USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1897 > Part 7
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SERVICE PIPE.
There were received during 1896, 47 applications for ser- vice pipes, 46 of which were laid. The total number of ap- plications received to date is 787. Total number of services connected with works to date, 752: One service has been laid for supplying a drinking faucet and expense charged to service pipe account. One laid for drinking fountain and expense charged to special appropriation for drinking foun- tain. There have been set during the year 48 meters, making the total number in use to date 326. The usual schedule of service pipe work accompanies this report.
19
SCHEDULE OF SERVICE PIPE.
Laid during 1896.
Kind,
Cement Lined.
Lead Lined.
Tarred
Lead.
Cast- Iron.
Total.
Sizes,
3. 1, & 1} In.
3.1, & 1} In.
2 & 21 Inches.
& & 1 Inch.
4 Inch.
No. of Services, Owned by Town, Owned by Individ
45 1115.3 1632.3
1
22
46 1137.3 2332.3
Total for 1896,
2747.6
722
3469.6
Previously Reported,
No. of Services, Length in feet,
642 47582.3
52 4053.0
249.9
6 817.
2 738.2;
654 53440.4
Total Jan. 12, 1897,
No. of Services, Length in feet,
642 47582.3
97 6800.6
249.9
817.
3 738.2
752 56910.0
PUMPING PLANT.
With the completion of the Deane High Duty pumping en- gine, and the thorough overhauling of the Blake Duplex Pump, the pumping plant is in most excellent shape, and is in line with the highest perfection in the art of pumping known to engineers. The official test of the Deane engine was made the subject of a special report, which is here ap- pended. The test shows a duty developed, which is without precedent with a pump of this capacity. The duty obtained under every day working condition is, hewever, more sur- prising than the official duty, as during June of 1896 the average duty of the Deane pump per 100 lbs. coal used running was over 136 million foot lbs., the average duty for the same month by total fuel used was over 114 million foot lbs., no deduction made. The average length of runs made during this month was about 7 hours per day.
REPORT ON DEANE PUMP.
Acting under the terms of the contract between the town of And- over and the Deane Steam Pump Co. of Holyoke, Mass., dated Apr. 22, 1895, I have attended to the inspection and tests for capacity and duty of the pumping machinery designed, constructed, and put in operation by the Deane Steam Pump Co., and beg leave to submit the following report :
The engine is a vertical compound condensing fly wheel engine,
4
4
6
700
20
with automatic cut-off on the high pressure cylinder and either auto- matic or variable cut-off on the low pressure cylinder. Between the cylinders is a receiver having a coil of pipe through which live steam from the main steam pipe is constantly circulating, insuring dry steam in the low pressure cylinder.
The steam cylinders are jacketed, both heads and barrels. The steam and exhaust valves, which are of the Corliss type, are carried in the heads, reducing the clearance spaces to a minimum. The valve gear is driven from one crank pin on the main shaft and so arranged that one motion of the starting bar moves all of the valves of both cylinders. The piston rods are connected through cross heads on to each end of a working lever, which transmits the motion through the main connecting rod to a bent crank in the main shaft.
The pumps, two in number, are vertical double acting plunger pumps with center packing. The packing ring, which is of compo- sition, can be readily taken out and replaced without disturbing the pump cylinders. The pumps are placed in a pit below the engine, with the axes of the pumps in line with the axes of the steam cylin- der, the plunger rods connecting directly with the cross heads of the engine, thus forming a continuous direct line through both steam cylinders and pumps. The air pump is an independent horizontal single piston, double acting pump having steam cylinder 5 1-2 inches in diameter, water cylinder 7 inches in diameter and 8-inch stroke.
