USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Cleveland, Ohio, Volume I > Part 18
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The engine house of brick, housed two Cornish engines, which were worked alternate weeks, the first of their kind erected west of the mountains.7 Orig- inally the trustees planned for a capacity that could care for one hundred thou- sand inhabitants, but the works as finally built, were supposed to have twice that capacity. Joseph Singer, the assistant of Engineer Scowden, was made the first superintendent and engineer of the new plant.
The vision of the trustees was far overreached by the actual growth of the city. Within a decade the water works were antiquated. The sewage of the city and increasing filth of the river's current discolored the water, made it un- palatable and a menace to health.
In 1866 public agitation roused the council to action. Investigations were made, and a detailed report from Professor J. L. Cassels, of the Cleveland Medical college, was received. In 1867 surveys for a new tunnel were made, plans were completed and bonds issued, and on August 23, 1869, work was commenced by sinking a shaft to a depth of sixty-seven and one-half feet near
5 Engineer's Report, 1857.
6 "Daily Herald," Sept. 24, 1856.
7 Engineer's Report, 1857.
139
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
the shore. From this shaft a tunnel, five feet in diameter, was pushed out under the lake. On August 17, 1870, after numerous delays, a crib, eighty-seven and one-half feet in diameter, was towed into the lake some six thousand, six hun- dred feet from the shore, where the water was about forty feet deep. From this point a tunnel was started to meet the one being pushed from the shore. On October II, 1872, the shore and lake sections of the tunnel were successfully united. March 2, 1874, the entire work was completed, and the following day water was run through to supply the city.
The new tunnel was six thousand, six hundred and sixty-one and sixty-one one-hundredths feet long, five and two-twelfths feet vertical diameter, and five feet horizontal diameter, the lake shaft was ninety and two-tenths feet below the surface of the water, and the bottom of the shore shaft was sixty-seven and five- tenths feet below the surface of the water. Each shaft was eight feet in diame- ter. The protection crib, which attracted a great deal of attention as an engineer- ing feat, was a pentagon sixty-eight feet high, each side measuring fifty-four feet, built of white pine timber twelve inches square. Inside of this was an inner wall, twenty-four feet from the outer, the faces of all the walls were sheathed with two inch oak planking, and the space between the inner and outer wall was filled with stone, and four hundred cords of stone were piled on the outside of the crib.
The engineers reported many difficulties. After encountering a bed of quick- sand while sinking the shore shaft, water and inflammable gas came up through a seam in the clay, making a bulkhead necessary. But before this could be built, three hundred feet of tunnel had been filled with sand. The tunnel was com- menced over again, at a deflection of twenty degrees, and many underground springs were encountered. On April 7, 1871, workmen were alarmed by a great noise behind them, and rushing toward the shore, found water pouring through the masonry for a distance of one hundred and fifty feet. Extra pumps were then employed to keep the tunnel clear.
The new engine house was built of brick, near the old one, two new engines, a Cuyahoga duplex, and a Worthington duplex were installed, and began work July 18, 1876. The old Cornish engines were used only as auxiliaries. The total cost of the work was three hundred and twenty thousand, three hundred and fifty-one dollars and seventy-two cents, and seven lives were sacrificed to the city for this improvement.8 The workers twice crossed the old preglacial river chan- nel, filled to a depth of from sixty to eighty feet with soft clay.
Upon the completion of the new tunnel, the old intake was abandoned. The outer crib gave constant trouble.
Within twenty-five years a new supply was necessary, and on July 17, 1886, the city council asked the city engineer, John Whitelaw, to report on the cost of a new tunnel from the lake crib to the pumping houses, with all the necessary equipment. His estimate was five hundred and ninety-one thousand, eight hun- dred and forty dollars. On November 24, 1888, proposals were received, and two thousand, one hundred and ninety-eight feet were built that year. On Jan- uary 29, 1889, the shore and lake sections were united, and on November 17, 1890, the new tunnel was completed. It was nine thousand, one hundred and
8 Engineer's Report.
140
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
seventy-seven and five-twelfths feet long, and seven feet in diameter.9 While quicksand was a constant annoyance, the construction of the tunnel was singu- larly free from accidents and casualties, due to the experience in building the former tunnel and to the advance made in engineering science. The water was not free from sediment, and in stormy weather was quite murky. The two tunnels had a capacity of one hundred and twenty million gallons per day.
