Council Proceedings, Ralph Hemingray report to council about water reservoir

Council Proceedings.

OFFICIAL.

A special meeting of the City Council was held at the Council Chamber, Monday evening, December 20, 1880, President Tranter in the chair and all members present.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and adopted.

Messrs. A. Shinkle, Ralph Hemingray, H. S. Worthington and James Tranter were invited within the bar, as the subject under special consideration was that of the reservoir.

A report (Plan No. 1) was offered by Mr. Wolking, as Chairman of the Committee recommending the erection of a pumping house, and two reservoirs near the Newport water-works, to be connected by pipes with our present lines of mains at the Riffle.

Messrs. Davezac, J. Tranter, S. W. Coflin and T J Whittle presented a minority report (Plan No. 4), utilizing the present pumping works and placing two reservoirs on Forrest Hill, with a capacity of 60,000,000 gallons.

Another minority report (Plan No. 2), offered by Messrs. Shinkle, Hallam, Hemingray and Wolking is something similar to that of the report of the committee, viz: to pump the water from a place above Newport, with two reservoirs near by, the supply of pipe for the same to cross Licking river at Bogenschultze's foundry. A twenty-inch pipe will yield a supply of 8,000,000 per day. Only one additional engine need be built at present, and other reductions can be made, bringing down the estimated cost to $411,886. This plan is strongly urged by the report.

A fourth report was presented by Mr. H. S. Worthington, which reviewed the subject, and recommended an arrangement with Newport for supplying the city with water at a specified sum per thousand gallons.

The council resolved itself into Committee of the Whole, with T. Jeff Smith, Esq., in the chair.

The City Engineer presented his plans and estimates.

PLAN No. 1 — Distance from Ohio river to eleventh and Russell streets, 5 95.100 miles. Estimated Cost:

Reservoir.................................. $144,000

Engine House............................    48,000

Two engines and machinery .......   80,000

Twenty-four inch force or

influent and effluet pipes............ 156,000

Laying same, excavation, right of

way, tenement houses, etc........ 83,492

Total .......................................$516,492

PLAN No. 2 — Pipe to cross below Bogenschultze's foundry:

Estimated cost of Reservoir, similar

capacity as that of No. 1 .......... $151,000

Engine or Pumping House........    48,000

Engines and machinery .............   80,000

Twenty-four inch pipe force and

main, laying same ..................... 148,138

Extra cost of crossing Licking ....   15,000

Right of way, grading, 20 inch

pipe from eleventh and

Russell to Third and Russell

etc........................................... 45,092

Total .......................................$487,228

PLAN No. 3 — Connecting with No. 2's Eleventh and Russell, north to Sixth, eastwardly, and connecting with reservoir on Forrest Hill:

Cost of reservoir....................... $217,050

Engine,pipes, etc.......................    48,000

Two engines and machinery ....... 80,000

Force main from eleventh and

Russell to the reservoir on

Forrest Hill ................................ 33,000

Laying distributing mains and

drains, land of reservoirs,

etc............................................ 59,397

Total .......................................$628,265

PLAN No. 4 — Connecting our present works with reservoir on Forrest Hill, and getting water from our present source:

Cost of reservoir....................... $217,050

Force main (20 inch).................    48,000

Distributing pipe......................... 23,024

Other expenses.......................... 28,568

---10---

Total .......................................$297,590

RECAPITULATION

Cost of Plan No. 1...................$516,492

Cost of Plan No. 2................... 487,228

Cost of Plan No. 3................... 628,265

Cost of Plan No. 4................... 297,590

A twenty-inch pipe instead of a twenty-four inch pipe, would supply Covington for the next fifty years, and was to be recommended, with savings on

Plan No. 1..........................$20,500

Plan No. 2........................... 15,100

Plan No. 3............................ 20,000

The engineer believes that the estimate of plans Nos. 1 and 2 are ample and complete and is ready to form a company and construct the whole work at his estimated cost.

Mr. Collins made a lucid, powerful arguement in favor of plan No. 2. He ridiculed and hooted at the idea of increasing the supply of filthy, unhealthy, half-putrid stuff taken from our present pumping house. It was only fit for washing buggies and for using in foundries and factories to run machinery.

Mr. Davezac was strongly in favor of having our works where they are, with a reservoir on Forrest Hill. Some people had a prejudice about sewerage, but Covington should not spend $600,000 to overcome the prejudice of a few. The rate of mortality was no greater here than in Newport or other places about here. Besides, by this plan we could complete it in one season — the other plans would require three of four years — besides, we have authority only to issue $200,000 of bonds, less than half the amount required for any of the propositions looking to a supply of water from above Newport.

