USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Chambersburg > Annual report of the burgess and town council of the borough of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 1935 > Part 14
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During the year 1938, the Chambersburg Health Board, through its Health Officer, investigated 1,239 calls, issued 457 Health Certificates to employees in places handling food stuffs within the Borough, cared for 122 common nuisances and granted 8 permits to milk dealers. Three hundred and fifty-five cases of contagious diseases were reported to the Board during the year 1938.
Fifty connections were made to the Sanitary Sewer.
Sediment testing of milk was made quarterly and the preservative test made annually.
Anyone whose milk registered unsatisfactory on two successive testings were refused the privilege of selling milk within the Borough for local distribution.
The Board meets the last Monday of each month in regular session with additional special meetings.
The members are Dr. B. M. Beattie, President; Dr. L. H. Seaton, Mr. James C. Clark, Mr. Paul Walker, Mr. F. Lester Marshall, and Mr. Frank J. Croft, Health Officer.
16
MUNICIPAL SANITARY SEWAGE DISPOSAL PLANT
.... .
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CHAMBERSBURG SANITARY SEWER DEPARTMENT
When the Borough of Chambersburg decided in 1910 and 1911 to obtain its water supply from the State Forest at Caledonia, it was necessary to obtain a permit from the Pennsylvania State Health De- "artment, and when the State Health Department issued this permit, it granted to Chambersburg the right to the water of Birch Run, but it also provided that, for this right, the Borough of Chambersburg was to install a Sanitary Sewerage System with a proper disposal plant of a capacity sufficient to take care of the town for twenty years to come.
The same Bond Issue, providing funds for the construction of the water supply line between the mountain and Chambersburg, provided also for sufficient bonds to put in a Sanitary Sewerage System in Cham- bersburg. This system was constructed and was put in service August 1, 1912, and has performed in a very satisfactory manner ever since. Since the initial installation, there has been another Imhoff tank con- structed at the disposal plant, as well as two additional sludge filtering beds. As the building operations developed in the town, new laterals have been run, and at the present time the entire system consists of :
LATERALS
19.403 miles 8" 6.636 miles 10" .263 miles 12" .23 miles 15" .074 miles 18"
Total 26.606 miles
TRUNK LINES
238.0 feet 10"
4,432.5 feet 12"
2,138.3 feet 15'
3,099.4 feet 18"
4,014.9 feet 24"
1,631.2 feet 20" x 30" concrete
Total 15,554.3 feet
At the present time there is a total of 156,138.5 feet or 29.57 miles of sewers, 119 Flush tanks, 682 Manholes, and 3,049 buildings are con- nected with the system.
For many years this plant was considered the model plant of the State of Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania State Health Department. There are no charges for sewer service rendered by the Borough of Chambersburg, and this is a rather outstanding achievement when you stop to think that charges for sewer service run from $8.00 to $36.00 per year in the State of Pennsylvania.
The State Health Department insists on a very high standard of quality for the effluent from the Disposal Plant, and weekly reports are made to the Department showing each day's operation.
18
During 1938, many requests were received from property owners for extension of the Sanitary Sewer Service which resulted in a rather heavy construction program. During the year, requests were made for a total of 7,219' of various sizes of street lateral sewers. In addition to these requests, we had a carry-over program from 1937 of 3,325', which made a total of 10,544' to be constructed in 1938. Of this amount 4,348' were completed, leaving 6,196' for construction during 1939. With what was left of the construction program of 1938, and additional re- quests for sewer extensions, it would appear as if there would have to be constructed in 1939, 9,196'. All of the construction work, except 380' done by this department during 1938, was done under WPA Projects on which the Federal Government furnished all of the labor, while the Borough furnished all of the materials and equipment. This resulted in a final cost to the property owners of an assessment, on the front foot plan, of approximately 50% of what it would have been otherwise.
The total amount spent for labor, trenching and backfilling, by the Federal Government on 3,668' of lateral sewers, constructed under WPA Projects during the year, was $17,160.93.
