, nor has it been sur-
veyed,
8. Long Pond is situated in Framingham and Natick but
about six sevenths of it are in the latter town. From a calcu-
lation on the plan made on the late surveys of ihe Common-
wealth, the area is 600 acres and itp surface J 27.91 feet above
marsh level. The first specimen of water tested by Dr. Jack-
son marked H, was taken from the south end of the pond and
was not so favourable a sample as that subsequently obtained
at the outlet, and of which his analysis is more satisfactory as
he mentions in a note. At the outlet which falls into the Con-
cord River is a Cotton factory and at the mill race just above
the mill was a convenient place to guage the discharge while
the machinery was in motion, which was done on the 16th
August last. The race was 12 feet wide with parallel, per-
pendicular side walls for the distance of 30 or 40 feet. Two
straight ti:-nbers were found lying across the top of the race at
right angles with it and 18| feet apart. The bottom was very
nearly level and the mean area of the two sections of the
stream, one under each cross timber, was 32.08 feet and suf-
ficiently correct for the whole stream. It was next required
to ascertain the velocity in inches of the top surface along the
middle of the current, which was found to be, on the mean of
44
6 trials, equal 13| feet in 18 seconds. To obtain the mean
velocity of the whole section, Dubuat gives the following for-
mula : V=(V A— 1) 2 and ^^±^'=C, where A=top velocity
in inches per second ; V=bottom velocity, and C==mean
velocity ; both also in inches. By this formula the mean
velocity reduced to feet per second, multiplied by the mean
area of section in square feet, gives the di5charge=24,89 cubic
feet a second. Prony's more simple formula viz : A X 0?^
=26,35 cubic feet for the discharge. Taking 25 for the
mean of the two formulas, the result is 2,163,000 cubic feet
or 16,156,803 gallons in 24 hours. This Pond is evidently
sufficient for a supply, but it will become important on account
of its relative level compared with the next two, and the greater
expense of effecting a discharge from it, to know if they and
other sources will not also be fully adequate ; for if they are
not, I propose relying on this.
9. Farm Pond in Framingham, marked I, has its outlet into
Sudbury River, which unites with the Concord in the same
town and is the last submitted to analysis. Its area is 196
acres and 149,37 feet above the marsh. It is 21,46 feet higher
than I-ong Pond and about two and a half miles to the west of
it. The outlet passes first through meadows about 40 rods ;
then through hard land and joins the Sudbury River in meadow
land, the whole fall from the pond to the river being 2 feet
1 1 inches in a distance of 134 rods. In the ditch leading
through the first meadow is a stop gate opened and shut occa-
sionally in dry seasons, for the use of mills situated some dis-
tance below at Saxonville Village on Concord River, in
Framingham. On this account it became very difficult to
guage the stream during the driest part of the last summer.
On making a trial on the 15th August, in the same manner as
that used the day after at the outlet of Long Pond, it was
found to be equal 0.766 cubic feet a second by Dubuat's rule
and 0,954 by Prony, the mean of which is 0,86 feet a second
=74304 cubic feet or 555794 gallons daily The land on the
South side is only t'.vo feet above the pond and during winter,
spring, or high state of the pond, the water flows over and
passes dov/n the meadows to Long Pond, in a direction oppo-
site that of the natural discharge to Sudbury River.
10. Shakum Fond in Framingham has the appearance
and the character of being a collection of clean, pure water,
but has not been analysed. It is half a mile south of Farm
Pond and contains 89 acres and is 155.00 feet above Marsh
4o
levf^l, 5.64 feet above Farm and 27.10 above Long Pond,
There are two outlets on the south side and it discharges into
Long pond. Both outlets were stopped for the farmers to get
their hay on the extensive meadow below, when the other
guages were taken and no trial could be made as to the dis-
charge. It is wholly fed by springs, it is from Farm Pond
with this, together with copious additions from springs every
where indicated for several miles, through which an aqueduct
must be cut, that a sufficient supply can be expected ; but
Long Pond is abundant, though the excavation will be deeper.
The character of the route from each will be given below.
The supply is apparently equal that of Farm Pond.
11. — Leurnarcfs Pond is about a quarter of a mile north
east of Farm Pond in the same town ; containing 39 acres
158 26 feet above marsh, 30.35 above Long, 8.89 above Farm
and 3.25 feet fibove Shakum Pond, but has neither inlet nor
outlet and is supplied wholly by springs. It is a clean basin
of clear water in a gravelly bed, fluctuating by change of sea-
sons, and perhaps deserving no further notice for our purpose.
12. Dug Pond, in Natick, is supposed to contain about 30
acres, but has not been surveyed. It lies a quarter of a mile
to the south of, discharges into, and is 5.75 feet above Long
Pond. Several years ago, the outlet was deepened by the
owners of mills at the discharge of Long Pond, for the pur-
pose of making it a reservoir. The consequence was that the
pond was drawn down about 7 feet to it present level, where
it has remained for some years, having been found ineffectual
as a reservoir. Its shore all round is a steep gravelly bank,
eight or ten feet high, and it is furnished wholly by springs.
It was through this Pond I first contemplated cutting an aque-
duct from Long Pond, but a preferable route has been exam-
ined, and the far more favorable direction from Farm Pond,
&c., render this line inexpedient,
Morse''s and Bidlardh Ponds, in Needham, will be noticed
on the second route from Long Pond, but as a supply are of
little or no consequence.
From a consideration of all the sources I have examined in
the vicinity of Boston, as before stated, the most eligible are
those of Farm and Shakum Ponds in Framingham, together
with incidental ones dependent upon them and Long Pond, in
Natick, and the mode of bringing the water to town is by an
aqueduct, without the use of pipes, to the nearest point of
sufficient height to allow it to flow through cast-iron pipes to
the highest land in the City,
46
For this purpose, I propose establishing a reservoir near the
road leading from Roxbury to the Brush Hill Turnpike, by
the rocks on the west side of the road north of R. G. Amory's
house, or some place in that neighborhood. The reservoir to
be of such form and dimensions as the nature of the ground
and future surveys may justify, and of such height that the
surface of the water, when full, shall be 1 10 feet above marsh
level. The aqueduct to be formed in the earth like an open
canal, or made of stone and covered, with such form, dimen-
sions, and slope, from the source to the reservoir as to be ad-
equate to conduct five million gallons at least to the reser-
voir daily, for the use of the City, should it be required, but
in which the supply shall be easily restricted to any less
quantity.
From the surveys already obtained which are mainly on the
most eligible routes, but which must be considered only as
trial levels and surveys, the distance from Farm Pond to the
proposed reservoir is 23 miles and 3 quarters ; that from the
south end of Long Pond, through Dug Pond to the same point,
is 21 miles 3 quarters ; and that from the east side of J^ong
Pond nearly 22 miles. The route thus indicated is common
to all the resources, westward from the reservoir or basin, for
the distance of 16 miles, but the difference in the lines before
given, takes place above that point where they diverge. The
position and profile of the surveys and levels will be seen on
the plan.
FORMS OF AQUEDUCT.
Four plans for constructing an aqueduct are given. First,
an open canal or drain, like common navigable canals, but on
a small scale. Such is the New River, which has supplied
part of London for two centuries, and such is the Ourcq Ca-
nal, furnishing Paris with pure water, though upon a much
larger scale to answer also for inland navigation. This mode
has nothing but economy to recommend it, for unless other
objects, than solely furnishing water for domestic use are
wanted, in every other respect it is objectionable.
A second mode is to build stone walls four or five {"eet high,
instead of leaving the sides of the aqueduct or canal of natural
earth. This would tend to protect the canal from filling and
choking by the bank's washing in, and lessen the liability of
encroachment from the growth of weeds and aquatic plants
along the borders. In mo.st cases, more especially where
47
stones are abundant and convenient, it would be much better
than the first.
A ihird kind, and in many places preferable to the other
two, is a drain with stone walls laid up on each side without
mortar or cement, two or three feet apart, three or four feet
high, with flat stones to cover the top, and earth laid over the
whole, so as effeclually to conceal the work from sight, pro-
tect it from mischief and frost, and leave the ground free for
ordinary use. This resembles the admirable scheme adopted
for furnishing a supply of pure spring-water for the City of
Edinburg, and which is to be recommended for some miles
in this, to secure the acquisition of spring-water that plan
affords.
Finally, the/owrZ/i construction is that furnished by Ancient
Roman works, and nearly all, except open canals, used in
Europe, which is like the third in form, but built in regular
masonry, laid in hydraulic cement, or in common mortar, and
lined with cement. In this, the bottom should be stone, the
top covered with the same, and the whole laid under ground,
or where the foundation is too low, the work to be surrounded
and covered with an embankment. Before proceeding to a
description of the proposed aqueduct and estimate, I will pre-
sent for the consideration of the Committee a table exhibiting
the effective discharges of several canals and aqueducts,
founded on the modification of the form, dimensions, and slope
of different plans, compared with that of a cylindrical pipe hav-
ing the same area of cross section with the aqueducts.
In the following table are given seven cases or forms of ca-
nals or aqueducts, showing in each the area or cross section,
the slope in inches a mile ; the velocity of discharge a second;
the discharge a second in cubic feet ; and same in 24 hours,,
the measures all in feet : 1st. — An open canal 4 feet wide at
bottom, 4 deep, with banks sloping with 1.5 feet base to 1
rise, the area being =40 square feet — 2d. Similar canal, but
5. 13 feet deep, area =60 feet. — 3d. An open canal, 5 feet
wide and 3 deep, with perpendicular sides of stones, with an
area of cross section =15 feet. — 4th. Ccnal of same form,
with depth 3.46 feet, and width 6.50 feet, the section 22.50
feet. — 5th. A stone Aqueduct, of 8 feet cross section, 2 feet
wide and 4 high, covered with stone and earth. — 6th. Anoth-
er of stone, but equilateral, having the same section of 8 feet.
7th. A conduit pipe 3. !9 diameter, giving a cross section of
8 feet.
48
FORMS OF CANAL AND AQUEDUCT.
Kinrl of Aqii"dii,",t.
