Chapter 6 of The Water Works of the City of Philadelphia: The Story of their Development and Engineering Specifications
Compiled in 1931 by Walter A. Graf (Staff Engineer, The Budd Company, Philadelphia), with the assistance of Sidney H. Vought and Clarence E. Robson. This online version was created from an original volume at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Catalog No. WZ 23591 (4th Fl. Folio).
Walter Graf History Home Page
(With Notes on the Text, Preface, and Acknowledgements)
Reading the Preface will give a quick overview of the beginnings and expansion of the Philadelphia water system.
THE DISTRICTS NORTH of Vine Street, namely, Northern Liberties, Spring Garden and Kensington, were all formerly known as the Northern Liberties. These districts had no water supply except from wells, pumps and natural sources, until 1826, when a contract was made with the city authorities for a supply of water from the Fairmount works. To compensate the city for the large amount expended in the erection of the Fairmount works, and probably with the design of discriminating in favor of the district for which the water was first intended, the city authorities arranged the price to the water-takers in newer districts 50 percent higher than that charged in the old city, but allowed the district six percent, to cover the expenses of collecting the revenues. There is no doubt that had it not been for this increased charge, a contract would have been made with the city authorities at a much earlier date. In addition to meeting this higher charge the districts were obliged to furnish their own street mains. The mains were paid for by owners of property fronting on the streets in which the mains were laid.
As the population grew and the number of buildings upon the higher ground north of the old section of the city increased, it became apparent there was needed a supply of water having a higher head than that of the Fairmount reservoirs. Armed with this consideration, and the exorbitant price being charged them by the city, the districts sought State legislation to enable them to construct their own water works. This effort was resisted by the city authorities, but the State finally granted the request to the districts of Spring Garden, Northern Liberties, and Kensington, by an act dated April 18, 1843. Those districts immediately took the necessary steps to carry out the provisions of the law by electing three commissioners from each district. The commissioners met on July 31, 1843, for the purpose of organizing. The commissioners of Kensington refused to participate in the erection of the works and withdrew from the board. The six remaining members were Alexander Cummings, president; George Williams, secretary; Thomas Halloway, G. W. Dohnert, James Landy and Joseph Yeager.
At this time the city was collecting a revenue of $54,790.78 for water rents from the three districts. In the Northern Liberties there were 77,784 feet of pipe and 155 fire plugs; in Spring Garden 91,298 feet of pipe and 160 fire plugs; and in Kensington 30,221 feet of pipe and 56 fire plugs.
The board began by examining sites suitable for the erection of works and reservoir. Numerous surveys resulted in the selection of a plot of ground at the foot of Thompson Street on the Schuylkill River, just north of what is now Girard Avenue, for the pumping station; and another plot of ground at 26th and Master Streets for the reservoir. A reservoir site of greater altitude would have been preferable, but the Board of Commissioners had undertaken selection of sites without the services of an engineer. This station was originally designated as the Water Works of Spring Garden and Northern Libertiesbut was known later as the Schuylkill Works.
It is to be regretted that so little value was placed upon the advice of engineers. There were a number of them of experience and ability in the country at that time. None was consulted about this project. Notwithstanding the careful and economical management of the board, great advantages would have been gained (that otherwise were lost) had they engaged a competent engineer. The saving which could have been effected in the cost of construction would have been many times the salary of such an engineer.
Work on the project progressed slowly until October 18, 1843, when Mr. William E. Morris was elected engineer by the Board. Mr. Morris at that time had limited experience in the construction and erection of water works, but he was a man of ability in industry and business. On December 16, 1843, he furnished a detailed estimate to the board which totaled $173,000 for a plant which would provide a daily average supply of 2.5 million gallons.
The cornerstone of the engine house was laid July 1, 1844, about one year after the organization of the board. Up to this time, although numerous plans and estimates for the engines and pumps had been submitted, none had been chosen. Finally a contract was made in the latter half of 1844 with Merrick and Towne of Philadelphia to build two beam engines to be known as engines No. 1 and No. 2.
The engines were to be of the low pressure type, having vertical steam cylinders with a beam overhead supported on columns, with a connecting rod, and a flywheel 18 feet in diameter, attached to the end of the beam opposite to that of the cylinder. Steam was cut off at the half stroke, by an independent cut-off worked mechanically by a cam. The pumps were to be double acting and placed vertically, immediately under the steam cylinder, and the piston rod continued through the cylinder bottom, and was connected directly to the pump piston. The valves of the pumps were of brass, hinged and operated on cast iron faces. The diameter of the pumps was 18 inches, the stroke 72 inches, and the capacity 1.25 million gallons per day. Elevation and plan of these engines are reproduced in FIGURE 21.