The sewers actually constructed in 1938 were as follows:
Wayne Avenue
258' of 10" lateral sewer
Coldbrook Avenue
267' of 8" lateral sewer
South Fourth Street
2,100' of 8" lateral sewer
Cleveland Avenue
700' of 8" lateral sewer
Wilson Avenue
248' of 8" lateral sewer
Alexander Avenue
395' of 8" lateral sewer
South Seventh Street
230' of 8" lateral sewer
Vine Street
150' of 8" lateral sewer
Total
4,348'
During 1936, studies were being made by Sanitary Engineers cover- ing the reconstruction of the Sewage Disposal Plant, and during 1937, plans and estimates were submitted by the Engineers covering the necessary changes. The Engineer's estimates on the construction which would be necessary, totaled $263,000.00. Just as soon as this informa- tion was given to the Borough Council, an application was filed, on June 7, 1938, with the Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works, requesting a money grant of $118,354.76, this representing 45% of the estimated cost of construction .. This request for grant was ap- proved, and the Federal Government set aside this amount for this specific purpose.
Bids were received on the work on September 22, 1938, and the General Construction Contract, known as Contract No. 1, was immedi- ately awarded.
The new Disposal Plant will be of the "separate digestion" type, and will have a twenty-four hour capacity of two million gallons of sewage. It is expected that all of this work will be completed in Oc- tober or November of 1939.
The total sewage handled at the Sanitary Sewage Disposal Plant during 1938 was 355,688,920 gallons. The total cost for the operation and maintenance of the plant during the year 1938 was $9,452.56. The average cost for handling the sanitary sewage during 1938 was 2.65 cents per 1,000 gallons.
19
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PLUMBING INSPECTOR
In the early part of the year 1938, a State Law went into effect known as "An Act Governing Plumbing for House or Building Drainage in Pennsylvania in Cities of the Second and Third Class, In Boroughs Having a Population of Three Thousand Five Hundred (3,500) or More, In Incorporated Towns, and in Townships of the First Class." This Act provides for the appointment of a Plumbing Inspector in each of the political subdivisions covered by the Act. The Borough of Chambers- burg Town Council appointed to this position Mr. William Grove, after he had taken the State Examination at Harrisburg, and been duly regis- tered as a "Master Plumber." During the year, the Plumbing Inspector has had submitted to him 236 sets of plans covering new work, for his inspection and approval, covering in all, the inspection and supervision of tests on 544 fixtures which involved the making of 560 trips. He inspected and tested the plumbing work and fixtures in 37 new houses, involving 245 fixtures. During the year, there were 16 dwellings con- verted into apartments, which involved the inspection and testing of 114 fixtures. There were 128 alterations and replacements, involving the inspection and testing of 185 fixtures. The development of this particular service will undoubtedly mean much in the way of health and comfort to the citizens of Chambersburg in the future.
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF THE BOROUGH OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, FROM JANUARY 1st, 1938, TO JANUARY 1st, 1939
Receipts
Balance in Treasurer's Account January 1, 1938
$ 1,871.07
Edgar W. Diehl, 1938-1939 Tax
Duplicate
$ 6,699.22
Walter P. Bitner, 1937-1938 Tax Duplicate
664.20
George H. Bitner Est., 1936-1937 Tax Duplicate
211.84
George H. Bitner Est., 1935-1936 Tax Duplicate
84.59
George H. Bitner Est., 1934-1935 Tax Duplicate
131.68
George H. Bitner Est., 1933-1934 Tax Duplicate
8.66
George H. Bitner Est., 1932-1933 Tax Duplicate
2.87
$ 7,803.06
Licenses, Circus
$ 20.00
Licenses, Peddlers
119.00
Licenses, Beverages
3,566.67
Sewer Permits
195.00
Building Permits
58.00
Digging Permits
13.00
3,971.67
20
Fines, W. R. Kieffer, Justice of the Peace . $ 100.00
Fines, John S. Gillan, Justice of the Peace
192.00
292.00
Market Master
290.50
Tax Liens
2,062.98
Lateral Sewers
5,727.49
Ambulance Collections
576.35
Pole Tax, W. U. Tel. Co.