The bringing of the water from the west side to the east, under the Cuyahoga river was originally accomplished by laying pipes in trenches dredged in the bottom of the stream. This, of course, made the pipes inaccessible. Indeed, one of the first serious mishaps to the system was caused by a break in the first pipe so laid across the river in 1856 when the works were first used. When the channel of the river was widened, 1897-8, changes were made necessary and it was determined to put the pipes into tunnels ·large enough to be always acces- sible. Four tunnels were made, three of them six hundred feet long, and one five hundred and seventy-five feet long. The shafts at each end are nine and one-half feet in diameter, while the tunnels are eight feet in diameter and lined with brick.10
The Kentucky reservoir with a capacity of six million gallons, and a head of one hundred and fifty-eight feet above the lake, was entirely antiquated by 1875. Originally all the water was pumped directly into this reservoir and then distrib- uted over the city. With the increase of population, additional pumps were added and these pumped the water directly into the service mains, while the old pumps still filled the reservoir.
In 1880 steps were taken to secure better high pressure service, and by 1885, two new reservoirs, located on the heights that overlook the city from the east, were opened for service. The Fairmount reservoir, on Fairmount street near Woodland Hills, is now used for low pressure. It has an area of six hundred and five thousand, two hundred and sixty-five square feet, a depth of twenty feet, and is divided into two basins, by an embankment, one having a capacity of forty-seven million gallons, the other of thirty-three million gallons. The high pressure reservoir is on Kinsman street in Woodland Hills park. It has an area of two hundred and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and twenty-four square feet, a depth of twenty-three feet, and a capacity of thirty-seven million gallons. With the opening of these reservoirs, the Kentucky reservoir was abandoned and converted into a park.
By 1895, both the quality of the water and the inadequacy of the service, were the subject of much critical comment. In consonance with the general for- ward movement in public works begun at that time, the mayor appointed a com- mission of twenty-two citizens, who, through a subcommittee of four, Samuel Mather, C. F. Brush, L. E. Holden and Wilson M. Day recommended as the most important of all the urgent public improvements needed by our city, a new and ample water works system. The necessary bonds were issued and a new tunnel was commenced. The following description of the building of this tunnel is taken by permission bodily from the "Engineering Record," Vol. 48, No. 24. It is written by Charles Goffing, C. E., of the Cleveland water works.
9 Engineer's Report.
10 See "Engineering Record," Vol. 38, p. 449.
Engine House and Tower of the CLEVELAND WATER WORKS, OLD RIVER STREET.
From an old cut
The first pumping station. 1856. Shows the "lookout" on the tower ; old river bed just beyond, and the newly built railroad.
From an old cut
CITY WATER WORKS, SECOND STAGE, 1872 CITY WATER WORKS The building on the right is the original pumping station
THIRD STAGE OF THE CITY WATER WORKS, 1SSS Showing ore docks in the background occupying the old river bed.
141
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
THE NEW WATER SUPPLY TUNNEL OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.
"The tunnel is circular nine feet in internal diameter, beginning at a shaft on the grounds of the new Kirtland street pumping station and running north- westerly twenty-six thousand and forty-eight feet in a straight line to the intake shaft. The intake shaft is sunk inside of a steel and concrete crib one hundred feet in diameter located approximately four miles from shore. The position of the crib was selected so as to bring the intake as far west of the mouth of the Cuyahoga river as possible and place it out of the path of the discharge from the river, which is easterly down the lake. The tunnel lining consists of three rings of shale brick laid in natural cement mortar, the walls being about thirteen inches thick. The excavation was through soft clay and was all carried on under air pressure.
"The contract for the construction of the tunnel and shafts was made with Mr. W. J. Gawne and approved by the city council September 8, 1896. Work was begun on the sinking of the shore shaft October 8, 1896, and this was the first work in the actual construction of the tunnel. At first the sinking was done without air pressure, but it was found that the clay was too soft, all the bracing in the lower part of the shaft giving way and allowing the upper part to settle and be thrown out of plumb. An air lock was then put in the shaft and all the subsequent work was carried on under pressure of from twenty to twenty- five pounds. The tunneling from this shaft was prosecuted without accident or serious interruption until May II, 1898, when a distance of six thousand, two hundred and eighty feet was completed. On that day an explosion occurred in the heading which so badly burned the eight men in the tunnel that they all died within a few days. As a section sixteen feet long had just been mined out, the concussion loosened the supports and the clay roof caved in making a conical cavity extending approximately twenty feet above the roof. After the debris had been cleared away, it was found necessary in order to pass the cave-in to line the excavation with flanged steel plates. After this section was passed the tunnel was carried on in the usual manner until July IIth of the same year, when a distance of six thousand, five hundred and forty-one feet having been completed, a second explosion occurred which instantly killed three bricklayers and eight helpers in the heading. The invert had just been completed and sev- eral of the men were caught in the cave-in of the clay roof. After recovering the bodies of all of the men, the heading was closed by the brick bulkhead and no more tunneling was done from this drift.