There is no record of the factors which caused the commissioners to decide on steam as a prime mover for the new water works. For over 20 years the water powered works at Fairmount had been a huge success, but of course there was always the danger of drought which would reduce the supply of water in the Schuylkill and seriously affect the operation of the water wheels, perhaps closing them down altogether.
When these engines were completed, the commissioners were not entirely satisfied with them, and refused to take them off the hands of the manufacturers. They were, however, the best engines of their kind in the Department at that time, and for the period in which they were built they were superior specimens of workmanship and efficiency.
Leading from the pumps to the reservoir were three mains, two of 18 inches diameter and one of 20 inches diameter, each being 3,250 feet long. The reservoir was built especially to store the water pumped by the Schuylkill works. It was situated at 26th and Master Streets and had a capacity of 9.8 million gallons.
During the time the Schuylkill works were being built, the authorities of the older sections of the city were quite concerned over the loss of revenue for supporting the Fairmount works and made several attempts to dissuade the Spring Garden and Northern Liberties districts from going ahead with their private project. They made many efforts to induce these districts to continue as customers for the water from Fairmount reservoir. Feelings became so strained at one time that legal steps were taken to prevent the Spring Garden and Northern Liberties districts from taking the water from the Schuylkill River. The city claimed to have purchased the right to all Schuylkill River water from the Schuylkill Navigation Company. The legal action reached the higher court of the state and the Supreme Court decided that the Schuylkill Navigation Company had sold that which it never did or could possess.
The actual operation of the works began on December 31, 1844, but it was not until July 15, 1845 that the works were formally delivered to the joint Watering Committee by the commissioners of Spring Garden and Northern Liberties districts. FIGURE 20 is a reproduction of a photograph of the completed works.
The total cost of the entire installation including buildings and equipment, reservoir and water mains was $231,721.49. At the end of the first year a most unusual report was made for a venture of this kind. The report showed a clear profit of $16,700.38 above all expenses including interest.
A serious accident occurred during the first year of the operation of these works. The reservoir was formed by embankments puddled with clay and faced with brick. A center wall divided the reservoir into two basins, which facilitated cleaning and repairing. The inlet into the reservoir filled one basin and then overflowed the division wall into the second basin. At a time when the whole reservoir was full of water the southern embankment gave way and flooded the entire district south of the reservoir, causing considerable property damage.
The Schuylkill works were a success and the water consumers were highly elated. They had water at the same rates as those charged to the residents and industries in the older city districts. This meant quite a saving to them.
There ensued a steadily increasing demand for water. This was met by the installation of a third engine, the Sutton engine, which was put in operation on May 10, 1849. This engine gave the Watering Committee great satisfaction when first started but it subsequently became the least efficient pumping engine in the entire Department, requiring more repairs and attention than any of the others. It was a double acting condensing engine with a vertical steam cylinder connected by means of a suitable connecting rod and bell crank to a horizontally arranged pump. The valves were of gun metal, hinged in the same manner as were those of Nos. 1 and 2 engines. The diameter of its steam cylinder was 36 inches and its stroke 72 inches. The pump was a double acting force pump having a cylinder 21 inches in diameter and a stroke of 48 inches.
At this time a large distributing box was interposed in the mains between the engine house and the reservoir. The three mains from the three engines led into the box and two mains led out of the box the reservoirs. It was expected the introduction of the box would obviate the necessity of an additional main. The experiment was not a success, for instead the box somewhat obstructed the flow of water to the reservoir.
Need for more ample storage facilities to improve the quality of the water by sedimentation for as long a period as possible before distributing to consumers was realized in 1850. The city at this time purchased over 13 acres of ground on which to build storage reservoirs. The Corinthian Reservoir, previously described, was built on a part of this ground. It was first supplied with water from the Fairmount and the Spring Garden works on December 22, 1852. This reservoir had four 30-inch outlets, one to the Kensington or Delaware water works basin, one to the First district distribution system south of South Street, one to supply the Spring Garden district, and one held in reserve. Early in 1859 the Corinthian reservoir embankments were raised in order to increase the capacity. In accomplishing this, the retaining walls were built on Corinthian Avenue, Poplar Street and 22nd Street. Raising the embankment increased the depth of water to 27 feet and the capacity of the reservoir to 37,312,000 gallons.
