Water Works02

Waupaca Republican

November 19, 1897

THE WAUPACA WATER WORKS

Tested, Accepted, Deeded to the City

Neatest Plant in the Badger State, Can be Operated the Cheapest

Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1897, marks an epoch in the history of the city of Waupaca. The date is nearly on the anniversary of the tread of white man near the Waupaca falls almost fifty years ago, where now a splendid pumping station supplied with two powerful water wheels and two duplex pumps in four parts force water to an immense stone and brick reservoir built in the hill on Mount Tom, one hundred and seventeen feet higher than Main Street and also through seven miles of mains for the purpose of extinguishing fires or for other purposes.

Our readers are acquainted with the history and attempts made during the past six or eight years to enlist efforts in establishing a system of waterworks. It finally remained for Messrs. A.M. Hanson and F.S. Baldwin to be the successful applicants to receive a franchise, with a clause therein that the plant can become the property of the city within one year if it desires, the hydrant rental and receipts from private consumers to eventually pay for the plant. The Seckner Contracting Company (who have become owners, and now constitute the Waupaca Waterworks Company, of Chicago, taking the contract to build and equip the plant complete. The gentlemen comprising the company who have become known somewhat in Waupaca more or less are C.M. Seckner, president, and J.H. Brown, secretary and treasurer. Their superintendent, Mr. C.A. Weeks has been here since July in charge of the work and pipe laying. The dirt commenced to fly July 27, and for seven or eight weeks business was pretty lively on the various streets. H.J. O. Reed of Minneapolis had the sub-contract to build the reservoir and pumping station, also a section of the dam. Andrew G. Nelson had the contract to build the dam. David Parish was employed by the city to see that the pipe line was properly laid and Mr. P.H. Koons was employed to see the masonry, etc. on reservoir, power house, dam, etc. engineer Sturtevant of Chicago drew the plans for the plant, and J.A. Hayes of Appleton was employed as consulting engineer, to come up on call to inspect and advise in the work

With but very few exceptions all the labor has been performed by our home men, Mr. Reed’s son, Edgar, assisted in the reservoir and power house.

The pumps, turbine water wheels, steel wheel pits, shafting and other things connected therewith were made by the Stilwill-Bierce & Smith Vaile Co., Dayton, Ohio, and are beauties. Frank Miranda, the expert of the company, has been here during the past three or four weeks installing the monster machines.

Any one who looks a the pumps and power house from the solid stone arch foundations to the machines above is impressed with the solidity of it. The pipe line is pretty nearly as perfect as possible, well put together. No better reservoir can be found in the state. Nature has made Waupaca a stand pipe out of Mt. Tom that beats all the stand pipes and tanks that was ever erected. The gentlemen above named who have had charge of the contracts deserve praise for their work Mayor Whipple, the water works committee and all members of common council have stood solid for the improvement, that the same be made satisfactory to the city with a view to municipal ownership.

The official tests on Wednesday were both by direct pressure and from the reservoir pressure, with four streams through inch nozzles. The first test as arranged by Chief Stout and the waterworks committee was from hydrant in First ward near Haney’s corner, one in Second ward at the last hydrant on School street, one in the Third ward near Roberts & Oborn’s mill and one on Main Street near Ovrum & James’ store. All four streams worked the same and water was forced to a height of fully one hundred and twenty-five feet. With all four on Main street the test was the same. Then the four streams received a test from the reservoir pressure alone. They shot up in the air to a length of between sixty-five and seventy feet. The tests gave excellent satisfaction and exceeded the tests called for in the ordinance. Nothing but praise was heard from all who witnessed it. Many people during the afternoon visited the power station. The filtered water is about the same as good spring water as to taste. We believe it is all right. There is a device by which a valve can be turned and any sediment lodging on the filtering bed of sand and crushed stone can be forced off and the bed washed by hydraulic pressure. Also a circulation at all times can be maintained in the pipe line. There are automatic gauges to tell the number of revolutions of the shaft, gallons of water pumped, pressure, height of water in reservoir, etc. In fact it is a perfect plant. Of course it cost a good sum, $55,400, but it looks as if it was worth all it cost. One thing the city will have no coal bill in the operating expenses, and if the rentals for domestic purposes are made reasonable there will be plenty of patrons. THE PLANT ACCEPTED

At a meeting of the city council last night, the company filed bonds of indemnity and guarantee as to the dam for fifteen years and the pipe line and plant for one year, also setting the bill of Carl Rasmussen for $247. The waterworks committee, Alds. Gurley, Johnson and DeVoin, reported favorable to the acceptance of the water works and recommended that the city accept a deed of the plant from the Waupaca Waterworks Company. The report was adopted; all voting aye except Ald. Lea. He desired to hold the matter open until the adjourned meeting next Tuesday evening. The balance of the council, believing it a good thing for the city, thought best to nail it all once in preference to waiting. Mayor Whipple accompanied Messrs. Brown and Seckner to Chicago on this morning’s limited for the purpose of closing the final deal and bring home proper papers.

The Seckner Construction Company have furnished all the money to build the plant. When the works are accepted Mr. Brown said to a REPUBLICAN reporter, that “John Brydan of Franklin, Pa., would accept a block of the six per cent bonds to the amount of $18,000 and the balance they will probably leave in Chicago, which will be exchanged for Waupaca Potatoes.”

Only one section of pipe in the whole seven miles of main was defective or leaked, piece near the residence of E.T. Bailey. This speaks well for the work of Mr. Weeks and the expert corkers as well as the watchful care given by Mr. Parish. The company put the pipe line to a severe test Monday and Tuesday in order to show any defects.