upr000208 119

V 4 Item 2. Renewing pipe lin e . The pipe lin e from s e ttlin g basin to re serv o ir, and from re serv o ir to a point shown on attached print where pipe lin e crosses old Tonopah Highway, is in deplorable condition, and should be replaced at once. There can be no question but that i t should be replaced by cast iron pipe. The present wooden lin e appears to have been hacked by an axe at one point, shot through w ith a .22 b u llet at another, burnt in several places, and i s exposed to vandalism or accidental brush f ir e s at any time. I t w i l l be noted from attached print that the proposed plan contemplates layin g o f new lin e from old Tonopah Highway on a d iffe re n t alignment than present lin e so that i t w i l l enter the c it y s ix blocks north o f present entrance. This w i l l provide b e tte r d istrib u tio n and equ alization o f pressure and a safety fa cto r in having two points o f ingress instead o f one, as at present. The plan contemplates la yin g o f 16-inch lin e rather than 24-inch, as stated in Mr. Knickerbocker's l e t t e r o f A p ril 4th, which would e ffe c t a proportionate decrease in expenditure reauired. I f th is plan is approved, i t would n ecessitate layin g o f lin e in not more than two installm ents. I t appears imperative that section from reservo ir to old Highway be la id th is year. I f desired, construction o f that section from Highway to Stewart Street could be deferred u n til next year, as present lin e from Highway to master meter in Railroad yard is in somewhat b etter condition than balance o f the lin e . In connection with present wood lin e s , sections which have been re ­moved in d ica te that sand in water has had an extremely abrasive e ffe c t , causing deep in cision s which, no doubt, cause high fr ic t io n lo s s . At such times es i t becomes necessary to replace d istrib u tio n lin e s , i t should be done w ith cast iron pipe. General• The extremely large per capita consumption i s due to a number o f contributing fa cto rs*