The feed pump, which was furnished by the contractors though not called for by the specifications, is a small duplex piston pump of the regular Deane pattern attached to a receiver, by which it is automatically governed. The action of the steam is as follows : The steam is first admitted to the high pressure cylinder, the ad- mission being automatically cut off by a fly ball governor: After doing work in the high pressure cylinder it is exhausted to the receiver which has been described. From the receiver it is admitted to the low pressure cylinder, the point of cut-off being governed either by the fly ball governor or by hand adjustment, from the low pressure cylinder it is exhausted through a coil feed water heater to a jet condenser which is placed on top of the air pump. The air pump then discharges it together with the water used for condensa- tion, through the overflow. The steam which is used by the air pump may be taken either directly from the main steam pipe or from a separator placed below the jackets and receiving the jacket
21
drainage. The exhaust from the air pump goes either to the feed water heater or to the receiver of the main engine. The valves of the pumps all open upwards and the water being displaced by the plungers passes upward through the valves to a large water chamber from which the discharge main leads.
The Deane Steam Pump Co. at considerable expense to them, have willingly made any changes in the design submitted by them with their proposal, which the writer has suggested. They have furnished everything that was called for by the specifications, and, in the opinion of the writer, have furnished a much better engine than the contract called for. They have exceeded their guaranteed duty and earned a premium of $97.50. They have, to the best of my knowledge, faithtully fulfilled their part of the contract, and I therefore recommend the acceptance of the machinery.
JOHN E. SMITH, SUPT.
March 9, 1896.
METHOD OF TEST.
As the town furnished the boiler plant coal could not very well be considered in figuring the duty. The contract therefore called for a duty of 125 million foot-pounds per 1000 pounds of dry steam at 90 pounds pressure delivered from the boiler. All heat taken from the boiler to be charged to the engine and all heat which should be rejected by the engine and returned to the boiler be credited to the engine, and as the plant is ordinarily run with the main pumps feeding the boilers, it was specifically stated in the specifications that steam used by the feed pump should be deducted from the total steam used.
To eliminate as far as possible any error which might creep in and at the same time simplify the official trial, it was decided that drainage from the separator should be returned directly to the boiler, and all steam delivered beyond the separator should be considered dry and saturated. It was also decided to run the boiler feed pump, and heat the building from a separate boiler. Having so far simpli- fied the conduct of the test, arrangements for the trial were made as follows : Boiler No. 1 was selected to be used in connection with the Deane pump, and all connections between boilers No. 1 and No. 2 were either ascertained to be perfectly tight or blanked off. Tanks were arranged, the first one connecting with the feed pump which supplied boiler No. 1. Above this was placed a second tank
22
resting on a pair of platform scales which were known to be correct. Into this tank water was drawn from an overhanging pipe.
The temperatures were taken by thermometers which had been caliberated, and were correct to within a small fraction of a degree. The thermometers in the feed and jacket return pipes were placed in tees as near as practicable to the boilers. The thermometer in the tank was hung loosely in the water and was read by lifting it until the mercury just showed at the surface.
The weight of water returned from the jackets was determined by a preliminary test of three hours duration, conducted March 3, the conditions being as near as possible to those of the official trial. During nor after this preliminary test nothing about the engine was changed. The method of determining the amount of jacket steam used per hour was by connecting the jacket drain through a separa- tor which had a water glass at the side and beyond which was placed a steam trap, to a pipe leading below the water in the second tank already described. In this pipe was a globe valve placed so that it could be conveniently operated. The tank was first partially filled with cold water, the globe valve was then closed. The time and weight of the water noted. The globe valve was then opened and the jacket drainage allowed to trap over. As soon as a sign of vapor appeared on the surface of the water the globe valve was again closed, and time and weight was noted. This was continued for three hours. The weights and all conditions appeared so regu- lar that longer test was deemed unnecessary, and the weight thus determined. 269.5 pounds per hour, was used in figuring the duty. The official trial was conducted March 4, was begun about two hours after the engine was started and after the representative of the contractors and the writer had made a thorough examination to · see that there was no possibility of either water or steam getting into or out of boiler No. 1 without being accounted for. A large gong was used for timing, 3 strokes being given 15 seconds before the time for taking, 2 strokes 5 seconds before, and 1 stroke on the time. In starting two observers noted the height of water in the boiler, two noted the level of water in the lower tank, and two read the revolution counter. At the end of the test the same men made the same observations. During the test all observations were made each 15 minutes, by C. L. Newcomb representing the contractors, and by the writer representing the town. The readings in all cases coincided. The water was carefully weighed by two independent
23
observers and the number of tanks used checked by an automatic register operated by a float. Every precaution against error which could be thought of was used, and the results are believed to be substantially correct.