Area.
per
V. a sec.
D. a second.
D. V ft. in
24 houis-
1. U, en Caiiai, buttum 40 4
j ! u^a)
1 41,6340
1 ..597 177
4 wide, 4 deep, 16 6
1,2686
51,9440
4487961
feer wide at t!ie top 8
1.51.32
60.5280
5229iil9 I
1 ami piopes 1.5 base 10
],7031
68.2440
5896281 1
1 to I loot rise. 12
1.8788
75,1.520
6498132
18
2,3244
92,9760
8033126
6036768
2. Optju Cahai, l)ot. 4 60 4
1.1645
69.8700
wide, same sIo])es, 6
1,4.502
87,6120
7516836
5.13 deep and top
8
1.6904
101,4240
876.3033
breadth 19.39 feet.
10
1,9021
] 14.1260
9860486
1
12
2.0935
125,6100
10852704
18
2,5875
15.5,2500
1.3413600
3. Canal 5 feet wide, 3
15
4
,8053
12,0795
104.3668
feet deep, with per-
6
1,0083
15 1245
1306756
pendicular sides of
8 1 1,1797
17,6955
1.528891
stone masonry.
10
1,33G9
19,9635
1724846
12
1,4676
22,0140
1902009
18
1.8205
27.3075
2359360
1783226
4. Canal of same form
22,5
4
.9173
20,6392
3.46 feet deep and
6
1,1289
25,4002
2194577
6.50 wide.
8
1,3191
29,6797
2564.H26
10
1,4868
33.4530
2890339
i 12
1,6385
36,8662
3185239
18
2,0299
45.6727
3946121
5. Aqueduct of stone,
8 4
,5085
4.0680
351475
either with or with-
6
,6597
5,2776
455984
out cement, 2 feet
8
,7770
6.2160
537062
wide and 4 deep.
10
,8813
7,0500
609120
12
,9764
7,8J18
674939
18
1,2248 1
9,7984
846581
3. Aqueduct with
8 4 1
,5250 1
4,1600
359424
equilateral side.s,
6
,6639
5,3112
458887
same area of cross
8
.7822 1
6.2576
540656
section, each side
10
,8875 1
7,1000
613440
being- 9 feet 10
1 12
,9833
7,8664
679656
1 inr-iiU"; ne.iriy. '] l8
1,2333
9 8704
859SC 2
p. Ciisl ii-on Conduit i 8
f pipe, same area of j
4
..5rj»l 1
4.4t)48
c'o-Ji ./8
6
,70.58
5,6464
487848
] cross section as the |
8
,8316
6,6528
574801
1 two last aqueducts, |
10
,9435 1
7,.54S0
652147 1
1 3.19 feet diamsuer.
12 1
1.04.54
8,3632 i
722580
! 18 1
1.3 i 17
10,4956 1
906819
The 1st construction of an aqueduct or canal is the most
simple and economical, and will furnish more water than re-
quired. The quantity proposed is five million gallons daily,
equal to 608,450 cubic feet, or 7.7367 feet a second, while the
canal would give 41, 634 feet a second, or about six times what
is wanted. But it must be considered that an open canal is
liable to fill up and be choked, and if reduced below the di-
mensions given in the table, this circumstance will soon pro-
49
t!uce sei'ious inconvenience. In common earth, such a canal
in 6 feet cutting would cost, at 15 cents the cubic yard, ^2238
a mile.
The third, an open canal, 5 feet wide and 3 deep, with the
sides formed of stone walls, is much preferable to the other,
and the excavation 6 feet deep and 11 wide, at 15 cents the
yard, would cost, per mile, ----- <^1,180
The side walls, 4 feet high and mean thickness
of 2 feet, at ^2 a yard, - ^ - » . 5,866
#7,746
An open canal, like either of these, will be exposed to the
frost, and the ice which will cover them in winter will lessen
the discharge about one third in the former, and little more
than a quarter in the latter form, with a slope of 4 inches in
ihe mile, when the water beneath the ice has the same depth
as noted in the table.
A close stone aqueduct, like the 5th case in the table, is
the most proper construction. The 6th is only a change
of form ; and the 7th being a cylindrical pipe, is added to
show the difference of discharge arising from a simple change
in form of the same area of cross section, which is 8 square
feet in each of the three.
No reduction of dimensions from those above given, can be
made in an open canal, even for a less quantity than five mil-
lions, and that the Committee may judge how far the stone
aqueduct can be reduced for a shorter supply, the following
statement furnishes convenient data for comparison t
1,000,000 galls. = L5473 cubic ft. a sec. or 133690 ft a day.
2,000,000 " 3.0946 " 267380 "
3,000,000 " 4.6420 «« 401070 "
4,000,000 '' 6.1893 " 534760 '^
5,000,000 " 7.7367 " 668450 ''
Now in reducing the aqueduct, 5th case, to 6 feet instead
of 8 feet cross section, by making the sides 3 feet high, the
discharge, at 4 inches slope in the mile, will be only 249588 fl^
or 1866318 gallons daily ; and if the same redaction be pro*
duced in the cross section by making the breadth 1 foot 6 in.
keeping the same height of 4 feet, the discharge will be still
farther reduced more than 90,000 gallons. Hence it will no
be expedient to calculate upon an aqueduct on a smaller scale,
unless peculiar circumstances of ground, change of directioa
m slope, which will probably often occurj shall require.
50
PROPOSED LINE OF AQUEDUCT.
Farm Pond, the highest source in view, is 149.375 feet above
marsh and 39.375 above the basin in Roxbury. Its situation
IS favourable and very remarkable, being only 2 feet 1 1 inches
above Sudbury River on the north, into which it has its natural
outlet at a distance of 134 rods. The surface of land above
the Pond on the south side, through which it would require
cutting, is about 2 feet, though the survey was carried on
higher ground, as shown on the profile, to lessen the distance^
By digging 5 or 6 feet deep, therefore, for about a mile or
mile and a half, the whole of Sudbury River, with all the rain
water falling upon its extensive valley, may be here inter-
cepted and conducted through Farm Pond into the Charles,
instead of pursuing its natural course to the Concord River.
FIRST SECTION.
This Section for the distance of 3 m. 3 qrs. 10 rods to A, is
mostly upon a thin boggy soil on a gravelly bed, so that afier
passing a mile from the pond, the level comes out to the sur»
face of the ground, and almost any convenient level or slope
may be taken for this section. Some rock would probably be
found, but the ground has the appearance of being porous
gravel and full of springs. The position of this, and other
lines and levels, will be seen on the plan and profile which ac-
company and make part of this report.
An open Canal, like No, 1 in the table, 6 feet deep would
cost, at 15 cents the cubic yard, >^2288, adding for subsidary
work makes it ^3000 ; and with stone walls, like case 3d, 5
feet wide and side walls 4 feet high, the excavation 1 1 feet
wide and mean depth 6 feet^ at 15 cents a yard would be .?^ 1880:
the walls of 2 feet mean thickness and 4 feet high at ^2 the
yard, would Gost^6258 ; and the whole ^8130 per mile,
SECOND SECTION.
From A to B the second section is 4.0.36, This line falls
upon the left Bank of Charles River in South Natick, and
passes along the valley of that stream to the point B where it
meets the Eastern survey from Long Pond. The profile
shews and the ground indicates some irregularities on this sec-
tion, which careful repetition of the survey would remove,
but an open Canal may be effected at a mean depth of 8 ieei
ciutingj at 15 cents the yard, for ^3754 per mile and subsidiary
work will mak© it ^5,000. With iton© walla it would be
1 10,000. 5
51
THIRD SECTION.
This section, extending from B to C — 6.1.48, is still along
the left bank of Charles River. The section terminates at the
commencement of the lowgound and meadow separating the
main from Dedham Island. Much uneven ground is found
in this part of the line, but a better direction may be se-
lected, than the profile affords, on repeating the levels. Some
projecting points are rock, but they are all small, and with the
low lands requiring embarkment, an open canal may be ef-
fected for about |^7,000 a mile.
FOURTH SECTION.
The embarkment across the low and meadow land to Dead-
ham Island, for the distance of 0.3.71 to D, constitutes the
Fourth Section. The level of Farm Pond is 39,375 feet above
the level of the Basin, which is 27.72 feet higher than the
Charles at this place. The aqueduct must be somewhat high-
er than the Basin, to allow for the requisite slope. It is called
30 feet, to which it will be necessary to raise the embank-
ment, making the top breadth 20 feet and base 1 10 feet.
I state the length 1 mile, though this section is little
less. This embarkment at 20 cents the cubic yard, would cost
^76,266. A covered stone aqueduct should be constructed
upon this bank, after it has had time to settle, for which pur-
pose the water must be brought upon it as early as possible
by a small open canal. Arched roadways, and a culvert for
the stream dividing the main from Dedham Island, will be
required, which will probably raise the cost of this section to
$100,000.
FIFTH SECTION.
This embraces the cutting on the Island and the aqueduct
bridge across the river to the right bank, extending 0.2.51
from D to E. The first part will be excavation of about 20
feet deep for half a mile, which, upon a mean breadth of 20
feet will cost, at 20 cents a yard, $7,822. But all this earth
with much more will be required for the embankment in the
last mentioned section, and may properly be considered as in-
cluded in that estimate. The bridge, with two arches of 50
feet span and 20 wide, with an aqueduct laid in cement, will
require 1,000 cubic yards at $12==$ 12,000, and this section
would therefore cost $20,000. The point of crossing the
River is at the old abutments of a Bridge, now removed.
52
which are a few rods below the present brfdge from Spring-
street to Dedham, and is the most favorable within the distance
of some miles, for passing Charles River.
SIXTH SECTION.