Colonel Shinkle was utterly opposed to taking water from our present works. Had people known when the works were constructed that we would draw water from the river at that point, not a man would have voted for them. We expected to get water filtered through the sand, but now we get all the offal of Newport and our own drainage and sewerage and filth besides. It is not necessary to discuss the question of the unhealthiness of the water we get. We have 6,000 families in Covington, and but 900 families take it, and yet with only these 900 families consuming it, the works have made $8,000.

If we go to Newport, we need to start with only one additional engine, at a cost of $40,000. In the meantime we can be laying pipe and constructing the reservoir. From the nature of the ground it will take one-third longer time to make the reservoir on Forrest Hill than at Newport.

Colonel Shinkle strongly advocated Plan No. 2.

Mr. Coflin advocated Plan No. 4. Thought with a reservoir system the water at the foot of Main street would be found to be as pure as that above Newport. The chemists can't tell the difference, and our people do not die at any greater rate than they do in Newport.

Mr. Hallam argued that some change in our water supply was necessary. All we have now is lost except one engine and pipes and the latter are rapidly filling up. Some step must be taken and some proposition must be made for the people to vote on the 1st of January.

Mr. Ashbrook, whose name is immortalized on the marble slab in front of the Holly Works, wanted better water and more of it, but did not think the city could afford to try to build a $500,000 works for $200,000. He was quite favorable to purchasing water from Newport. he thought the proper thing would be to pass strong resolutions and vote on the $200,000 bond proposition.

Mr. Worthington thought there was a large portion of our citizens who still believed Newport could supply us with water by the expenditure of $50,000 or $60,000, furnish us with all the water we could need for twenty years to come.

At 11:30 the Council as committee on the whole voted on Plan No. 4 as follows: Ayes 7, noes 11. Vote on Plan 2 — Ayes, 11 noes 7. The chairman of the committee of the whole reported in favor of No. 2. Mr. Tranter resumed the chair. Mr. Davezac moved to table the report of the committee. Refused by vote 7 to 11. The main question was then put. Carried 12 to 7 by the following votes: Ayes — Ashbrook, Brent, Coflin, Collins, Ellis, Hallam, Howe, McDannold, Mead, Senour, Schlickman, Smith, Wolking — 13. Nays — Davezac, Nie, Von Boken, Weweller, Whittle, President — 6.

Mr. Whittle moved to reconsider, and on motion of Mr. McDannold, the motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

The ordinance prepared for the occasion was read, providing for the submission to the people at the January election the question whether Council shall have authority to issue bonds not exceeding $200,000, payable in not less than twenty years and bearing an interest rate not to exceed 6 per cent., payable semi-annually, and running not less than twenty years nor more than forty, for the purpose of increasing the quantity and improving the quality of our water supply by pumping water from the Ohio river at a point above the city of Newport into a reservoir near said pumping place, and conducting the same thence by nearest practicable route into the city of Covington for distribution; and that the bonds shall be distributed, one-fourth of the denomination of $50 each, one-fourth of the denomination $500 each, one-fourth of the denomination of $1,000 each. Carried — ayes 12, noes 7.

Be it ordained by the City Council of Covington:

SECTION 1. That at the municipal election to be held on the first Saturday in January, 1881, the following question be submitted to qualified voters of this city to wit:

Whether Council shall have authority to cause to be issued bonds of the city of the denominations as follows: one-quarter of the denomination of $50 each, one-quarter of the denomination $500 each, and one-quarter of the denomination of $1,000 each, payable no less than 20 years nor more than 40 years after date, earing [sic] earning interest at the rate not to exceed 6 per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, for the purpose of increasing the supply and improving the quality of the water supply of the city of Covington, by pumping water from the Ohio river at a point above the city of Newport into a reservoir near said pumping place, and conducting the same thence by nearest practicable route into the city of Covington for distribution.

SEC. 2. That notice of the submission of said question as above be given by printed hand bills posted in all the different wards of this city, not less than ten days before said election, and that the Committee on Printing be instructed to give notice as aforesaid.

SEC. 3. — Trust the officers of said municipal election shall take the vote herein before provided for and at the regular voting places, and in addition to their usual oath shall be sworn faithfully to discharge their duties in taking said vote and make due returns thereof.

SEC. 4. That for the purpose of taking said vote a column shall be opened in each poll book of the city to contain said question, and each voter shall be asked said question and requested to vote "Yes" or "No."

SEC. 5. That said vote be compiled and returned and that the result declared at the sane time and in the same manner with the other results of said election.

SEC. 6. This ordinance shall take effect from its passage.

Passed and approved December 20th, 1880.

Council then adjourned to meet Thursday evening, December 24, at 7:30 o'clock.

Attest:                       CHAS. J. TRANTER,

GEO. H. DAVIDSON, Clerk. President.