October 30, 1909 - New Reservoir

100 Years Ago: From The Rensselaer Eagle [NY 41 Rensselaer 93-32173].

RESERVOIR ON HESS'S HILL WILL BE READY TO USE NEXT WEEK

CONNECTION BETWEEN THIRD ST. MAIN AND RESERVOIR WILL BE MADE FRIDAY

Company is to be Congratulated on Having Such a Good Reservoir Built - Details of its Construction

The new reservoir of the Rensselaer Water Co. is so nearly completed that probably not later than a week from today it will be filled with water and the Third street tower will not be in use. The completion of the big reservoir which has a capacity of 6,000,000 gallons, is another one of the big pieces of work whch Messrs. Leahey & Shufelt, well known local contractors, have successfully consummated.

It is proposed to make the connection between the pipe line on Third street and the reservoir on Friday of next week, providing that everything goes all right and no untoward event prevents it. It is a day's work to make this connection and during that time it will be necessary to turn the water off from a portion of Third street. Possibly 15 houses will be shy on water for a few hours, but the pumps will be going direct to the mains for the one day in order to keep up the fire pressure.

THE RESERVOIR.

Work on the reservoir was started in July and a big force of men went to work. The reservoir is oblong, on the top 308 feet by 258 feet. The bank has been raised two feet higher than the original plans called for. The reservoir is lined with concrete excepting for a space of two feet at the water line, where it is paved with big heavy stones. This is done so that the action of the ice will not bother the reservoir.

When the big reservoir is in use and the use of the tank has been abandoned the fire pressure at the lower levels in the city will be 115 pounds. This is regarded by hydraulic engineers as an excellent fire pressure service and there would be no difficulty in throwing a stream for a half dozen of them over any house in any section of the city. On the upper levels the fire pressure will be ample at all times.
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THE OLD TOWER.

It is not proposed to take down the old tower until next spring at any rate until the reservoir has proven satisfactory. It may be that there will be a leak in the reservoir and the pressure would be thus diminished. However, this is only a possibility and the contractors say that there could be no leak. The old tower will be maintained through the winter months to fall back on in case of necessity.
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