"Besides the work done from the shore shaft, tunneling was started in the intake shaft and in two intermediate temporary shafts in wooden protection cribs. Temporary crib No. I, eleven thousand, six hundred and twenty-five feet from the shore shaft, was placed in position May 27, 1897, and the contractor began sinking the shaft September 17. He carried on tunneling from this point in two drifts, the east drift connecting with the tunnel built from the shore, the junction being made on July 9, 1899. The west drift was carried to a point four thousand, eight hundred and fifty-eight feet from shaft No. 2 and a brick bulkhead was built closing the end of the tunnel. No serious accident occurred on the work built from shaft No. 2.
142
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
"Temporary crib No. 2 was located at a distance of seven thousand, two hun- dred and eighty feet from crib No. 1 ; it was placed in position September 8, 1897, and the contractor began sinking the shaft January 14, 1898. This work was done during the winter months when the lake was covered with ice. The jarring of the crib due to the impact with the moving fields of ice caused serious injury to the shaft so that great difficulty was experienced in keeping the water out. The surrounding clay was so softened by water following down the sides of the shaft that an air pressure of nearly forty pounds per square inch had to be used in putting in the bottom and starting out the tunnel. After the soft mate- rial had been passed, no further difficulty was experienced, and the work was continued in the usual manner, the east heading meeting the west drift from crib No. I November 10, 1900. The heading driven westward from shaft No. 3 was extended three thousand, five hundred feet, and a brick bulkhead was built, the contractor deciding to do the balance of the tunneling from the intake.
"The permanent intake crib was placed in position July 1, 1898. The con- tractor began sinking the shaft on July 4, 1900, and finished July 8, 1901, a great deal of delay having been caused by difficulties in keeping the water out. The contractor resumed work June 13, 1901, in the west drift crib No. 2, as it had been decided to do some more tunneling from this point in order to hasten the completion of the work. August 14, 1901, while the men were in the tunnel cleaning up, the crib superstructure caught fire and was burned to the floor line, five men losing their lives by being burned, while five others were drowned. All the men in the tunnel at the time of this accident were rescued. The work of rebuilding this crib was immediately started and was well under way when, on August 20 of the same year, the shaft at the intake crib broke off at the bottom of the lake allowing the remaining part of the shaft to fill with water and soft clay, the upper portion of the shaft in rising partly wrecking the super- structure of the crib. Four men were in the bottom of the shaft at the time of the accident and were buried in the clay. The fifth man who was in the air lock on top of the shaft fell down and was drowned.
"The contractor not taking active steps to proceed with the work at the two cribs, the city took charge and pushed repairs of the broken shaft and also the tunneling in the west drift from crib No. 2, using much of the contractor's ma- chinery. It required a great deal of time to regain lost ground as the super- structure of crib No. 2 had to be rebuilt, new machinery set up, the tunnel cleared of water and debris, a new floor, air pipes and electric light wires had to be rebuilt at the face of the work. It was a slow and difficult task to remove the broken section of the shaft in the intake crib and to provide and rebuild the top of this shaft and connect it with the old work below. Air pressure was put on the intake shaft and the clay which had swelled in from the tunnel open- ing at the bottom was removed and the bodies of four men recovered. Tunnel- ing was carried on in both headings until the two drifts met December II, 1902, completing the tunnel for its entire length. December 14, 1902, an explosion of gas occurred in the west drift of shaft No. 3. Four of the men over in the tunnel at the time were killed or died from injuries sustained. Besides the lives lost in the various accidents a number of men died from the effects of the "bends," or caisson disease.
143
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
"In the season of 1903, the city carried on the work of clearing the tunnel of the quicksand which had seeped in through the joints in the brickwork. The walls of the tunnel were cut in a great many places to ascertain the character of the brickwork, which was found to be very poorly done in a good many places. The last work remaining to be done in the tunnel consisted of rebuild- ing a section immediately west of shaft No. 3 where the roof of the tunnel had sagged while the brickwork was being constructed and where the tunnel had been reinforced for a distance of fourteen feet by additional rings of brick- work making the net diameter about seven feet. The tunnel was here rebuilt to its proper dimension and the openings for the temporary shafts arched over and the shafts filled with clay to the level of the bottom of the lake. The steel and cast iron cylinder of the two shafts from the top down to the bottom of the lake were unbolted and removed. The tunnel was entirely filled with water on November 15 and the upper sections of the intake shaft were removed."