From the River, passing along the lowest ground to a ridge
near spring street in Roxbury, thence east of Spring street
Meeting-house crossing the Dedham Turnpike to the east of
the Halfway house, to the Providence Rail road, the distance
is 4 miles from E to F, and makes the sixth section. Two
difficult passages occur in this section. The first is the deep
cutting near the road, east of the Meeting-house, as seen on the
profile. This will require an average cutting of 25 feet deep
for a mile and mean breadth of 10 feet, which, at 20 cents the
yard,=^9,777. Since the soil here indicates gravel with
springs, if rock is not met, a stone aqueduct 2 feet wide and 4
feet deep, of dry stone rubble, covered with flat stones, will be
preferable to any other work. This will require 4,500 yards at
^2=^9,000, amounting to $18,777 the mile.
The second very expensive part of the section is the low
ground, for one third of a mile, at the east end next the Rail
road. This will require an embankment of thirty-five feet
mean height, and at 20 cents a yard=$32,854. The other
parts of this section may be made an open canal at about
^5,000 a mile. The whole section amounting to ^64,964.
SEVENTH SECTION.
This is 1.0.18 from F to G, and embraces a bridge over the
Rail Road and two accommodation Brides. On further ex-
amination a more practicable line may be found, which, how-
ever, must cross the road and the valley through which it passes.
This will require an embankment from 45 to 50 feet high and
alto-gether will probably cost $150,000.
It may become a question with the Committee, whether cast
iron pipes could not be substituted for the high banking in this
section and at Dedham Island in the 4th, for in fact these two
places are the only points that offer any embarrassment, I
give the following statement for their consideration.
Cast iron pipes 1 inch thick at 5 cents the pound, delivered
on the line will, at the diameters given below, with a head of
2 feet for the mile, cost and discharge as follows.
53
Cast iron pipe i ri- „,
1 inch thick. 1 D'am.
V.
Uis. per 1 (J. It. 24
second. | hours.
=GaIIons.
Cost per 1
mile. 1
do.
do.
do.
do.
18
20
22
24
1.156
1.218
1.280
1.335
2.042 176428
2 615 229392
3.373 291427
4.190 362461
1310681 147,050
1715852 52,224
2179873 57,198
2710460 62,172
From these data it appears, that even a pipe 2 feet diameter
with a head of 2 feet, will discharge at a mile distance, little
more than half what is proposed to bring to it, for the use of the
town, and at 4 feet head nearly 4 million gallons. If two pipes
of 18 inches diameter, are laid with 2 feet head, they will fur-
nish but 2639362 and cost over $100,000. Under all circum-
stances the preference in favour of pipes is not great, in relation
to cost, and when it is considered, that a permanent aqueduct
dispenses with all care and expense of reparation, an aque-
duct is to be prefered.
EIGHTH SECTION-
On the profile this section, from F to H, appears to be very
uneven and is in fact impracticable, but a line may be chosen
very favourable so as to bring the termination in the neighbour-
hood of the point proposed for the Basin or revervoir at H.
It is 2.3.55 long, and the aqueduct terminating here, will leave
the remaining distance to the State house 2 miles 3 quarters
and 12 rods. It is extremely difficult to estimate its cost, as
the land is broken and presents much of the Brescia ledge
prevailing in Roxbury. A route may be selected, nearly coin-
ciding with the level of the basin, through the whole section,
and avoid the elevation seen on the profile above the Basin
level. The survey was carried, part of the way, along the
road leading from Roxbury to T. K. Jones', or Grove Hall,
more than a mile to the bench on the Rock at H, and the ad-
jacent lands admit of a higher line and even appear favorable,
for advancing the aqueduct and reservoir half a mile further to-
wards Boston.
The ground affords many opportunities of forming basins
near the end, tmd perhaps it will be convenient and economi-
cal to construct the aqueduct into a long and wide canal as a
substitute for a reservoir. A covered stone aqueduct, like that
proposed in the 3d. section will cost $8,131 per mile, but the
best mode is to build it in cement with the sides and bottom
plastered also with cement. This would cost at $10 the yard
and 50 cents a square yard for plastering, $35,933 a mile.
The character of the soil mav not require this consfruction ;
54
but If it is sand, gravel or other porous and absorbent earth,
this work in masonry laid in cement cannot be dispensed with-
Taking into view the irregular surface, this section will cost
$12,000 per mile.
ESTIMATE.
M.
ars.
Rods.
First
section.
, 3.
3.
10
$11,344
2d.
do.
4.
0.
So
20,547
3d.
do.
6.
1.
48
44,944
4th.
do.
0.
3.
71
100,000
5th.
do.
0.
2.
51
20,000
6th.
do.
4.
0.
-
64,964
7th.
do.
1.
0.
18
150,000
8th.
do.
dd for c
2.
3.
55
36,062
23.
3.
48
$446,861
A
ontin
igencies,
53,139
$500,000
From the reservoir to the State house the distance would be
2 miles 3 quarters and 12 rods. The fall from the top of the
basin to the floor of the building Would be 14 feet, and a pipe
18 inches in diameter would discharge at that level, making
some deductions for sinuosities, upwards of 2 million gallons
daily ; and a similar pipe would discharge upon the top of
Washington Square at Fort Hill, about 50 feet below the level
of the reservoir, supposed the same distanse, little less than 4
millions. Such a pipe would cost taken at 1 inch thick and 5
cents a pound, $47,050 a mile, and for the whole distance,
either to the State house or Washington square $131,150.
If therefore we add for digging the trench and laying the pipe,
making the cost ==:$ 150,000 for the main conduit to the town,
which may be relied upon as a very safe calculation, and to
this be also added $100,000 more to contingencies in the esti-
mate of the chief line to the Basin, which is an average of con-
tingencies of more than $6,300 a mile over the estimate, the
whole expense of bringing a most copious supply into the City
will not exceed $750,000. I omit all calculation as to the
distribution in town, as every thing in relation to that branch
must depend upon the quantity brought to distribute.
55
The supply Irom Long Pond by cither survey is quite prac-
ticable but will be more expensive than the line from Farm
Pond. From Long Pond the distance is a few feet more than
6 miles, when the survey falls into the route from Farm Pond
at B the end of the second section. One mile would require
digging to the average depth of 25 feet and would cost the
same as the deep cutting in the 6th section or ^18,777. The
remaining distance would amount to $7,000 a mile, and the
whole to $53,777, being a substitute for the two first sections
of7 miles and 3 quarters estimated at $31,391. The other
line from the South end of Long Pond through Dug Pond is
more unfavorable. Both lines with the prefiles are seen on
the plan. Should any doubt exist as to the sufficiency of supply
from Farm and Shakum Ponds, with what will come from springs
for a distance of several miles, with numerous little brooks, &c.
which can be intercepted along the left bank of Charles river,
the adoption of Long Pond resource will add between 20 and
30,000 dollars only.
Upon the whole, the proposed line of aqueduct is the best
of any I have been able to discover to any competent source
within the same distance from Boston, and with the exception
of the low ground at Dcdham Island and on the east side of
Providence Rail road, presents extraordinary facilities for the
intended object, which no one could have supposed attainable
from the known irregular character of the surrounding coun-
try. The surveys have been made by IMr, Perham and Mr.
Fillison assisted by other gentlemen in my office, under my
directions, but with little of my own personal inspection. I
have however reconnoitered the routes, and on a renewal of the
levels, more of my personal attention in the field will be re-
quired than I have yet been able to bestov.^. Li making up
the report I have endeavoured to make the subject familiar to
the Oommittee and the Inhabitants so deeply interested in the
object.
With great respect your obedient servant,
L, BALDWIN, Engineer,
To Gen. Theodore Lvr-tAN;, Jr.
Mayor , and Chairman of ike CoraraiU.es.
Oct. 1, UM.
66
(i.) — De VArt du Fonlenier Sondeur et des Puits Arle^
Stens, ou Memoire sur les differentes especes de Terrain^
dans lesquels on doit rechercher des eaux souterraines, et sUf
les moyens qu'il faut employer pour ramener une partie de ces
eaux a la surface du sol, a I'aide de la Sonde du Mineur ou
du Fontenier. -^ Par F. Garnier, Ingenieur au corps royal des
mines, ancien eleve de I'Ecole polytechnique, 1822.
This very Valuable work in 4to. with 19 plates, was the re-=
suit of a premium of 3000 francs offered in 1818 by the Socie-*
ty for the encouragement of National Industry in France^
awarded by the Society in 1821 to the author Mr. Garnier >,
The premiuiii Mas offered in the following terms. " For the
best manual, or practical and elementary instructions upon the
art of piercing or boring Artesian wells with the miner's of
fountaineer's auger, from ^5 metres (82 feet) to 100 metres
(328 feet) depth and deeper if possible."
(2.) ~- Annales des Fonts et Cliaussces^ Vol. VI page 3 13.
See a very interesting extract from a report upon Artesian
wells employed for the discharge of foul and infected water,
and for the purifying of manufactories, made by a corhmissioil
of the Council of Health attached to the Prefecture of Police,
consisting of JMessrs. Girard and Parent-Duchaleteti
(3 •) —^ An account of the mode of draining- land according
to the system practiced by Mr. Joseph Elkington. Drawn
up for the consideration of the Board of AgricultUfe — By
John Johnstone, Land Surveyor, London, 1801. Second
Edition. This curious work and valuable to all agriculturists,
was the fruit of thirty years experience in the art of Drain-^
in2, by Mr. Elkington, a Warwickshire Farmer, whose sue*
cess had become so famous that Mr. Johnstone was appointed
by the Board of Agriculture, and the Highland Society of
Scotland, to examine and report the various processes adopted
and Mr. Elkington was induced to communicate them to the
public. Their importance is shoVv'n by a vote of Parliament
in 1796 for authorizing the King to offer ,f 1,000 to Mr. Elk-
ington as an inducement for making known his discovery.
(4.) — Commentaire de S. J. Frontin, sur les aqueducs do
Rome, Traduit avec le Textc en regard, Precede d'une notice
sur Frontioj de Notionspreliminaircs sur les Poidsj les mes-
57
wres, les Monnaies, et la maniere de Compter de? Romains ',
Suivi de la description des princepaux AqueduCs, construits,
jusqu'a nos jours ; des lois ou Constitutions imperiales sur
Jes aqueducs, et d'un Precis d' hydraulique, Avec trent«
Planches, Par J. Rondelet, Paris, 18^20.