OFFICIAL TEST.
Test of 17 x 30 x 8 3-4 x 30 cross compound condensing fly wheel pumping engine, with two centre packed plunger pumps, manufactured by the Deane Steam Pump Co. of Holyoke, Mass. Designed by Charles L. Newcomb, Superintendent.
Date of test, March 4, 1896.
Duration of test, 10 hours.
Time of starting, 8.01 A. M.
Time of stopping, 6.01 P. M.
Diameter high pressure cylinder,
17 in.
low 66
30 “
pump plungers, 8 3-4 "
Common length of stroke,
30 “
Diameter high pressure piston rod,
3 "
66 low 66
3 "
66 plunger ..
3 "
Capacity at 205 ft. piston speed,
1205.4 gal. per min.
Revolutions of engine during 10 hours,
25361
Plunger travel, 10 hours,
253610 ft.
Area of plunger,
60.13
1-2 area of 3 plunger rod,
3.53
Net effective area of plunger,
56.6
Average observed steam pressure,
90.3 lbs.
66 water 139.79 «
Difference of level between gauge and water in Pond,
5.1 «
Average observed total water pressure, temperature of water in tank,
41º
66
feed " at boiler,
126°
66
66 jacket " " "
299°
Temperature steam at 90.3 lbs. pressure,
331.137º
Net B. T. U. per lb. feed water from tanks,
85.04
66 66 66 6 " jackets,
259.44
steam at 105 absolute,
1173.84
Weight feed water from tanks, 15132 lbs.
Net weight of feed water from tanks,
14035.8
144.89 “
24
Weight of jacket water,
2695
Net " " " 66
2097.6
Weight of total steam delivered from boiler at 105 lbs. absolute
pressure, 16133.4
Total ft. lbs. work developed by plunger, no allowance for fric- tion in suction pipe, 2,079,798,291.4
Duty, contract basis :
56.6 x 253610 x 144.89 x 1000
16133.4 128,912,585 ft. lbs.
Premium earned at $25.00 per 1,000,000 ft. lbs. above 125 millions, $97.50
Signed,
JOHN E. SMITH, For the Town of Andover.
CHARLES L. NEWCOMB, For Deane Steam Pump Co.
The pump room has been painted, a new floor laid, and everything about it put in good condition. . All expenses caused by the installation of new pump has been charged to pumping plant.
MAINTENANCE.
Many expenses have been met during the past year which would ordinarily be uncalled for and while some of them were anticipated in calling for an appropriation at the annual meeting in March, 1896, had it not been for increased econ- omy in the ordinary operating expenses, it would have been impossible to have met our maintenance expenses with funds at our disposal for that purpose. We have, however, paid every bill, and have an unexpended balance of $72.44.
The cost of pumping has been very materially reduced, both by the decreased coal consumption and by the decreased cost in attendance.
The pumping since June 1st has been done almost entire- ly by the Deane pump, which, being automatically controlled, requires very little attention, after being started. The steam used by this pump being much less than was used by the Blake pump, the labor of firing is reduced more than one- half, one man easily does the fireing and running, thereby
25
saving the wages of a fireman. Last year we did not reap the full benefits of the economy of the plant, as owing to changes made and labor involved in overhauling the Blake pump, and putting the pump room in order, a fireman was employed during the first six months of the year.
The Blake pump has been thoroughly overhauled, the plungers, plunger rods and piston rods trued up, new plunger packing rings and valve rods put in, all brass work nickel plated and pumps repainted ; they are now in first class order and ready to run at any time. The expense connected with these repairs was $316.42. They are turned over every week and run occasionally to see that they are in proper working order.
In July the force-main pulled apart just outside of the pumping station wall. The pipe was taken up and relaid.
Owing to a change of grade on the State highway, at Poor's causeway, Frye Village, 850 feet of 8 inch pipe and 2 hydrants were taken up and relaid on a new location. This job came late in the season and caused an expenditure of $515.32. This expenditure should be refunded by the State Highway Commissioners, but as they are guaranteed against damages it would have to be collected from either the county or town.
