Philadelphia Water Works. 376 



tion and sympathy, the toils and sufferings and perils, en- 

 countered by the adventurers, who, on more than one occa- 

 sion were near starvation, or on the point of being over 

 whelmed by hordes of barbarians. — Ed. 



12. Philadelphia Water Works. 



This fine city is now abundantly supplied with good wa- 

 ter, from the Schuylkill, and a magnificent establishment 

 for that purpose is completed at Fair Mount, five miles 

 above the city at the falls of the Schuylkill. The entire 

 expense including the purchase of the scite is $426,330, 

 but the money appears to have been well bestowed, as the 

 success of the experiment is complete. The river at the 

 falls is about nine hundred feet wide; the depth at high 

 water is thirty feet ; its average rise and fall is six feet, and 

 it is liable to sudden and violent freshets. " The whole 

 length of the overfall is one thousand two hundred and four 

 feet, and the whole extent of the dam including the west- 

 ern pier about one thousand six hundred feet,'' backing the 

 water up the river about six miles. 



The water power created, is calculated to be equal to 

 raise into the reservoir by eight wheels and pumps, upwards 

 often millions of gallons per diem. The river, in the dry 

 season, will aflford four hundred and forty millions every 

 twenty-four hours;-andas it is calculated, that forty gallons 

 upon the wheel will raise one into the reservoir — eleven 

 million of gallons may he raised each day. 



Many interesting particulars, detailed in the last report 

 of the watering committee,* which is illustrated by a large 

 copper plate sheet, exhibiting a plan and perspective, we 

 must omit — and proceed to state, that the machinery in ac- 

 tual operation, is able to raise upwards of four millions of 

 gallons in twenty-four hours into the reservoir, which is 

 of such an elevation as to afford the hydrostatic pressure 

 •of ninety-two {e.et, throwing upon the pumps a pressure of 

 seven thousand nine hundred pounds. I'here are two re- 

 servoirs, one of which is one hundred ani^ thirty-nine feet 

 by three hundred and sixteen, and twelve feet deep, hav- 

 ing the capacity of three millions of gallons ; It is connect- 

 ed with another reservoir which contains four millions of 

 gallons. The water being raised into these, one hundred 



* Forwarded by the kindness of Mr. George Vaux. 