(5.) — The names of the Roman Aqueducts are taken from
those of the River er Lake which supplies them, or from the
Emperors who caused them to be constructed. In the lOth
Section, Frontinus gives the following as the origin of the
name of this. " It is called the Virgin (Virgo), because it
was a young girl who showed some veins to a (ew soldiers who
were in search of spring water. Those who dug followed
these veins and found a great quantity, and th«re is a painting
in a little temple erected close by the source representing this
event." Rondelet's Translation, p. 19.
(6.) — Addition au Commentaire de S. J. Frontin sur les
Aqueducs de Rome, Slc. Par J. Rondelet, p. 19.
(7.) — A Fragment of a pipe forming part of this reversed
syphon, is still preserved in the Museum at Lyons, and an
instance of the Romans having laid pipes across the beds of
rivers is given by M. Gautier, Architect, Engineer, &c. in
his work called, Traile de la construction des Chemins. Pub-
lished in 1778.
About 70 or 80 years ago he was directed by Mr. Pontchar-
train Minister of State, to repair to Rochefort, to conduct
spring water to the Port from the fountains of the City, which
were supplied from a source, though quite insufficient for the
City, in the neighbourhood. In his researches he discovered
a good and copious source, at less than half a league, but on
the other side of the river, the Charente. Many difficulties
were presented, because at low water, vessels might ground
upon the pipes and injure them. However, Mr. Gautier pro-
posed to lay down two leaden pipes, to preserve a supply in
case of accident to one, and to protect them by wooden frames
in an effectual way against injury, should vessels lay upon the
defence frames during low water. Mr. Begon, intendant of
the Marine, approved the plan, but it was finally rejected.
" Some years after" says Mr. Gautier " when I had charge
of the roads on the Rhone, and of many other works in the
Province of Languedoc, and while at Aries, I heard that a
vessel had cast anchor in the Rhone, opposite the City, to take
some loading ; but when the commander wanted to sail again
he could not raise his anchor. This fact attracted much at-
tention, and many people went to witness the singular circum-
stance. The Captain, unwilling to lose his anchor, sent down
a man, to find what was the matter. The diver reported that
the anchor was hooked under something round, but he could
not tell what it was. A capstan was applied to raise it, which
succeeded. It brought up a leaden conduit pipe from the bot-
tom of the Rhone, which crossed it from theCityof Aries, towards
Trinquetaillade, over a breadth of about 90 toises (575 feet)
in a depth of 6 or 7 toises (42 feet), the deepest part of the
58
Rhone. I saw some pieces of this conduit of Lead, 5 or 6
inches in diameter, about 4 lines (one third of an inch) thick, in
joints of 1 toise each soldered lengthwise, and covered by a strp
or sheet of lead of the same thickness covering the first solder
about 2 inches. The Conduit was soldered at the joints, 6
feet apart, by the same material, which made a swell at that
distance. On each joint were these words in relief, C. CAN-
TIUS POIHINUS. F. which was apparently the name of the
maker or architect, who laid down the conduit pipe in the time
of the Romans. I delayed not to inform Mr. Begon, at Roche-
fort, of this discovery, because he had always favored my
project of conducting water along the bottom and across
the Charente, which would not have been half so difficult as it
had no doubt been, to lay one across the Rhene where this was
found. Hence it may be believed, as I think now myself,
that many things supposed now-a-days to be new and never to
have been previously invented, may have been thought of
long before, even in remote ages." Pages 129 and 130.
^8.) — An Historical account of Sub-ways in the British
Metropolis, for the flow of pure water and Gas into the houses
of the inhabitants without disturbing the pavement, including
the projects in 1824 and 1825. By John Williams, the Paten-
tee, Cornhill, London. London, 1828.
(9.) — An abstract of Mr. Thom's report and description is
inserted in the Mechanics Magazine, Vol. 17 page 311, but I
have not been able to find the pamphlet in English. It has
been translated by Mr. Mallet into French, and is inserted with
three plates in the Annates des Ponis et Chaussees, Vol. 1 of
Memoirs and Documents, and from this the account is taken.
(10.) — Jlnnales des Fonts et Chaussees 1 Vol. Memoires
et Dociimens, p. 228.
(11.) — Essai Sur les Moyens de Conduice, d'Elever et
de Distribuer les Eaux, Par M. Genieys, Ingenieur au corps
royal des ponts et Chaussees, attache au service de la Distri-
bution des eaux dans Paris, — Paris 1829, page 153,
m
APPENDIX A.
^^karleslown, May 16, 1834,
^ENTLEMtN,
I had the pleasure of receiving your letter of June !6th,
1833 in due time, with a copy of the vote passed June 14th,
at a meeting of the Directors of the Aqueduct Corporation.
My engagements last year were such, that I could do nothing
in the service of the company, except directing the survey of
Jamaica Pond and the line of existing pipes from the pond to
the city. During the winter I was occupied at Norfolk in
Virginia, with my duties in the Dry Dock. I returned to
Boston in March last, and have so far accomplished the object
of the company as to report in part, pursuant to their vote.
The wishes of the Directors are as follows ; " To make an
■accurate survey of Jamaica Pond ; to estimate the capacities
of the water rights of the Corporation, and if found sufficient
to authorize a more extensive supply of water, so as to meet
the wants of the inhabitants of the City of Boston, in the ele-
vated part of the City ; to make accurate estimates of the ex-
pense of raising the water to a reservoir of sufficient height,
either upon the hill adjacent to the pond, or to some other suita-
ble elevation in the City of Boston, and to obtain all possible
information essential to the interests of the Corporation, in re-
ference to an extended use of the water, and an increase of
income ; and to report as soon as may be."
It thus appears that the objects of the company are three,
viz ; First to examine the resources of water and tiie means of
increasing them ; Second, the best method of bringing the
water to town, and Third, the best mode of distributing the
water, and to what extent the inhabitants may enjoy the ad-
vantages of such supply.
From the short time I have been able to devote to this sub^
ject, I shall now only point out the state of the Pond, and the
existing conduit pipes to conduct the water to the City, with
the advantages of substituting better and larger pipes than
those now in use.
The Pond was surveyed last fall with great care. In addi-^
tion to the area when surveyed, I caused soundings to be taken
at 3 feet depth, at convenient distances, to ascertain the area
of the surface if the water was drawn down three feet below
the level when surveyed. In the same way, and by soundings
taken in the same manner, at 6, 9, and 12 feet below the sur-
vey. Similar surveys were made within the banks of the Pond,
at successive levels of 3, 6 and 9 feet above the surface.
From these measures the surface of the pond, when the sur-
vey was taken, is obtained, as well as the surface, as it may
successively fall to 3, 6, 9, o? 12 feet below, OT rise 3,6 or 9
feet above the actual survey. The result is given in the fol-
Jowing table in which the number of each area is shown in the
First column ; the Second column shows the aera of the depth or
height of three feet successively, below or above the surveyed
area of the pond : the Third column — the acres at each level,
and the Fourth column the same area in square feet, which is
the mean of an equal number of cubic feet of water at that
level.
Table of superficial areas of Jamaica Pond at different levels.
No. Acres. Square feci.
1. Area supposed 12 feet below survey, 50.316 2191764
2. " 9 " 64.915 2892097
3. " 6 " 58.90 2565684
4. " 3 «' 62.688 2730684
5. Areaof Pond when surveyed, 67.22 2928103
6. " supposed 3 feet above survey, 71,445 3112144
7. <« 6 " 73.668 3208978
8. " 9 " 76.443 3329857
From the foregoing table it will be easy to obtain the mean
area, and of course, the quantity of water the pond contains,
at each successive foot, between the highest and lowest state
of the pond. Thus, taking the area when surveyed, for the
mean depth of a foot, between six inches below and six inches
above, we get 2,928,103 cubic ^eet of water. Multiplying this
by 7.5j which is nearly the number of gallons in a cubic foot,
we have 21,960,772 gallons, that is, one foot in depth of the
pond at the level when surveyed, contains about 21 million of
gallons. This result of the survey is very interesting, and will
become important in considering the supply, and the means
of securing and increasing it, in a future report.
Another important inquiry was requisite, even before pro*
posing any alteration in the pipes for conducting the water to
town, which was, to ascertain the fluctuations in the rise and
fall of the Water, independent of the quantity drawn from it by
the conduit pipes. This has been furnished from the office,
with sufficient details for our present purpose, and is presented
in the following table, as delivered by Mr. Allen. The height'
of the water was taken with considerable accuracy, at or very
near the end of each month during" eleven years, by Mr. Al-
len -—the superintendent. The depths of water are set down,
as they were taken, in feet and inches, for every month during
the last 11 years, and are all counted from the bottom, of the
trunk in which the water flows from fhe'pond, and which is one
foot above the bottom of the pipes.
The upper horizontal line in the Table shows the year, and
the perpendicular column on the left, the month, when the
measurses were taken. The first column on the right of 1833
shows the aggregate, and the second the mean depth, for each
month ; the first horisontal line below December shows the
aggregate, and the second the mean depth of each year. The
means are set dov^n in feet and decimals to three places..
61
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62
The highest month during the 1 1 years was April ; the
highest was 9 feet 4| inches in 1831 ; the lowest was 3 feet
0^ inches in 1826 ; and the mean of all the years for the
month was 6. P. 14 feet. The lowest month was JVouem6er, the
lowest 0.1 1| inches in 1825; the highest in 1831 6 feet 6
inches ; and the mean for the eleven years was 3,871 feet, for
the month.
The mean height of the pond, above the pipe, for the 132
observations during the eleven years, was 5.221 feet.
On the 27th, October 1822 the aqueduct stopped for want of
water, that is, the level fell a iew inches below the bottom of
the trunk. It continued very low to January 1823, when it
appears to have been, at the end of that month, the time when
the observations were commenced, only A\ inches, and in Feb-
ruary 4 inches above the pipe. During the succeeding March
it rose 2 feet 82 inches, and has since been sufficiently high
to furnish water at all times, for the last eleven years. The fore-
going table furnishes sufficient authority for the belief, that more
than ten times the quantity of water may be distributed in the
town of Boston, than has been hitherto used. But I shall leave
all further consideration relative to the pond, and an increased
and permanent supply, to a special report upon this branch of
the inquiry, and proceed to examine the existing state of the
conduit pipes, as well as to recommend a total change of the
present system.
