Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the American Water Works Association, Volume 4-7 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 edition. Excerpt: ...I think it is economy to use water direct. MR. DENMAN: --Upon a recent visit to Chicago, I attempted to get some information about the cost of running elevators there. The only definite and accurately computed information I got, was this: An actual" test at the Ely building, southwest corner Monroe and Wabash avenue, extending from November 13th to January 18th, 1886, showed that it took thirty feet of gas to raise a thousand gallonsof water one hundred feet high by the Otto engine. Water was measured by the ordinary elevator meter or indicator. On seventy pounds pressure or 164 feet head with gas at $2.00, this equals 50 feet of gas '10 cents, making cost of work equal, gas 10 cents, direct pressure 20 cents. THE PRESIDENT: --The conditions in Chicago, as I understand, are such that it is impracticable to use an elevator with direct pressure. The minimum pressure is eight pounds during the day at a time when the people are using water largely; the greatest pressure is about twenty-five pounds. They have to figure on the minimum. MR. DUMoNT: --Mr. President, in regard to pumping water at 10 cents a thousand, one gas engine might pump it for a great deal less than that, and another for a good deal more. That particular case would not be anything very definite to go by. THE PREsInEN'r: --Oircun1stances of course, alter cases. Now in all our eastern cities the scheme of using the water as a medium of power for elevators has signally failed, owing to the precarious circumstances governing the pressure of water obtainable from a gravity system. That is, in our large cities. In small cities of from five to ten thousand inhabitants, where they have the system of distribution well in hand, there would be no difliculty. Hydraulic elevators in...