15.60
Pole Tax, United Tel. Co.
218.20
Street Paving Liens and Interest
$ 142.65
Repairs to Streets
417.74
Sale of Materials
460.90
Rental of Equipment
311.12
Resurfacing Private Driveways
292.17
Refund Paving Lien Costs
5.40
Miscellaneous Street
18.65
1,648.63
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Fire Insurance Company Tax
2,168.88
Henninger Field Lighting
17.10
Insurance Refund
86.73
Building Sidewalks, Curbs, and Gutters
3,422.07
Rental of Henninger Field
314.64
Rental of Borough Properties
443.43
Miscellaneous Sewer Department
37.69
Miscellaneous Police Department
155.80
Miscellaneous Fire Department .
137.12
Miscellaneous Engineering De-
partment
4.24
Miscellaneous General Borough
289.18
Transfer from Disposal Plant
Construction Fund
3,760.32
Transfer from Electric Light
144,000.00
Transfer from Water Department
6,500.00
$185,814.75
Expenditures
Salaries
Clerks and Bookkeeper
$ 3,950.25
Borough Engineer
2,520.00
Drafting Department
3,932.65
Treasurer
200.00
Borough Attorney
1,200.00
Burgess
360.00
Auditors
375.00
Market Master
1,295.84
Plumbing Inspector
.. .. .
. . . . 1,437.50
$ 15,271.24
21
Department
.
and Parking Lots
Board of Health
Salary
$ 1,500.00
Supplies
147.20
Donation to Community Nurse .. 75.00
1,722.20
Police Department
Salaries
$ 16,662.91
Equipment and Supplies
574.96
Maintenance and Repairs to Motor Equipment
380.83
New Motor Equipment
479.31
Uniforms
518.75
Telephone and Telegraph
237.42
Traffic Signs, Signals and
Repairs
497.26
Fuel
45.12
Gas and Oil
388.04
Repairs to Building
76.64
Insurance .
5.89
Salaries, Extra Police
98.80
Miscellaneous
240.65
20,206.58
Street Department
Maintenance of Streets:
Patching
$ 3,868.87
Surface Oiling
2,023.29
Hand Sweeping
2,929.74
Motor Sweeping
1,400.64
Removal of Snow
866.52
Labor and Material
Grading
Streets
515.26
Maintenance of Alleys:
Patching
$ 1,897.07
Sweeping
89.88
Surface Oiling
309.28
Dust Prevention and Weed Re- moval
857.58
Grading
5.53
Maintenance and Repairs:
Storm Sewers
$ 267.50
Bridges
77.83
Operation, Maintenance and Re- pairs to Garage .
1,581.92
Purchase and Repairs to Tools
587.63
Operations and Repairs to Equipment
2,861.41
Construction of Streets
15,021.66
Construction of Alleys 9,076.53
Construction of Storm Sewers
4,363.63
22
1
Office Supplies, Insurance, etc.
916.15
Purchase of Equipment
4,481.25
Private Work
845.48
Maintenance and Repairs to
Property
1.00
Engineering Supervision
475.76
55,321.41
Disposal Plant
Salaries
$ 1,016.64
Office Supplies, Printing and
Postage
60.64
Labor
3,543.89
Hydrated Lime
735.00
Fuel
67.85
Lamps
4.89
Engineering
14.88
Maintenance and Repairs, Build- ing and Grounds .
290.40
Maintenance and Repairs, Pumps
53.32
Maintenance and Repairs, Engine
1.40
Maintenance and Repairs, Tanks and Filter Beds
652.56
Maintenance and Repairs, Sludge Beds
1,047.60
Maintenance and Repairs, Elec-
90.99
Purchase of Tools and Instru- ments
3.54
Removal of Sludge
660.23
Improvement Work
2,701.78
10,945.61
Fire Department
No. 1 Friendship:
Driver's Salary
$ 1,816.96
Supplies
259.11
Repairs to Equipment
366.85
Repairs to Building
6,788.73
Telephone
25.65
Laundry
15.29
Coal
72.75
Insurance
67.20
Gas and Oil
32.60
New Hose
275.28
Miscellaneous
79.93
9,800.35
No. 2 Junior :
Driver's Salary
$ 1,856.96
Supplies .