CONDUIT PIPES.
The line of pipes from the pond to the old reservoir, and
other branches, are very defective, and are necessarily subject
to many injurious operations in renewing, separating, oniting,
or stopping them, for conveyance of water, or for inspection and
repair. I shall give a detailed description of the manner in
which they are laid ; the mode of some being united into one,
or again divided from one into two, begining at the pond, and
pursuing the line of pipes to the reservoir, from information
obtained from Mr. Allen, the superintendent, and from Mr.
George M. Dexter, Mr. Perham, and Mr. Ellison, who were
employed to make the surveys and levels. A general plan of
the route and changes is herewith sent to the Board of Direc-
tors.
The water is first drawn from the pond by two wooden pipes
of 5 inches diameter each, for the distance of 184 feet and a
fall of 12.50 feet from the surface of the pond when the sur-
vey was made, and 4.43 feet above the pipe, to the place mark-
ed A on the plan.
At this place, the two 5 inch pipes are united into a cast iron
pipe 8 inches diameter, by a cast iron branch, as it is called,
formed as shown on the sketch at A. This pipe extends 3,150
feet to a box near the edge of the marsh, where the iron
main is changed into two bs again at B. in the same form,
though reversed, as at A.
Thence the two Ss extend 5,764 feet to a box near the site
of Wait's old mill on the crock. Here one of the 5 inch pipes
63
divides into two of 3 inches diameter each, by means of what
the workmen call saddles, in the following way. The end of
the 5 inch log is stopped, and laid so as to leave about 2 feet
between it, and the ends of the two 3 inch wooden pipes, stop-
ped also. The end of a bent leaden tube is then inserted into
the 5 inch, rising up and passing in the form of a basket handle,
having its other end inserted into one of the 3 inch pipes.
Another similar leaden pipe is let into the .5 inch pipe behind
the first, and opens a communication with the second 3 inch
log. These short connexions are made with leaden tubes,
from 2| to 3 inches diameter, and may be understood by figure
The other 5 inch pipe proceeds to a shed, marked D, 2,014
feet, where it is divided into two of 4 inches, with the directions
of which it forms a very obtuse angle, and the connexion is
made by a short strait wooden pipe laid so as nearly to divide
the angle formed by the two lines, having the 5 inch opening
into it about the middle in one side, and the 4's taking out on
the opposite side, near the ends as seen at E. — These two 4
inch pipes proceed towards the Reservoir near Fort Hill in
Boston.
At the creek F, after leaving the box C, the two 3s are turn-
ed together into a pipe or log of 7 inches diameter for about
100 feet, curving downwards from the marsh on one side, and
rising again on the other when it is divided again into the two
3s. These crossing logs are large and at the end of that joint
where the small pipes unite with it, there are two short tubes
bored obliquely, perhaps two feet long, forming an acute angle
at the axis of the 7 inch pipe, and being at the end so far
apart as to admit one of the 3 inch pipes into each. The
separation is made on the other side in a similar manner, as
represented at F.
The pipe 5 inches diameter crosses the creek before reach-
ing the shed, in^the'same way as the two 3 inch pipes, by one of
5 inches, and separates again into 2 of 3 inches at the shed,
and thence they proceed with the two of 4 inches to Washing-
ton street.
From the shed to Mrs. Williams' house H. on the east side
of Washington street is 3,264 feet, and the two 3 inch pipes
and two of 4 proceed to near Mr. Wheeler's house I. on the
north side of the street nearly opposite Mrs. Williams'. Here
the 3s unite into one 5| inches diameter, by a cast iron branch
like A, and crossing the street to Mrs. Williams', go down the
east side of Washington street to a box J. near Mr. Chick-
ering's 2,462 feet from Mrs. Williams'.
At this box the 5| inch branches into two 3s by joints of
logs thus. A wooden pipe 5| inches diameter is laid across
the street 30 feet long, at right angles with the line of pipes,
into one side of which the leading pipe enters, and the two of 3
inch take out'on the opposite side near the ends, and proceed
one on each side of the street. These two proceed 2,140 feet
to the head of Bridge street, where they are united into a 5
in a similar way as seen at J.
64
The two 4 inch pipes turn at Wheeler's down the west side
of Washington street and go without change 4,642 feet to a
box K. in Bridge street, when they are united into one of 5
inch, by a cast iron branch like A. The joints or bends in all
these cases being at right angles.
It then proceeds along Front street to another box in front
of the aqueduct shop L, when the 5 changes into two 4 inch
pipes like J. one of which turns up Roe place and the other
passes along Essex street, up Short street, turns down Bedford
street to near Summer street church, (where a branch of 3
inches is taken off,) along Summer and up Purchase street to
the Reservoir. After passing a short distance beyond the
head of Russia wharf, the 5 inch pipe is changed into one of
1| in. diameter for about 3 feet, then to 4 again for about 15
feet where it is reduced to 3 inches for 6 feet, and thence in 4
inches to the Reservoir.
The reservoir was many years ago, at times, nearly full of
water, but seems never to have been much used or re-
lied upon, because, I presume, the conducting pipes from the
Pond could not supply it, especially after the houses were fur-
nished with water to such an extent, as to take all that could
be given by the aqueduct. Now, and for many years, the
communication has been cut off by what is called a gate,
Avhich will be described presently.
From the Pond to the Reservoir, along the line of aqueduct,
is 25,613 feet or 4.85 miles. When the level was taken from
the pond by Mr. Dexter, the surface was 4.43 above the pipes.
Thence to the underpinning of Mrs. Williams' house, the fall
was 47.07 feet in 14,376 feet ; thence the rise, to top of brick
at the man hole or opening in the top of the arched covering
of the Reservoir, was 34.45 feet in 11,237 feet. This leaves
the top of the Reservoir 12.62 feet below surveyed surface of
Pond; and deducting 4.43 feet, the pipe or bottom of trunk
leading to it from the pond, is 8.19 feet above the top
of the Reservoir, which being 21,58 feet deep, according to
Mr. Ellison's level and survey, makes the bottom of Reservoir
34.20 feet below the surveyed surface of the pond, and 29.77
feet below the head of the pipes.
I have pursued the line of pipes from the Pond to Washington
street, where it is divided into two branches, following only that
which goes to the Reservoir, leaving the other and all small
branches and distributing pipes of minor consequence in the
immediate inquiry. Besides the numerous junctions and se-
parations, changes of diameters, and angular forms of the con-
nexions, along the whole line, there are other practices injuri-
ous to the speedy and adequate supply. I give them as des-
cribed by INIr. Allen, who has been general superintendent of
the aqueduct and distribution of the water for 17 years.
One of the evils of the present practice is putting in a Gate,
as it is called. This operation is performed in the following
manner. The Gate is a thin plate of iron about ^ of an inch
thick, as wide as the diameter of the pipe where it is to be
65
inserted, with the lower end formed semicircular to conform
transversely with the lower half of the pipe. Above the hori-
zontal diameter, the sides of the gate are perpendicular, rising
several inches above the top of the interior diameter of the
pipe, and tapering on the flat sides like a thin wedge to the
lower end. The upper part of the gate is made narrower and
thicker to serve for a handle, and to be struck with a hammer
to drive it into its place. An opening is made in the earth
and the log laid bare. The top is then dubbed off" to a flat
surface with an addice, and a hole from an ^ to J of an inch is
bored into the pipe, as near as may be, in the direction of the
perpendicular diameter, from which, with a key hole saw, a slit
is made in a transverse direction each way, from the hole to the
side of the pipe at the ends of the horizontal diameter, and into
this transverse slit the gate is driven, so that the convex end
closes upon the concave lower side of the pipe. This effectu-
ally stops the passage of water.
Two of these gates are thus inserted about 200 or 300 feet
apart, the intermediate space, in which a leak is suspected,
being thus closed to the water flowing. The next tiling is, the
boring a hole about an inch diameter in the conduit about 10
inches or a foot distant from a second hole, one on each side
of one of the gates. A tin tube, open at both ends, an inch
diameter and about 7 feet long, is then inserted into the hole
between the gates. A second tube, with a stop cock near the
lower end, is let into the other hole, rising upwards parallel
with the first, having a horizontal branch 10 inches or 1 foot
long with a short piece turning downward over the upper open
end of the first tube. On turning the cock, the water passes
up the tube and falls into the one first described. If in this
operation the water remains stationary in the tube between the
gates, it indicates that there is no leakage between them, for
the distance of 200 or 300 feet. But if the water sinks and it
requires a constant supply through the tube with the stop cock,
there is a leak somewhere in that section between the gates.
When it is thus ascertained that a leakage exists, to avoid
the labour and delay of digging out the earth, for a distance
of 200 or 300 feet, to find it, the following expedient is adopted.
The superintendent goes along the line, and with a crow bar
makes a hole in the earth over the conduit, to within a {"ew
inches or a foot of the wooden pipe, and generally in soft
ground, not so near, and drives or pushes down a small pointed
iron rod so as to strike into the wood ; then putting the upper
end of the rod to his ear, he can almost invariably and plainly
hear the waste stream running from the pipe. This audible
discharge is more or less distinct, according as the leak is near
or more remote, and practice has made it so effectual that Mr.
Allen tells me he can without much trouble trace it, in a few
trials, to the log or joint where it exists. When the trial is over
the gate is withdrawn and the saw slit filled with wedges.
This very simple, ingenious and harmless proof by the iron
rod has only been in use for a few years, and it is singular that
9
66
it has been so often employed, that Mr. Allen iias evidently
suffered in his hearing, which he can account for in no other
way, than by the rod being closely pressed into his ,ear so fre-
quently as to injure it. The boring and sawing into the pipe
and driving in the gate, must naturally leave splinters, indenta-
tions and roughness on the interior sides wherever it has been
applied, and probably greater obstructions are left inside when
the great holes are bored on each side of the gate. In every
instance, more or less obstacles are created, and repeated oper-
ations of this kind must produce a most important retardation
of the velocity.
