REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.

CHARLESTOWN DISTRICT, BOSTON, January, 1875. HON. T. T. SAWYER, President of the Mystic Water Board: SIR: The annual report of the Superintendent for the year 1874 is herewith respectfully submitted.

The works as a whole are in a very good condition with perhaps an exception as to a portion of the distributing pipes in this city.

For each year, since the first, that the water has been on the city, there has been a certain percentage of increase in the consumption of water over that of the previous year; but I have to report this year, for the first time, a decrease in the consumption, the daily average for the year having been about 174 per cent. less than in 1873.

This decrease in the annual consumption commenced with the year 1873, when the increase in the consumption was much less than it had been for years previous.

LAKE.

The average level of the water in the lake was 9.4 feet above the bottom of the conduit, or 1.8 feet below highwater mark.

From January 1st to September 1st, the average level was 10.7 feet above the bottom of the conduit or .5 of an inch below high-water level.

There was an average waste on the overfall during this time of 2.79 inches.

On the 1st of September, the level of the water was 10.5 feet above the bottom of the conduit, but from this time (owing to the severe drought which prevailed) to the 1st of January, 1875, the water gradually lowered to 5.3 feet above the bottom of the conduit, or a loss of 5.2 feet, which makes a total loss for the year of 5.9 feet, this being the lowest point reached since the completion of the works.

The rain-fall for the year was 34.14 inches.

The yield of the lake for the year, was as follows:

From January 1st to September 1st, the aver

age waste on the overfall at the dam was Waste at the fishway during the same time Waste at the "waste weir" to the conduit Water drawn through the conduit

Making a total yield for 8 months of

Gallons.

3,228,011,840 200,000,000 400,000,000 1,886,067,792

. 5,714,079,632

From September 1st to January 1st, 1875, the yield was

as follows:

Water drawn through the conduit

950,733,996

Loss on the lake for the same time was

249,156,401

Making a total yield for this time (4 months)

The yield of the lake as computed from the rain-fall was as follows: total rain-fall, 34.14 inches, available rain-fall, .4

of the total, or 13.60 inches, which gives on the water-shed a daily average of 17,430,860 gallons.

The very low level of the water during the latter part of the year has enabled us to thoroughly examine the abutments to the dam, and make all necessary repairs.

About 2,000 feet of the shore on the easterly side of the lake, adjoining the land of Peter C. Brooks, Esq., has been regraded, and the riprap relaid on about one-half of it; the balance will be relaid the coming season.

A large excavation made by the contractor at the time the dam was built, and between it and the estate of Mr. Huffmaster, has been partially filled up the past year with gravel, at a comparatively small expense; and, by an arrangement made with Mr. Huffmaster, the balance will be filled the coming season. This will remove an unsightly hole, and add very much to the general appearance of the whole place.

CONDUIT.

The conduit is in good order throughout. At the head gate-house but very slight repairs have been required. At the pipe-chamber one set of screens has been refitted with new netting, and the other set has been entirely renewed.

I would here call the attention of the Board to the desirability of having the gate-house at the pipe-chamber enlarged. The great increase in the amount of water drawn through the conduit, from what was at first contemplated, has increased the work to be done there very much over what was at first required, especially in regard to the cleaning of screens during the cold weather, and for which the building is not adapted. This, with other reasons, which may be better explained at some future time, if the Board see fit to consider the matter, has induced me to call your attention to it in this report.

PUMPING STATION.

The engine-house and the houses of the engineer and fireman are in a good condition. The grounds connected with these have been kept in good order. The drains receiving the surface water from the roads running down on each side of the engine-house have all been diverted into one outlet, instead of emptying into different places as before. This great improvement over the old arrangement was made at a comparatively small expense.

The engines have been run during the year, a total of 9,602 hours, and have made together 25,102,304 strokes; Nos. 1 and 2, 6,652,490, and No. 3, 18,449,814, and together have pumped 2,836,801,788 gallons of water.

There have been used in running, 6,888,950 lbs. of coal, and for banking 136,440 lbs., making a total of 7,025,390 lbs., or 3,193,740 tons, as shown by the engineer's reports.

4

The amount of ashes and clinker was 548,003 lbs., or a loss of 78 per cent., which makes the total effective amount of coal, 6,447,387 lbs. The number of gallons pumped per lb. of effective coal was 439, or 13 gallons less than the previous year.

Engines Nos. 1 and 2 are in good order. They have been held in reserve, and run only in connection with No. 3, as occasion required. Engine No. 3 has been run the greater part of the time, having pumped about 84 per cent. of the total amount of water raised to the reservoir. It was in good running order until December 29, when one of the "low pressure pistons" was found to be so badly cracked as to render the engine entirely useless, and this at a time of the year when the consumption of water was large, and liable to increase at any time within 24 hours to two or three millions of gallons more than the capacity of the other pumps, on which we were then dependent.

Every effort was made to remedy the difficulty, and with

the co-operation of Mr. Worthington, who is entitled to the greatest credit for the very prompt manner in which he furnished a new piston, and also of our engineer, Mr. Borns, who labored day and night in removing the old, and replacing the new work, the repairs were completed in just one week from the time the break was first discovered; so that no one suffered any inconvenience from any lack of water.

The boilers are now in first-rate order. The new set, which had been in constant use since they were first completed, have been thoroughly overhauled, inside and outside, during the year.

There have been delivered during the year, 2,980,740 tons of coal, which, with the amount on hand the first of the year (904 tous), makes a total of 3,884,740 tons.

2200

The amount consumed was 3,193,840 tons, which leaves a balance on hand, January 1, 1875, of 690188 tons.

The cost per million gallons raised to the reservoir was $12.90.

The cost per million gallons raised 1 foot high was .08-77

100

The cost per day for pumping an average of 7,772.060 gallons was $100.27.

FORCE MAIN.

The "force main" is in good order throughout, and has required no repairs during the year.

The necessity, of a new "force main " has been discussed somewhat during the past two years, and different opinions expressed in regard to it; but I think the opinion of most of those qualified to judge is, that the works are not complete without it. The capacity of our present main is, no doubt, largely in excess of our whole pumping capacity combined; but the weak points are at the intersection of the "branches" with the main pipe, which, in case of the necessity of run