163.80
Repairs to Equipment
99.14
Repairs to Building
195.07
Telephone
25.80
tric Equipment
23
1
Laundry
3.69
Coal
92.50
Insurance
134.40
Gas and Oil
39.32
New Hose
275.28
Miscellaneous
48.85
No. 3 Good Will:
Driver's Salary
$ 2,050.68
Supplies
151.56
Repairs to Equipment
117.80
Repairs to Building
4.42
Telephone
25.80
Laundry
12.06
Coal
139.00
Insurance
134.40
Gas and Oil
26.65
New Hose
275.28
Miscellaneous
. . . 108.38
No. 4 Franklin:
Driver's Salary
$ 1,817.44
Supplies
109.58
Repairs to Equipment
169.88
Repairs to Building
1,883.34
Telephone
27.80
Laundry
12.66
Coal
83.65
Insurance
134.40
Gas and Oil
15.69
New Hose
275.29
Miscellaneous
124.99
No. 5 Cumberland Valley :
Driver's Salary
$ 1,817.44
Supplies
108.73
Repairs to Equipment
86.75
Repairs to Building
174.63
Telephone
25.80
Laundry
8.60
Coal
98.13
Insurance
67.20
Gas and Oil
15.93
New Hose
275.29
Miscellaneous
81.08
2,759.58
General Fire Department
Maintenance and Repairs to
Alarm System
$ 578.95
Construction and Equipment
21.02
Miscellaneous
79.74
679.71
24
2,934.81
...
3,046.03
4,654.72
Sewers
Salaries
$ 900.00
Maintenance and Repairs
718.67
Sewer Inspection
75.12
Extension of Sewers
11,492.72
13,186.51
Miscellaneous
Office Supplies, Printing and Postage
$ 1,713.35
Supplies, Engineering Depart-
partment
650.52
Farm Maintenance
78.08
City Hall Maintenance
1,244.08
Insurance, Fire and Accident
3,681.82
Maintenance and Repairs, Parks and Playgrounds
3,807.21
Purchase and Improvements,
Parks and Playgrounds
1,612.33
Grounds
65.40
Premium Surety Bonds
250.00
Recording Liens
441.95
Coyle Free Library
2,500.00
Ambulance
582.03
Telephones
393.78
Maintenance, Comfort Station .
570.63
W. P. A. Projects
4,479.10
New Traffic Signals and In- stallation
11,163.68
Purchase of Mary Thomas
800.00
Appropriation, American Legion Band
400.00
Appropriation, Spanish War Vet- erans
75.00
Electric Fan, Council Hall
71.25
Desks, Chairs, etc., Council Hall
68.45
Labor, "Nite Sports Associa- tion"
411.43
Labor, High School Foot Ball .
430.88
Installation Tennis Court Light- ing
115.03
Installation Flood Lights, Foun- tain
44.67
Labor,
Moving
Cannon, Fire
126.89
Expenses, Firemen's Convention Attachment
30.00
Commission on Rent of Borough Properties
27.45
Labor, Counting Poles
33.90
Refund Taxes
6.46
Maintenance of Incinerator ... 360.00
25
Plugs, etc.
43.47
Property
Maintenance, Building and
Maintenance and Repairs to
Fire Insurance Tax Refund
2,168.88
Printing and Postage, Tax Col- lector
141.84
Expenses, Borough Officials at
Convention
218.00
Expenses, Borough Solicitor 57.55
Christmas Lighting
108.39
Expenses, Clean-Up Week
430.25
Tax Collectors' Commissions
249.72
Transfer to Borough Fire Fund .