Of all the serious defects of the present system of pipes, the
greatest is that of the frequent branching of the pipes from
one of large diameter to two of smaller size, and uniting two
into one again, by tiie vicious mode of making the changes at
right angles. There are between 30 and 40 changes of direc-
tion or angles of this kind, from the pond to the reservoir, al-
most all of which are at right angles, and where this is not the
case the exceptions are but a little better. The whole of these
should be avoided, and although the loss of head, of velocity,
and consequently a diminution of supply are susceptible of
calculation, the obstructions are so numerous and of such va-
riety that no safe practical inference could result from it. How
much water is lost by leakages on the way cannot be ascer-
tained, but the moderate height to which water is delivered in
town, to points supposed most elevated, with any continued sup-
ply, shows that great imperfections somewhere exist.
Water is well furnished to the Hon. P. C. Brooks, at the
head of Pearl street, which is considered one of the highest
points. It is received by a cock in his cellar, at a. point about
5 feet helow the foot path at the end of his house in High
street, and 37.64 feet below the surface of the Pond.
Mr. T. B. Wales' is called another high point, in Winter
street, and water is received into his cellar at a level of 10 feet
below the side walk and 22.07 feet below the level of the
Pond. The water is received here into a hogshead, at night
only, and seldom rises above 2 feet.
Another point of supply is Mr. Fox's house in Hollis street.
Here water is delivered at a point 43.37 below the Pond, and
it has been supposed that this was a high point from the un-
certainty of keeping up a supply. Perhaps the water is too
much drawn off, before reaching these places, by other cus-
tomers, but there is no doubt that more than double the quan-
tity might be brought to the City, if the two first pipes of 5
inches diameter, which take it from the pond, were continued
without changing and abrupt deviations.
Such appear to me the obvious defects of the actual state of
ihe wooden pipes, and the manner in which they are laid, that
I would advise the company to abandon the present works,
so far as regards the main conduit to town, and substitute an
uninterrupted cast iron pipe with proper branches to discharge
into reservoirs. I shall therefore proceed to state my reasons
for the satisfaction of the Directors.
67
CAST IRON PIPES.
Many Philosophers and Engineers have investigated the
principles upon which water flows through pipes, open canals
and rivers, and have given various formulas for calculating the
velocity and discharge^ in all cases suited to practical occasions
for use. Prony has given two very safe formulas for pipes ; —
the most simple and which he recommends lor practice is,
'V=48.52o4yDS, as reduced to English feet,
Where J ''^=^h^ velocity in feet per second,
1 D=:^diameter of the pipe in feet,
H is the head or height, from the surface of the pond or
source, at the entrance, to the level of the a.xis of the pipe at
the lower end, when it discharges into the air, or to the sur-
face of the water above the mouth of the pipe, and L=^the
whole length of the pipe. The measures are all in feet.
Having used this formula in numerous calculations, upon
pipes of various diameters, in the course of the inquiry, I shall
place the result in the form of a table, and proceed to illustrate
some principles to guide in adopting a plan for works of this
kind. A loss of velocity is produced in water flowing through
a pipe, by its friction along the interior boundary, and as this
boundary or interior periphery varies as the diameter, while
the area or transverse section varies as the square of the di-
ameter, it follows that two pipes of given and equal diameter,
will not discharge so much water in a g-iven time, as one
wherein the transverse section is equal in area to that of both
the others, of the same length and under the same head ; be-
cause the two will have a greater rubbing surface than the
single pipe.
The two 5 inch pipes which take water from the Pond, pass
through the arch way under the road 184 feet to their union
with the 8 inch iron one, and the head or fall from the surface
of the Pond to the place of junction is 12.50 feet. If the ends
were not united into the large pipe, but were open into the
air, each pipe would discharge 4008 cubic feet an hour, while
a pipe 7.071 inches diameter, equal to both the 5s in section,
would discharge 9428 cubic feet per hour ; that is, 1412 feet
mere than the other two. This difference is owing to the dif-
ference of friction mentioned in the preceding section, and to
the viscosity of the water. The same disparity exists in
greater lengths and less heads, though the discharges will be
less, by both pipes. The whole distance to the reservoir is
25,613 feet=4.85 miles, and a pipe 5 inchrs in diameter, en-
tering near the bottom, and the water therein standing above
the mouth, and 10 feet belo w the level of the pond, would dis-
charge 303,8 cubic feet in an hour=7,291 feet or 54,684 gal
Ions a day. That of 7.071 inches, under thesnme circumstan-
ces, would discharge 720 feet an hour, and during the day
17,280 feet=l 29,600 gallons, or 20,232 gallons more than both
68
the 5 inch pipes, and if one continuous cast iron pipe 8 inches
in diameter were laid in a judicious manner, it would discharge
into the reservoir, wherein the water stood 10 feet below the
pond 23,610,5 feet or 177,078 gallons a day.
These observations show the importance of Hydraulic prin-
ciples, where works of this kind are to be established, or any
other constructions relating to water-works. But another
very essential consideration is that of economy. Suppose the
two pipes to be half an inch thick, cast and delivered along
the line at 5 cents the pound and taking cast iron at 4 cubic
inches to the pound. One foot of the 5 inch would cost ^1,30
and the two together $2,60. In the whole distance, 4,85 miles,
the cost of the two would be $66,580, while that of the single
pipe 7.071 inches in diameter, would be $1,783 a foot or
$45,659, for the whole length. Thus a saving of $20,921
would be obtained by adopting the large single pipe, instead
of the other two, whose joint areas of section are equal to that
of the large one. The ratio of discharge in favour of the sin-
gle pipe is as 1.185 to 1, and of expense as 1 to 1.457. The
advantages therefore on the side of a single one areas 1.72
to 1.
Two small pipes should, therefore, never be applied instead
of a large single one, within ordinary limits of practice, unless
local and peculiar circumstances render it necessary. A pipe
of 6. 60 inches diameter would afford the same discharge as
the two of 5 inches, and would cost only $1,67 a foot, or
$42,970 for the whole length, or $23,789, less than two smaller
ones.
I shall give a table of the effective discharges of pipes of
different diameters, under different heads and of different
lengths, that the Directors may be able to form a pretty cor-
rect opinion of the size, they may think it policy to adopt, and
afterwards present some remarks which may influence their
decision. The first column shows the diameter in inches ;
the second the velocity in feet per second ; the iJiird the area
of section in feet ; the fourth discharge in cubic feet per
second. Fifth discharge per minute — Sixth in an hour —
Seventh in a day, and the eighth the gallons, obtained by mul-
tiplying the feet by 7.5.
It should be observed that a deduction must be made from
the velocity and discharge given in the table, on account of
an unavoidable deviation from a right line, in which the con-
duit must be laid. There will be some perpendicular, as well
as horizontal bends and especially in turning corners and
streets in town. The main line will not be subject to much
retardation from the Pond to the City. Whenever an abrupt
turn or a right angle is formed, a curved pipe, with a section
made a little larger, will be expedient.
69
TABLE OF
DIAMETERS AND DISCHARGES OF
ENT PIPES.
DIFFER-
Head
12 .50 feet and Length 184 feet.
iJ)i;iml Velocity.
Area. | Second, | Minute. | Hour. | Uuy. | Gallons.
3
(3,3^479
,04909
0,31046 1 18,6276
1117,656
16823,744
1261 72
4
7,30324
,08727
0,63733
38,2398
2294,388
55065 312
412987
5
8,16527
,13635
1,11334
66,8004
4008,024
96192,576
721440
(i
8,!J383
,19636
1,75512
105,3072
6318,432
151642,368
11373 J 5
7
9.5740
,26725
2,55860
153,5160
9210,960
221063,040
1657972
8
10,2838
,34906
3,60521
216,3126
12978,716
311490.144
2336175
Head 25 feet and Length 25,613 feet.
3
,75817
,04908
,037217
2,2330
133,981
3214,857
24105
4
,87546
,08726
,076399
4,5839
275,034
6600,874
49500
5
,97880
,13635
,13346
8,0079
480,456
11530.944
86475
6
1,07200
,19636
,21000
12,6001
756,007
18144,117
136070
7
1,15789
,26725
,30944
18,5664
1113,984
26735,616
200512
8
1,23784
,34906
,43208
25,9248
1555,488
37331,712
279982
9
1,31292
,44174
,57994
34,7964
2087,784
50106,816
376196
10
1,38394
,54541
,75482
45,2892
2717,352
65216,448
489120
11
1,45149
,65994
.95790
57,4740
3448,440
82762,560
620715
12
1,51603
,78.5.-^9
1,19068
71,4408
4286,448
102874,752
771556
13
1,57790
,92174
1,4545
87,270
5236,20
125668,80
942510
14
1,63552
1,06900
1,7505
105,030
6301,80
151243,20
1134336
15
1,69500
1,22717
2,0801
124,809
7488,54
179724,96
1347930
Head 20 feet, same length.
3
,67799
'03322
1,9968
119,812
4
,78287
,06832
4,0991
245,948
5
,87528
,11934
7,1604
429,624
6
,95880
,18783
11,2699
676,195
7
1,05660
,27678
16,6068
996,408
8
1,10718
,38648
23,1888
1391,328
9
1,17336
,51873
31,1238
1867,428
10
1,23786
,67514
40,5084
2430,504
11
1,29827
,85678
51,4068
3084,408
12
1,35599
1,06500
63,9008
3834,
13
1,41137
1,3009
78,054
4683,24
14
1,46465
1.5657
93,942
5636,52
15
1.51605
1,8604
111,624
6697,44
2875,478
6902,761
10310,976
16228,685
23913,792
33391,872
44818,272
58332,096
74025,792
92016,
112397,76
135276,48
160738,56
21562
44265
77325
121710
179347
250432
336135
437470
555187
690120
842977
1014560
1205535
Head 15 feet, same length.