Acting by request of the Chairman of your Board circular letters were sent to about one hundred superintendents in cities and towns in New England, asking for information as to the style of works and water rates. Received replies from forty-nine different cities and towns, which were tabulated and made the subject of a special report to your Board. The information obtained is valuable in a great many ways, but throws no light whatever on the vexed question of schedule rates to water takers. Andover's rates were found in case of most fixtures to be below the average, but there seems to be no equitable system of graduating the tax on various styles of fixtures. The action of your Board in establishing a com- pulsory meter system on all services except single tenements using one faucet would seem to contain more elements of justice to consumers than any revision of schedule rates could possibly have.
26
The introduction of the new regulations has met with the approval of a great majority of the consumers and the general introduction of meters is progressing with very little friction. The probable effect of meters will be to slightly reduce the revenue, but the tendency will also be to reduce the cost of pumping ; few people realize that over one-half the cost of operating the works comes from pumping.
During the year the Town has obtained at a trifling cost a piece of land on the shore of the pond, west of the pump- ing station lot, containing the only available location for camps and houses, between the pumping station and Dixon's. This is certainly a move in the right direction.
The special work required in maintenance during the com- ing year will be, so far as known, the raising to grade of a few hydrants on the State highway, the cleaning of the reservoir and the relaying of the 12 inch flange pipe across the river at Abbot Village.
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN E. SMITH.
Andover, Feb. 1, 1897.
MONTHLY RECORD OF PUMPING SERVICE, 1896.
LBS. COAL USED.
DUTY Ft. lbs. with 100 lbs. Coal.
Average
daily
consumption.
H
M
ft.
gallons.
January
22
143 40
330
37,965
11155
49,120
10,013,425 9,132,223
February
24
127 25
330
29,323
11535
40,858
March
21
139 17
330
26,343
10072
36,415
10,184,466
*106,317,741 119,102,956
76,359,419
238,531
April
19
136 10
330
22,350
4985
27,335
9,679,822
97,382.512
322,661
May
22
156 57
330
32,600
4500
37,100
10,959,908
*90,769,177
79,762,140
353,545
June
23
162 53
330
26,150
4600
30,750
11,874,605
*124,876,343
106,195,654
395,820
July
24
181 00
330
29,050
4800
33,850
13,137,819
106,676,521
423,800
August
23
161 10
330
24,300
4600
28,900
11,292,400
107,447,059
364,271
September
23
135 55
330
21,275
4600
25,875
9,625,048
123,473,006
101,521,901
320,835
October
22
136 35
330
21,750
4400
26,150
9,893,423
125,112,153
104,060,777
319,143
November
22
132 05
330
21,600
4500
26,100
9,525,403
121,272,463
100,359,690
314,180
December
21
117 00
330
19,500
7500
27,000
8,158,000
115,048,708
83,053,704
263,161
Totals
266
1730 07
330
312,206
77,247
389,453
123,476,542
10 Months
220
1459 02
330
244,918
54,557
299,475
104,330,884
117,145,305
95,804,301
344,219
Month.
Days.
Time.
Lift, including
friction and
suction.
Pumping.
Banking Starting, Etc.
Total.
Gallons pumped.
By coal used pumping.
By total coal used.
-
*Owing to changes being made on pumping plant, accurate records of pumping were not kept during January and February, most of the pumping for those months was done by the Blake pump. During the remainder of the year the Blake pumps pumped 7,331,285 gallons, viz., during March, 1,875,300; May, 4,915,150 ; June, 407,635 ; July, 333,200 gallons.
*124,578,183 126,839,918
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WATER RATES AND REGULATIONS.
Dwelling houses occupied by one family using one faucet $6.00 per year. Building purposes, for each cask of lime or cement $0.06 per cask. For all other purposes water to be measured.
METER RATES.
All meter rates shall be computed to January first of each year. A minimum rate payable semi-annually in advance will be charged which will cover a certain yearly quantity of water and all water registered by meter in excess of that quantity shall be paid by the hundred cubic feet. In case of a meter stopping or failing to reg- ister. the quantity used shall be estimated as the amount which ordinarily passes through the meter when in operation.