5,000.00
Miscellaneous
184.22
Balance in hands of Treasurer,
January 1st, 1939
448.31
$185,814.75
DISPOSAL PLANT-CONSTRUCTION FUND
Receipts
Sale of 2% Improvement Bonds $100,000.00
Deposit on Plans
20.00
Interest accrued on 2% Improve-
ment Bonds (30 days)
166.66
$100,186.66
Expenditures
Construction Expenditures
$ 15,305.95
Transfer to General Borough Ac-
count for expenses incurred
prior to Construction Fund .. 3,760.32
Balance in hands of Treasurer, January 1, 1939
81,120.39
$100,186.66
BOROUGH FIRE FUND
January 1, 1938, Balance in Fire Fund .
$ 27,182.47
$5,000.00 Bonds of Borough of Mercersburg
5,100.15
Transfer from General Borough Account
5,000.00
Interest, Bank Balance 674.53
Interest, Coupons on Bonds 212.50
$38,169.65
$5,000 Bonds of Borough of Mercersburg
$ 5,100.15
Balance in Fire Fund Account, January 1, 1939
33,069.50
$38,169.65
20
44,837.69
TAX COLLECTOR'S ACCOUNT
Borough Bond Borough Bond Total
Dr.
Duplicate 1928- 1929 as shown by Auditors' Report January 1,1938 $ 202.62
Cr.
January 1, 1939,
Balance out-
standing on du-
plicate jointly collected by
Geo. H. Bitner and Paul D. Tarner
$
202.62
Dr.
Duplicate 1934- 1935 as shown by Auditors' Report January 1, 1938
$
597.54 $
585.20
Cr.
Amount
paid
Treasurer
by
Geo. H. Bitner
Estate .
$
131.68 $
115.81
Exonerations al- lowed by Coun- cil $ 465.86 $ 469.39 $ 597.54 585.20
Dr.
Duplicate 1935- 1936 as shown by Auditors' Report January 1, 1938 $ 302.57 $ 1,136.67
Taxes Collected,
previously
ex-
onerated
22.75
$
325.32 $ 1,136.67
Cr.
Amount
paid
Treasurer
by
Geo. H. Bitner
Estate
$
84.59 $
385.16
27
Exonerations al- lowed by Coun- cil Liens entered dur- ing 1938
Amount collected in excess of Borough dupli- cate credited to Bond duplicate
184.35
551.06
56.38
177.70
22.75 $
325.32 $ 1,136.67
Dr.
Duplicate 1936-
1937 as shown by Auditors Report January 1, 1938
$ 492.23 $ 1,559.88
Cr.
Amount
paid
Treasurer
by
Geo. H. Bitner Estate $ 211.84 $ 713.58
Liens entered dur- ing 1938
88.24 264.53
Exoneration s
al-
lowed by Coun- cil
192.15
581.77 $ 492.23 $ 1,559.88
Dr.
Duplicate 1937- 1938 as shown by Auditors' Report January 1,1938
. . $ 1,128.93 $ 3,423.75
Penalty added 5% 40.79 124.06 $ 1,169.72 $ 3,547.81
Cr.
Amount paid
Treasurer
by
Walter Bitner . $
664.20 $ 1,979.57
Liens entered dur-
ing 1938
331.30 996.34
Exonerations al- lowed by Coun- cil
174.22
571.90 $ 1,169.72 $ 3,547.81
Dr.
Duplicate 1938- 1939
$ 8,115.04 $24,339.89
28
Cr.
Amount collected to November 1, 1938 $ 6,666.83 $19,976.00
Abatement on amount collect- ed to November 1, 1938
350.89 1,051.36
Collected Novem-
ber 1, 1938 to
January 1, 1939
32.39
93.46 $ 7,050.11 $21,120.82
Balance to be col- lected January
1,1939
$ 1,064.93 $ 3,219.07
SUMMARY TAX DUPLICATE
Borough
Borough Bond and Bond
Total
January 1, 1939, Duplicate
1928-1929
$ 202.62
January 1, 1939, Duplicate
1938-1939
$ 1,064.93 $ 3,219.07
$ 1,064.93 $ 3,219.07 $
202.62 $ 4,486.62
STATEMENT BOND DEPARTMENT
Receipts
Balance in hands of Treasurer January 1, 1938
$11,543.59
Tax Duplicate 1932-1933, Geo. H. Bitner Estate
$ 2.87
Tax Duplicate 1933-1934, Geo. H. Bitner Estate
8.66
Tax Duplicate 1934-1935, Geo. H. Bitner Estate
115.81
Tax Duplicate 1935-1936, Geo. H. Bitner Estate
385.16
Tax Duplicate 1936-1937, Geo. H. Bitner Estate
713.58
Tax Duplicate 1937-1938, Walter P. Bit- ner
1,979.57
Tax Duplicate 1938-1939, Edgar W. Diehl
20,069.46
$23,275.11
Accrued Interest on 2% Improvement
Bonds
166.66
$34,985.36
29
Expenditures
Bonds Redeemed
$16,000.00
Interest Paid (Coupons)
4,543.50
State Tax .