,58715
.67799
,75801
,83037
,89691
,95885
1,01703
1,07202
1,12563
1,17433
1,22228
1,26842
1,31294
,02882
,05917
,10335
,16267
,23970
,33470
,44923
,58469
,74285
,92231
1,1266
1,3560
1,6112
1,7293
3,5499
6,2010
9,7600
14,3820
20,0820
26,9538
35,0814
44,5710
55,3386
67,596
81,360
96,672
103,759
212,997
372,060
582,601
862,920
1204,920
1617,228
2104,884
2674.26
3320,316
4055,76
4881,66
5800,32
2090,221
5111,942
8929.440
14054,429
20710,080
28918,080
38813,472
50517,216
64182,240
79667,584
97338,24
117158,40
139207,68
15675
38332
66767
105405
155325
216885
291097
378877
481365
597652
730035
878685
1044052
70
Head 10 feet — and length 25613 feet..
Uiami Velocity.
Second. |
Minute.
1 Hour. 1
Day.
Gallons.
'S
,47!J41
,02353
1,4119
«4,719
2033,251
15247
4
,55M58
,04831
2,8985
173,909
4173,811
31297
5
,61892
,08439
5,0633
303,800
7291,209
54682
6
,67797
,13282
7,9690
478,141
11475,389
86062
7
,74939
,20027
12,0162
720,972
17;^03.328
J 29772
8
.78289
,27331
16,3986
983,916
23613,984
176097
9
,83038
,36680
21,9080
1314,480
31547,520
236602
10
,87529
,47739
28,6434
1718,604
41246,496
309345
11
,9J801
,60583
36,3498
2180,988
52343,712
392572
12
,95885
,75306
45,1836
2711,016
65064,384
487980
13
,99989
,9199
55,194
3311,64
79479,36
596092
14
1,03565
1,1071
66,426
3985,56
95653,44
717397
15
1,07201
1,3155
78,930
4735,80
113659,20
852442
By the preceding table is shown the capacity of pipes for
discharging water into the Reservoir, near Purchase street, on
the South side of Fort Hill. The pipes are supposed to dis-
charge into the Reservoir near the bottom, and the water to
stand at the height of 25, 20, 15, or 10 feet below the level of the
Pond; or in the Reservoirsuccessively, at 9,20; 14,20 ; 19,20;
and 24,20 feet depth. The first part of the Table is confined
to the distance of 184 feet from the Pond, with a fall of 12, .^0
feet, to show the comparative eflfective discharge of various
pipes, from 3 to 8 inches diameter inclusive, with that of the 2
of 5 inches now placed in that distance. The comparison
shows the disadvantage, under many circumstances, of laying
small pipes, when a single one of UttJe larger diameter can be
applied instead of them. In this case, the pipe of 8 inches
diameter will discharge the same quantity during a day, as the
two of 5 inches, the two of 4 inches, and six sevenths of that
of 3 inches diameter, although the aggregate diameters of the
five pi pes would be 21 inches, while the single pipe nearly
equal to them all, is only 8 inches. The daily discharge is
added in gallons, as many people may better understand the
comparison in that measure.
It will be convenient now to present a view of the relative
cost of pipes of different capacity, which will become useful in
deciding upon the diameter to be adopted. The usual lengths
of the joints are 9 feet, and half an inch is sufficient thickness
for that to be recommended here within the preceeding table.
Four cubic inches of cast iron is the general allowance for a
pound, in such estimates. Pipes half an inch thick, and of 9
to 15 inches diameter would cost from 4 to 5 cents the pound,
delivered along the line, nearly upon the spot where they are
to be laid.
71
TABLE OF DIAMETERS AND COST OF CAST IRON PIPES.
I>iaiiietcr.
I'oimds.
Cost per foot.
Per Mile. | Cost of 4.85 Miles |
5 inches,
6 "
25,90
30,60
$1,30 at 5 cts.
1,53
$6864,00
8078,00
$33296,00
39180,00
7 "
8 "
35,34
40,05
1,77
2,00
9346,00
10560,00
453^6,00
51216,00
9 "
44,76
2,24
11827,00
57361,00
10 "
49,47
2,47
13041,00
6325 1 ,00
11 "
12 "
54,18
58,89
2,70
2,94
14256,00
15523,00
69141,00
75287,00
13 "
63,60
3,18
16790,00
81431,00
14 "
68,31
3,42
18057,00
87576,00
15 "
73,02
3,66
19324,00
93721,00
18,99 ft. above Pond,
do.
below Pond.
Level with Pond.
The following are the relative heights of some points in
town compared with that of the Pond at the time of the sur-
vey.
1. First step at street going up to the
State House, marked on end,
2. Floor of State House, - - 46,61
3. Mark on North Gate post of Mr.
Gardner Green's house, about 2
or 3 inches above foot walk, 16,38
4. Bottom of column of Tremont
House, - - - - - 8,61 do.
5 Mark at east post of S. Appleton's
house, Beacon street, about 6
inches above foot walk, - -
6. Mark on Stone foundation of Dr.
Keep's back yard in Beacon st.
aboiit 1 foot above foot walk and
10 feet below the gateway. - Level do.
7. Mark on Basement story of house
No. 6, Park street, 2 inches
above foot walk, - - _ Level do.
8. Mark on underpinning of Mr.
Jackson's house, Somerset st.
No, 21, - - - . . Level do.
9. Mark at corner of Belknap and
Myrtle street, Provision Store,
about 1 foot above foot walk, - Level do.
10. Mark N. E. corner of Hancock
and Myrtle street, about 1 foot
above foot walk and 2 feet from
corner, ----- Level do.
11. Mark on underpinning of Mr.
Lemuel Pope's house, corner of
Bowdoin and Derne street, up-
per side, - - - - Level dp.
12. Mark on top of foundation of Iron
fence, corner of Mrs. Blake'i^
house, Bowdoin square, corner
of Square and Cambridge st.
8 inches above foot walk, - 28,19 ft. below Pond.
72
below Pond,
above Pond,
do.
Level with Pond.
Level
Level
Level
do.
do.
do.
13. Upper step of Purchase Street
Meeting house, - - - 33,54
14. Upper step of Mr. ToplifF's front
door in Oliver street, - - 9,70
15. Highest point of Fort Hill near
centre of circular inclosure, - 11,94
16. Mark on South edge Stone near
head of Gibbs' lane,
17* Mark on Stone of Mr.VVaterston's
yard corner of Oliver and High
streets, near corner of edge
Stone, - - - - -
18. Mark on octagonal stone post
near E. Reynold's house, cor-
ner of High and Hamilton
streets, about 15 feet below the
corner, - - - - -
19. Mark on North end of Gun house,
Fort Hill, 10 bricks below top
of window, about level with
the street in a line with that end
of the house, - - - -
20. Top of plinth of columns of Mar
ket house, _ _ .
21. Coping of Reservoir in North
Square, 23,96 do.
22. Highest point on Copp's Hill, - 0,70 above Pond.
23. Coping of Dry Dock in Charles-
town Navy Yard, - - - 49,70 below Pond.
I had intended to offer some considerations for substituting
a large iron pipe instead of those now existing ; but shall de-
fer it until better opportunities offer for ascertaining
whether a greater supply of water can be obtained than what
the Pond now furnishes. You will perceive by what has
been done, that almost all the town can now be furnished from
the Pond, except the highest point on Beacon Hill round the
State House, and in order that the water may be extended
to the highest points with facility, a large conduit pipe should
be laid. I have no doubt that a pipe 12 inches in diameter,
will supply five or six times the persons who now take it, with
more constancy than heretofore. Further remarks as to the
supply, manner of laying the main, Reservoirs in the City,
and other particulars referred to in the vote of the Direc-
tors, will be given in a few days.
With great regard, your obedient servant,
- 45.55 below Pond.
To Henry Codman, Esq.
Thomas A. Dexter, Esq.
Committee of Directors of
Jiqueduct Corporation.
L. BALDWIN.
73
APPENDIX B.
Boston, August 28, 1834,
Col. L Baldwin,
Dear Sir,
Herewith I send you an account of my analysis of nine
specimens of Lake water, from the vicinity of Boston, under-
taken at your request last month. The bottles were all mark-
ed with letters of the alphabet and their examination was
taken up in the same regular order. The sources from which
the water was obtained are to me unknown ; thus I am able
to furnish you with an account of their several merits without
being in any way liable to imputation of bias in my judgment.
The objects to be accomplished in a chemical examination
of this water are, to determine which of the specimens submit-
ted to me are the most free from foreign matter, and best
adapted to the ordinary purposes of life. With these objects
in view the specimens were examined with great care, and
compared with each other as to freedom from colour, flocculi
of animal, vegetable or mineral matter and animalculi. Then
their specific gravity, as compared with pure distilled water at
eO** F, was taken in a specific gravity bottle containing 1000
grs. After which, 5000 grs. of the water was distilled and
when reduced to a small bulk, was removed from the retort,
and the evaporation of the remaining water was finished under
a bell glass over a surface of concentrated sulphuric acid,
which, by absorbing the water without heat, is less liable to ef-
fect any decomposition of the residue. The remaining solid
matter, which was contained in a watch glass of known weight,
was then submitted to a very delicate balance and its weight
determined. A portion of it was then incinerated in a platina
capsule, and its nature ascertained by tests.
The water was next examined by tests calculated to detect
the nature of the foreign matters they were liable to contain
in solution.
Below, you have a statement copied from my Laboratory
notes, which will give you the processes and the results of my
researches.
I hope to be able to furnish you with analyses of the dif-
ferent well waters of the City, by which it will appear that
we are in the habit of drinking several salts in considerable
quantities, which must have deleterious effects on the human
constitution. I will now only observe that one of the best
specimens of clear well water from Bowdoin street, yields 3.6
grs. ot the salts. Sulphate of Lime, Muriate of Soda, and
Muriate of Lime, to the pound of water. The well is 30 feet
deep and is situate high up on the side of the hill, I have
also examined the water of the well at my residence No. 11,
Hanover street. The well is 40 feet deep and the water
10
74
stands about 10 feet from the surface. This water gives 7.5
grains of the above salts to the pound of water ; although the
taste of the water is net unplea-ant to those who have been
accustomed to it. It must however be prejudicial to the
health, when we consider that several pounds of it are drank
by each person in (he course of a day.