A consumer using not more than 5400 cubic feet per year shall pay a minimum annual rate of $6.00, which payment shall entitle him to use 2400 cubic feet of water per year, and twenty-five cents for each and every one hundred cubic feet in excess of that quantity.
A consumer using more than 5400 and less than 13400 cubic feet shall pay a minimum annual rate of $12.00, which payment shall entitle him to use 5400 cubic feet of water, and twenty-two cents for each and every one hundred cubic feet in excess of that quantity.
A consumer using more than 13400 and less than 67000 cubic feet per year shall pay a minimum annual rate of $25.00 per year, which payment shall entitle him to use 13400 cubic feet per year, and eighteen cents for each and every one hundred cubic feet in ex- cess of that quantity.
A consumer using more than 67000 and less than 200,000 cubic feet of water per year shall pay a minimum annual rate of $100.00 per year, which payment shall entitle him to use 67000 cubic feet per year, and fifteen cents for each and every one hundred cubic feet in excess of that quantity.
A consumer using 200,000 cubic feet or over shall pay a minimum annual rate of $225.00, which payment shall entitle him to use 200,- 000 cubic feet of water, and eleven cents for each and every one hundred cubic feet in excess of that quantity.
A cubic foot is computed as seven and one-half gallons. All meters read cubic feet.
29
REGULATIONS.
The following regulations until further notice shall be considered a part of the contract with every person who uses water :
1. All applications for the use of water must be made at the office of the Water Commissioners and state fully the purpose for which it is intended to be used. The Town will in all cases lay the service pipe from the street main to and through the cellar wall and provide on the end thereof a stop and waste valve. And the owner of the premises shall in all cases pay for such service pipe as may be laid within his premises together with the stop and waste valve at such rates as may be fixed by the Water Commissioners.
2. Meters will in all cases be set where there is more than one family using water through the same service pipe or where there is a single family using more than one faucet, and in all cases where there is a stable connected with the premises or hose is used. The Town will set all meters and charge a rental of $2.00 per year. Consumers at their option may purchase said meters when they will be marked on the books as private and no rental will be charged. All meters will be kept in repair by the Town and no charge made therefor except in cases of freezing or negligence.
3. All persons using water must furnish internal pipes, counec- tions and fixtures, and keep them in repair at their own expense and the commissioners will not be liable for any damage caused by fail- ure to do so. No person will be permitted to connect with any water pipes on the inlet side of the meter in any way or manner without a written permit from the Commissioners or their author- ized agent.
4. Water rates shall be payable at the office of the Water Com- missioners semi-annually. in advance, on the first day of January and July of each year. Water rates for the fractional part of six months shall be due when the water is turned on and in no case shall they be less than one dollar. No abatement of water rates will be made except when the entire premises are shut off for a period of at least three months. In all cases of non payment of water rates within ten days after the same are due as well as for any violation of these rules and regulations, the supply may be shut off and water will not again be let on except upon payment of the amount due and the sum of two dollars for shutting off and letting on the water. In case of shutting off or letting on the water for re-
30
pairs, testing of pipes, or any other purpose except for non payment of dues, the sum of one dollar will be charged.
5. When water is supplied to more than one family through a single service, the water rates shall be paid by the owner or lessee of the whole premises and the owners shall, in all cases, be re- sponsible for the water rates of their tenants.
6. No water taker shall supply water to parties not entitled to its use except on written permit.
7. All apparatus and places supplied with water must be accessi- ble at all reasonable times to the inspection of the Commissioners or their agent, and all pipes and fixtures shall be subject to rejection by said Board, if considered unsuitable for the purpose.
8. Water will be furnished for external fire protection free of charge, but no person shall open any hydrant, public or private, ex- cept for the legitimate purpose of extinguishing fires without a written permit from the Commissioners or their agent, and in case of fire public hydrants are to be opened by firemen only under the direction of the fire engineers.
9. The Commissioners reserve the right to restrict the use of hose or fountains or to shut off the water when it becomes necessary to make extensions or repairs or for violation of any of the regula- tions.
10. In computing meter rates no service pipe shall pay less than $6.00 a year unless shut off for at least three consecutive months during the year.
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