67.76
Commission Account, Corporate Loan Report, Wm. M. L. Etter
3.67
Geo. H. Bitner Estate and Walter P. Bitner, Commissions
102.59
Edgar W. Diehl, Commissions
642.23
Transfer to Disposal Plant Construction Fund, Accrued Interest
166.66
Balance in hands of Treasurer January 1, 1939
13,458.95
$34,985.36
BOND DEPARTMENT-SINKING FUND
Balance in Sinking Fund January 1, 1938, (Four Banks)
$ 4,046.90
Interest Received, (Four Banks) 93.60
$ 4,140.50
Balance in Sinking Fund January 1, 1939, (Four Banks)
$ 4,140.50
$ 4,140.50
TAX LIENS
Borough
Borough Bond and Bond Interest
Total
Balance to be col-
lected January
1,1938 .. . .
$ 3,902.99 $ 3,951.54 $
27.33
$ 7,881.86
Liens entered dur-
ing 1938
475.92
1,438.57
$ 103.76
2,018.25
$ 4,378.91 $ 5,390.11 $
27.33 $
103.76 $ 9,900.11
Amount collected
during 1938 . .
832.65
1,123.57
103.76
2,059.98
3,546.26 $ 4,266.54 $
27.33 $
0.00 $ 7,840.13
Exonerated from
Penalty
17.82
23.25
41.07
$ 3,528.44 $ 4,243.29 $
27.33
$ 7,799.06
Liens not revived
1.51
1.93
3.44
Balance to be col-
lected January
1, 1939 ..
$ 3,526.93 $ 4,241.36 $ 27.33
$ 7,795.62
30
LATERAL SEWER ASSESSMENTS
Assessments made during 1938
$6,079.01 8.32
Interest accrued
$6,087.33
Collected during 1938
$4,921.32
Interest collected
8.32
Liens entered 1938
699.52
Balance to be collected January 1, 1939
458.17
$6,087.33
LATERAL SEWER LIENS
Balance to be collected January 1, 1938
$6,496.77
Sewer assessments entered as liens
699.52
Interest accrued
266.90
Costs accrued
94.20
$7,557.39
Collected during 1938
$ 524.22
Interest collected
273.63
Costs collected
94.20
Balance to be collected January 1, 1939
6,665.34
$7,557.39
PAVING LIENS
Balance to be collected January 1, 1938
$2,625.98
Concrete Sidewalk Liens entered 1938
93.46
Interest accrued
49.92
Costs accrued
5.40
$2,774.76
Collected during 1938
$ 165.80
Interest collected
51.85
Costs collected
5.40
Balance to be collected January 1, 1939
2,551.71
$2,774.76
HARRY R. GEARHART, ALBERT S. HENNEBERGER, HERBERT C. KEEFER,
Auditors.
31
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CHAMBERSBURG WATER DEPARTMENT
The first attempt made to furnish water, under pressure, to the citizens of Chambersburg, was made by the Chambersburg Water Company, of which Mr. James Riddle was President, in 1817. This company furnished water, under pressure, through a wooden pipe system, which consisted simply of pine logs with suitable hole bored through them from end to end and the logs fastened together end to end. Water was furnished until 1875 or 1876. The pump for this system was located on the South side of the Falling Spring at a point almost directly in line with the buildings of the Chambersburg Hospital and the dwelling house on the farm now owned by the T. B. Wood Estate, and was driven by a water wheel. The reservoir was located where the present buildings of the Chambersburg Hospital now stand, and during the construction of the new portion of the Hospital, traces of the old reservoir structure were uncovered, and some of the old wooden pipe was dug up. The pressure under which this water was furnished must have, of necessity, been quite low, and the old records show that the system, as a whole, was not satisfactory.