I have made examinations of the water of several other wells
in the City, but have not kept notes of the quantities of mat-
ter they contain. I am satisfied, however, that there are wells,
whose water is infinitely worse than those I have mentioned,
which have the reputation of being good water although they
contain noxious matter.
P'rom conversation I have held with several eminent physi-
cians of the City, I have learned as the result of their obser-
vations that the well water of the City is prejudicial to the
health, and that where dyspeptic persons have been able to
change their drink from well to aqueduct or rain water, they
have always found their symptoms abate and have often been
entirely cured.
There are many persons upon whom the well water of Bos-
ton acts very unpleasar.tly, making them sick at the stomach
almost as soon as it is drank, in most persons it produces
co!istipation of the bowels and many other concomitant or
consequent symptoms of diseased functions.
It is much to be desired that good water should be supplied
to the City so as to reach every dwelling and supply every
person.
The advantages of Lake water consist in its being entirely free
from IMineral salts, and its softness renders it appropriate for
washing, while its freedom from all deleterious matters renders
it desirable for drink and for cooking. It being well known
that infusions made with pure water are much stronger than
those made with well water, it will appear that Lake water is
better adapted for making tea and coffee than well water.
Allow me to express the high consideration with which I
have the honour to be, your obedient servant,
CHARLES T. JACKSON.
A Chemical Examination of nine specimens of Lake
water from the vicinity of Boston. July 1st, 1834.
The bottles were marked A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I.
A. The water in this bottle contains a few minute flocculi,
but is otherwise transparent and colorless. It contains a few
oval shaped animalculi, with antennae and a tail of a minute
size, which move i with great velocity by starts through the
liquid. Specific Gravity =1,003 pure water being =1.
5000 grains distilled and the evaporation finished in a
watch glass over sulphuric acid covered with a bell glass there
remained a brown residue =0.12 gr. which when burned gave
odour of vegetable matter, and left a grey ash consisting of
lime and silex =0.01 grains.
let. The water was now tested with a solution of nitrate of
75
pure water. No precipitate took place until the test
s exposed to sun light when the solution changed to
colour, and a black precipitate subsided to the bot-
he glass. This indicates organic vegetable matter.
Tested with oxalate of ammonia. No precipitate ;
jntains no salt of lime.
Tested with IVIuriate of Barytcs. No precipitate ;
>es not contain any Sulphate.
Tested with Ferro-cyanate of Potash. No precipi-
3nce does not contain any salt, of iron.
Tested with Hydro-Sulphate of Ammonia. No pre-
Tested with lime water. No precipitate ; hence
contain any carbonic acid.
Tested with a solution of soap in alcohol. No pre-
takes place, and when shaken it froths well ; hence
adapted for washing.
The water in this bottle is of a brown colour and con-
'.malculi, like those in A. Specific gravity =1.002.
grains distilled and evaporated to dryness gave 0M5
f brown vegetable matter.
d in the same manner as A, it gave signs of vegetable
matter, but no mineral salts. When this water is fii-
rough charcoal it becomes colorless.
The water in this bottle is transparent and free from
las a few animalculi like those in A. Specific gra-
1 ,000.
d like A it gives a trace of vegetable matter, but no
salts.
shes well and gives no precipitate with tincture of soap,
ains evaporated to dryness gives 0.02 grs brown vege-
atter.
The water in this bottle is free from sediment, trans-
ind colorless. It contains a iew animalculi like those
Specific gravity = 1.001.
d like A with similar results, 5000 grains of the
vaporated to dryness leave 0.15 grs. vegetable matter.
Water clear, transparent and colorless ; has a few
uli. Specific gravity = 1.001 . 5000 grs. evaporat-
yness leave O.I gr. brown matter,
id as A similar results were obtained.
Clear, transparent and colorless. No animalculi.
■■ gravity = 1.0002. 5000 grs. evaporated to dryness,
.2 gr. brown matter.
3d as A same results.
Clear, transparent and colorless ; has a few flocculi.
nalculi. Specific gravity == 1.0005. 5000 grs. evapo-
1 dryness leave 0. 1 gr. vegtitable matter,
id as A with similar results.
Has a slight tint of brown and contains a few floc-
r specimen of H. taken from the outlet of the lake was examined, wli ch was-
olor, flocculi and animalculi. Specific gravity same as above, but yields some-
egetabie matter.
76
culi and animalculi. Specific gravity =1.0005. 5000 gr eva-
porated to dryness gave 0.3 gr. Tested as A with same
results.
I. — Clear, transparent and colorless. No flocculi or ani-
malculi. Specific gravity = 1.0002. 5000 grs. evaporated
to dryness yields 0.15 grs. vegetable matter. Tested as A
with similar results.
From the foregoing researches it will appear that the water
in bottles A, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I, is sufficiently pure for
the ordinary uses of life. B is too much charged with vegeta-
ble matter to be desirable. C, D, F, G, and I, are prefer-
able and are nearly pure ; the quantity of vegetable matter
contained being extremely minute, sensible only to deli-
cate tests. This vegetable matter is common in all lake wa-
ter in which there grow aquatic plants, and its quantity is
greater near the shores of the lake than in deep water.
The water in B, I suppose, must have been taken from a
small lake with a peat or boggy bottom, in which grew many
aquatic plants, and that the lake had not free circulation by
an outlet and supply from springs.
The animalcules noticed in the water are extremely com-
mon in all water exposed to the air at this season of the year,
and are probably the larvae of some small insect like the
musquito. The water in the middle of the lakes will proba-
bly be found free from them, as they breed in the shallow
warm water near the shore. It will also be less liable to be
contaminated by vegetable and animal matter.
I mayj^now be permitted to state in conclusion, that the lake
waters here examined, with the exception of B, are all suflS-
cieiitly pure for the supply of water to the City, and that the
water is wholesome and pleasant to drink ; well adapted for
cooking and washing. It is also recommended particularly to
brewers, for the making of beer or porter, as it not only ex-
tracts better the virtues of the hops and grain employed, but
enters more readily into fermentation tlian hard well water.
For the same reasons it is more appropriate in making bread
and all infusions and decoctions of herbs. It is also better for
the supply of ships going on long voyages, as it soon purifies
itself in the cask, and is then absolutely free from all unpleas-
ant smell and taste, provided the casks are charred on their
inner surface, so as not to add anything soluble in water. It
is better for the manufacture of soda and other artificial mine-
ral waters. It is better adapted for bleacheries, dye houses,
chemical laboratories ar.d manufactories, Tanneries, &c. Its
advantages are so great over well water, that even if an abun-
dant supply of the latter could be obtained by boring, still it
would be desirable to bring lake water from the vicinity, on
account of its greater purity and adaptation to our wants.
Your obedient serv't,
CHARLES T. JACKSON.
77
APPENDIX C.
Waltham, Sept. 17, 1834.
L. Baldwin, Esq.
Dear Sir,
I have looked over the analysis made for us by Dr. J. F.
Dana in the year 1820, but can find nothing relating to the
water of Charles River.
I called on Dr S. L. Dana last evening, to see if he had any
facts relating to this subject. He says that he once analyzed
the water, but did not preserve the minutes ; he recollects that
the principal impurities in addition to the vegetable matter in
solution, were carbonate uf iron and sulphate of lime.
Charles River water is soft and excellent for washing.
Goods dried from it, however, become yellow ; we were obli-
ged therefore, at some thousands of dollars expense, to bring
spring water in pipes to our bleachery for our last washings.
Would not the impurities which the river collects in passing
so many manufacturing establishments be an objection to its
use in families .''
In addition to the waste liquors from paper mills, iileache-
ries, dye houses, and other works, it receives its daily contri-
butions from every person employed in the establishments.
In a very large stream these additions could never be discov-
ered, but Charles River in a dry season is quite a moderate
sized stream. Whether it had any sensible effect on the
water or not, the idea of drinking it, could not be very pleas-
ant to those who were acquainted with the facts.
With much esteem, I am, dear sir, very sincerely yours,
EBEN HOBBS, Jr.
Boston, JYov. 21, 1834.
Col. Baldwin,
Dear Sir,
Since I gave in my report on the lake and river waters in
the vicinity of Boston, I learned through your letter from Dr.
Hobbs, that Dr. Dana had detected sulphate of lime and car-
bonate of iron in the water of Charles River, which substances
were not found by me in the water marked F, in my report.
Aware of the just reputation of Dr. Dana as a chemist, I was
anxious to satisfy myself of the truth of his observations by a
second analysis of the water in question. The specimen which I
had already examined was regarded as an unfair one, and on that
account, I obtained, through your kindness, a fresh supply,
free from all objections as to the locality from whence it was
taken .
This water was then marked F 2d, and was examined like
those formerly analyzed. Its specific gravity was 1.0004.
78
10000 grs. distilled and the evaporation finished in a porcelain
capsule. The residue dissolved in dilute nitric acid without
effervesence. The solution was then tested by oxalate of am-
monia, when a slight pr«^cipitate took place of oxalate of lime.
Tested with a solution of muriate of barjtes, a white precipi-
tate of sulphate of barytes took place. Tested by liquid am-
monia for iron no precipitate took place, but when the vegeta-
ble organic matter was incinerated and the ashes dissolved in
dilute acid and treated with hydro sulphate of ammonia, a
trace of iron is easily obtained. From this circumstance, it
appears that the oxide of iron must have existed in combina-
tion with the vegetable organic matter, or that it prevented
its precipitation by the ordinary means.
The water does then contain a trace of sulphate of lime,
but I am not decided whether the oxide of iron exists in the
state of carbonate, or in combination with the organic matter.
It will require that a very large quantity of water should be
operated upon to settle this question. Please enter this note,
in whole or in part, as you may see fit, in 'my report which
you have undertaken to publish in your appendix.
Your obedient servant,
CHARLES T. JACKSON.
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
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