Water was first pumped from the tunnel February 1, 1904. The water was pumped through the tunnel and returned to the lake until February II, when it was first pumped into the mains from the new station on Kirtland street. On April 6, 1904, all pumping through the west side tunnels was discontinued for city use. These tunnels are now held in reserve for fire use, and are connected with a series of special high pressure service mains that are laid through the busi- ness and manufacturing sections of the city. The same year a high pressure service for the higher altitudes of the city, especially the heights to the east, was in- stalled.
The city is now provided with one of the largest water intake tunnels in the world, twenty-six thousand feet long, nine feet in diameter, terminating in forty-nine feet of water, and with a daily capacity of one hundred and seventy million gallons. W. M. Kingsley, C. E., then superintendent of the water works, was the chief engineer, and C. F. Schultz, his first assistant.11
WATER RATES.
There was considerable difficulty in adjusting the early water rates. The water was used sparingly, street and garden sprinkling was prohibited from 8 a. m. to 7 p. m. The trustees were constantly struggling between the Charybdis of an annual deficit and the Scylla of a want of patronage. They did boast of their meager surplus, even though they despaired at the lack of popu- larity. The following table of the first water rates will explain this unpopu- larity.
"Ordered, that the following rates for supplying water per year be charged to consumers, payable semiannually, in advance, at the office of the trustees of the water works :
Dwelling house, not exceeding three rooms $5.00
Each additional room up to sixteen .50
Over sixteen rooms, each .25
Bath tubs 2.00
11 See "Engineering News," Vol. 40, p. 82, also "Engineering Record," Oct. 22, 1898.
144
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
Water closets 2.00
Hotels, per room 1.00
Boarding house, per room 1.00
Bathing houses, per tub · 5.00-10.00
Plugs for washing sidewalks and windows
Livery stable, per stall, up to twenty stalls 2.00
2.00
Each additional stall
1.00
Private stables, each horse kept.
2.00
Bakeries, from
· 5.00-10.00
Stores 5.00
Offices and sleeping rooms. 3.00-5.00
Churches, from · 5.00-10.00
Schools, from 5.00-10.00
Cabinet and carpenter's shops 3.00
Printing offices · 5.00-10.00
Market stalls
. 5.00
Markets
· 5.00-20.00
Stone yards
5.00
Blacksmith shops, per fire
3.00
Steam engines, per horse power. 2.00
Steam apparatus for warming houses and other buildings, to be assessed.
Colleges, hospitals, courthouse, jails, to be assessed.
Water to sprinkle streets, to be assessed.
Distilleries and rectifiers, gas works, breweries and malt houses, slaughter houses, railroads, to be classified. . I 7/2c per barrel
Foundries and machine shops I7/2c per barrel
Plastering for each one hundred bushels of lime.
Wetting and grinding brick with mortar, per thousand. 2.50
.IO
Private fountains, to be assessed
September, 1856."
The following rates were charged for sprinkling yards, in addition to tariff of rates for dwellings :
For 66 feet or less front: 5/8-inch tap, free; 3/4-inch tap, $2.00; I-inch tap, $2.50. For 66 feet to 100 feet front: 5/8-inch tap, $2.00; 3/4-inch tap, $2.75; I-inch tap, $3.00. For 100 to 150 feet front: 5/8-inch tap, $3.50; 3/4-inch tap, $4.81 ; I-inch tap, $5.25. For 150 to 200 feet front : 5/8-inch tap, $5.00; 3/4-inch tap, $6.88; I-inch tap, $7.50.
In 1856 these rates were reduced a little, and revisions in rates were made annually until 1887, when a system of charges was adopted that remained until 1893. In 1896 a revision was made that continued until 1910.
The introduction of meters has materially affected the water rates. Early in the 'zos meters were introduced. The following table will illustrate their introduction :
Year 3/4-inch.
Inch.
I1/2-inch.
2 in.
3 in.
4 in.
Total.
1874
6
I7
I3
25
4
. .
65
1875
I3
42
24
22
7
3
III
1876
47
56
3I
23
8
3
I68
145
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
With the completion of the new tunnel came the universal introduction of meters in houses, by Professor E. L. Bemis, the superintendent of water works. The following indicates the progress of this work:
TABLE SHOWING THE PER CENT OF CONNECTIONS METERED AND THE EFFECT OF METERING ON THE PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION.
