The Water Question at Philadelphia.

The Water Question at Philadelphia.

费城召开的议会的同类产品ee on water on March 6, letters from Chief Engineer Ogden and propositions from a number of filtering companies were read. The Municipal Improvement Company offered to supply the city with 150,000,000 gallons of filtered water daily for $200,000 a year, and allow the city the privilege of buying the plant for $2,500,000. The company's proposition is to take the water from the Schuylkill at the west end of Elat Rock Dam and bring it down the west bank of the river in wroughtiron pipes sixty-six inches in diameter, to a point below the mouth of the Wissahickou Creek. There it would be stored in basins capable of holding 20,000,000 gallons, where it would be treated with a “ harmless coagulent " and would have three or four hours for precipitation. Then it would be filtered through sand in forty separate wrought-iron pipes, taken through two eighty-four inch pipes to the Spring Garden Works, and thence to Fairmount, a distance of eight miles. That portion of the city now supplied by the Roxborough station would be supplied with water pumped back from the Fairmount works. Chief Engineer Ogden said that the use of the proposed pipes, and crossing the river twice, which would be necessary, are very objectionable, and that the plans of filtration is uncertain. He also says that in a short time the city will need twice the amount of water now used, and another $2,500,000 will no doubt be demanded. The same company also offers to erect a plant to supply the Twenty-first, Twentysecond and part of the Twenty-eighth Wards for $140,000, but Mr. Ogden says it is unnecessary at the present time to consider any proposition of this kind.

ST. PAUL’S FIRE Department.—The report of the Fire Commisssioners of St. Paul, Minn., for the year 1889, shows that the department has in its employ 194 officers and men. The apparatus in actice service consists of nine steam engines, one water tower, twelve hose companies, eight hook and ladder trucks and nine chemical engines. The reserve apparatus consists of one second-class steam fire engine and 500 feet of hose. The fire alarm telegraph consists of 130 boxes, twenty-one registers and attachments, and 135 miles of wire. The value of fire department property is estimated as follows: Buildings, $173,450; real estate, $140,800; apparatus, $92,000 ; hose, $23,500 ; horses and wagons, $31,425 : fire alarm telegraph, $37,000; property in store-room, $2,817.50; furniture, $6000; tools, coal and feed, $10,175 ; total, $517,167.50. The expenditures of the department for the past yeai were $224,761.21, being $34,621.75 less than previous year. The horses number 103. The report says: “ The commission has only praise to express of the discipline and conduct of the department as a whole. Its instructions and commands have been carried out cheerfully, zealously and efficiently by both the officers and men in their respective positions. A very gratifying spirit of harmony prevails throughout the department, thereby insuring good discipline, which is so essential toward securing the best results. The commission wishes to acknowledge with grateful appreciation the loyal manner in which Chief John Jackson has seconded their efforts.”