On March 1, 1875, the following men were elected to the Chambers- burg Town Council: W. B. Gilmore, Jacob H. Miller, Samuel M. Worley, J. P. Culbertson, John C. Gerbig, John Suesserote, Thomas Cook, and David Harmony with G. W. Nitterhouse as Burgess. On July 17, 1875, this body took action setting Friday, August 20, 1875, as an election day for voting on a bond issue not to exceed $60,000.00, for the purpose of erecting a suitable water works. This election was duly held, and the official count reported at a special meeting of Council held August 21, 1875, was as follows:
In favor of the Bond Issue 648
Not in favor of the Bond Issue 317
This was the beginning of the Borough of Chambersburg entering into the business of supplying water to its citizens.
Bids were received for the necessary equipment on September 25, 1875, and the contract was awarded to H. P. M. Birkenbine at a price of $53,850.00, which covered a one million gallon pump, boiler, one million gallon reservoir, 28 fire plugs, 5,400 feet of 10 inch pipe, 1,750 feet of 8 inch pipe, 7,693 feet of 6 inch pipe, and 18,500 feet of 4 inch pipe, or a total of 6.3 miles of pipe. It is a matter of some interest to note that all of this old pipe and some of the old Birkenbine fire plugs are still in service in Chambersburg today.
This action on the part of the Borough was contested by the Cham- bersburg Water Company, but, in the end, all of the actions of Council were upheld by the Courts.
This first pumping plant, a steam operated one, was located on the West Bank of the Conococheague Creek almost directly opposite the foundry of the Wolf Company, and has always been known locally as the Birkenbine Pumping Plant. In 1891, a water driven pumping plant was installed at the C. B. Gish mill, afterward known as Siloam, and another reservoir constructed with a capacity of 2,000,000 gallons, on the farm of Joseph Horst. A 2,000,000 gallon steam pumping plant is held in readiness to operate at Siloam and can be placed in service in 10 hours in an emergency.
32
1938
387,000,000 GALLON IMPOUNDING RESERVOIR
In 1910 and 1911, the Conococheague Creek at Siloam, as a source. of water supply was abandoned by the Borough, and a supply brought in by gravity from the State Forest at Caledonia. This was a vast im- provement over any of the other supplies that the Borough of Cham- bersburg had been using, but the drought of 1931, 1932 and 1933 brought very forcibly to the attention of the authorities that the supply might, under certain conditions, become quite inadequate. To guard against any shortage of water that might possibly occur, the Borough of Cham- bersburg proceeded to build a storage dam, at Caledonia across the Birch Run Valley, which holds 387,000,000 gallons of water. This dam will be held entirely full at all times for emergency purposes, and will supply the town, when using 2,000,000 gallons of water per day, for 193 days. if there was not a drop of water flowing into the dam in all that time.
In 1938, due to a rather unusual distribution of summer rainfall, the run-off of water on the Birch Run Water Shed in the South Moun- tain was the lowest of any recorded since the Borough of Chambersburg has been obtaining its water from this source. This condition was not confined to the South Mountain region embracing Birch Run, but there were other places over Franklin County in which the same thing occurred. Due to this shortage of rainfall in this section, by July 4, 1938, the Borough of Chambersburg was taking all of the water that was coming into the large impounding dam from Birch Run, and as the season pro- gressed, the water kept falling in the dam and did not flow over the spillway again until December 8, 1938. During this period, all of the water of Birch Run was being used and the storage dam had been drawn on to the extent of 66,000,000 gallons. Certainly the past sea- son has fully justified the construction of the storage dam. Had we not had this storage, undoubtedly water restrictions would have been in force in Chambersburg.
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