Years
Total Connections in Use
Total Meters in Use
Per Cent of Connections in Use Metered
Gallons Used Each Inhabitant Per Day
1874
5,693
73
1.28
45.36
1875
6,349
I26
1.98
57.09
1876
7,130
185
2.59
49.22
1877
7,760
266
3.43
55.91
1878
8,384
312
3.72
51.13
1879
9,285
389
4.19
62.69
1880
10,013
444
4.43
65.25
1881
11,486
540
4.70
76.76
1882
12,923
761
5.89
68.41
1883
. 14,84I
913
6.15
75.60
1884
16,963
1,057
6.23
82.66
1885
. 18,41I
1,175
6.38
93.49
1886
20,395
1,365
6.69
91.26
1887
. 22,655
1,525
6.73
95.97
1888
. 25,477
1,644
6.45
95.08
1889
. 28,287
1,725
6.10
98.71
1890
· 30,938
1,794
5.80
106.05
1891
33,940
1,856
5.47
III.16
1892
36,508
1,930
5.29
117.56
1893
38,166
1,992
5.22
129.73
1894
42,013
2,143
5.10
II2.83
1895
44,666
2,228
4.99
I36.60
1896
46,389
2,355
5.08
128.50
1897
48,207
2,474
5.13
136.30
1898
49,832
2,606
5.23
138.20
1899
52,303
2,810
5.37
153.30
1900
53,473
3,140
5.87
168.90
1901
. 55,130
3,540
6.42
169.40
1902
56,816
11,296
19.88
167.80
1903
. 58,852
25,193
42.81
141.60
1904
. 60,627
30,370
50.09
138.50
1905
.64,137
44,706
69.70
130.80
1906
.69,128
56,712
82.04
123.00
1907
72,225
63,993
88.60
117.50
1908
74,490
69,733
93.61
100.30
146
HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
At first the introduction of meters did not seem to allay the difficulty of ad- justing the differences between the large and small users. The meter rates in 1875 were as follows :
When 50,000 cubic feet are used in six months 16.oc per 1,000 gallons.
When 100,000 cubic feet are used in six months 14.7c per 1,000 gallons.
When 200,000 cubic feet are used in six months 13.3c per 1,000 gallons.
When 300,000 cubic feet are used in six months 12.4c per 1,000 gallons.
When 400,000 cubic feet are used in six months
II.7c per 1,000 gallons.
When 500,000 cubic feet are used in six months
10.9c per 1,000 gallons.
When 600,000 cubic feet are used in six months II.2c per 1,000 gallons.
When
700,000 cubic feet are used in six months
10.7c per 1,000 gallons.
When 800,000 cubic feet are used in six months.
10.52c per 1,000 gallons.
When 900,000 cubic feet are used in six months. 10.4c per 1,000 gallons.
When 1,000,000 cubic feet are used in six months. 10.29c per 1,000 gallons.
In 1877 it was ordered that the rates for water furnished by meter measure shall be upon the following basis for each collection of six months, or less :
For the first 50,000 cubic feet or less. I.2 mills per foot.
For any amount 50,000 and 100,000 cubic feet. I.o mills per foot.
For any amount 100,000 and 200,000 cubic feet. .9 mills per foot.
For any amount 200,000 and 300,000 cubic feet. .8 mills per foot.
For any amount 300,000 and 400,000 cubic feet. :7 mills per foot.
For any amount exceeding 400,000 cubic feet. .6 mills per foot.
"Provided that in no case shall the charge be less than ten ($10) dollars per annum.
Payment shall be made in advance as in other cases upon the estimate of the secretary of the probable consumption for six months, subject to adjustment ac- cording to the actual amount consumed as indicated at the subsequent reading of the meter."
In 1908, the meter rates were as follows:
Rule 2. Meter Rates .- "The rates for metered water for premises inside the city limits shall be uniform, towit : 40 cents per 1,000 cubic feet, equal to 5 1/3 cents per 1,000 gallons, provided that when the meter is furnished and set by the water department, and the water taken through a 5/8 inch meter, no payment shall be less than $1.25 each semiannual collection, where the semiannual assessment rate is less that $4.50 and shall not be less than $2.50 semiannually in all other cases, but the payment for water used through a 3/4 inch meter shall not be less than $5.00 semiannually ; through a I inch meter, $6.00; 11/2 inch meter, $8.00; 2 inch meter, $12.00; 3 inch meter, $25.00; 4 inch meter, $40.00; 6 inch meter, $75.00.
"Where such meter, however, is furnished and set by the consumer, the mini- mum semiannual payment shall not be less than $2.50 in the case of a meter 34 inch or less, and $4.00 for all larger meters."
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