The next engine (No. 4) erected in the Schuylkill works to take care of the rapidly growing demands of these districts was known as the Cornish pumping engine. It was designed and built by I. P. Morris in Philadelphia. The installation was completed in 1855. The pump was a single acting plunger type. In FIGURE 22, this engine is shown in elevation and plan. Engine cylinder and pump were located under opposite ends at a balance lever beam and directly connected by suitable connecting rods. The pump plunger was made sufficiently heavy, (by adding weights to the extent necessary) to descend against the resistance of the water pressure in the cylinder and also to overcome normal friction of the engine and pump parts. The intake valve of the pump was a double beat valve and was placed immediately under the plunger. The discharge valve was of the treble beat type constructed on the same principle and was located in a valve box on a short, curved branch near the bottom of the pump. The valves were both of cast iron, working upon seats of a composition of lead and tin cast in dovetailed grooves which were turned in the valve box casting.
In operation of this engine, with the piston starting at the top of the cylinder a vacuum is formed under it by opening of the exhaust valve controlling communication between the bottom of the cylinder and a condenser. Steam is admitted through the steam valve into the top of the cylinder at the same time and the piston forced downwards, thus raising the pump plunger at the opposite end of the beam and drawing in water. As the piston descends the steam valve is closed and when it is near the end of the stroke the exhaust valve is also closed by means of tappets on the plug rod (which rod is suspended from the beam and moves with it) coming in contact with handles that operate the valves. The exhaust valve in closing releases a weight which in falling opens a so-called equilibrium valve and allows the steam to pass from the top to the bottom of the cylinder, equalizing the pressure on both sides of the piston. This permits the pump plunger to descend by its own weight, forcing water through the pump’s discharge valve into the main and on into the reservoir. As the pump plunger descends it raises the piston in the steam cylinder to near the top. A tappet on the plug rod then closes the equilibrium valve and prevents the further escape of steam from above the piston and the engine completes its stroke. An ingenious contrivance called a cataract gives motion to a small rod which continues to move after the engine has completed its cycle, and in moving disengages weights which fall and open first the exhaust valve allowing the steam under the piston to pass into the condenser, and then the steam valve which admits steam above the piston, whereupon the engine is ready to start on its next cycle. The diameter of the steam cylinder of this engine was 60 inches and its piston stroke 120 inches. The pump cylinder diameter was 30 inches and the pump stroke 120 inches.
In comparison with other water works steam engines built up to this time, engine No. 4 proved to be the most economical in fuel consumption, but the working parts were designed of such light construction that its operation required the greatest of care. After this engine had been placed in operation it was discovered that the existing mains leading from the pumps to the reservoir were not of sufficient capacity to stand up under the volume of water which the four engines working together could pump. The result was that the new engine could not be continued in operation when the other three engines were running. Several times the mains burst when the full pumping capacity was tried.
It was at this stage of the development that a standpipe was introduced to cushion against the varying pressures. The standpipe was 137 feet high and tapered from six feet diameter at the bottom to 3½ diameter at the top. This taper proved to be troublesome in freezing weather for the top was often closed by an ice stopped wedged fast in the pipe. Whenever this was too heavy to be broken out, the Cornish engine was shut down until warmer weather came.
In 1860 there were 10 boilers supplying the Schuylkill works, four in the building known as the South Boiler House and six in the building designated as the North Boiler House. The four boilers in the South Boiler House were flue-boilers, having cylindrical shells enclosed in brick work. The diameters of the different boilers varied from 7½ to eight feet and the length from 13½ to 20 feet. In design they were all generally the same. The fire box was located at the front end and the heat of combustion passed along the bottom and sides of the boiler to the back end where it entered the lower flues through which it passed to the front, and then entered the upper flues and passed through them to the back end and into the chimney. These four boilers contained about 2,500 square feet of absorbing surface and about 125 square feet of grate surface.
Of the six boilers in the North Boiler House four were cylindrical boilers, each 54 inches in diameter and 30 feet long. Each of these boilers had under it two cylindrical heaters 26 inches in diameter and 26 feet long and the whole assembly was encased in brick work. The total amount of absorbing surface in the four boilers was about 2,000 square feet and their grate surface about 100 square feet. The other two boilers were of the tubular type, 17 feet 9 inches long and 60 inches in diameter. Each one contained 83 tubes. The tubes were three inches inside diameter and 12 feet long. The heater attached under them was 30 inches in diameter and 12 feet long. The heat of combustion passed through the tubes to the back, then forward under the boiler to the front end where it was turned down and passed under the heater to the chimney. The total amount of absorbing surface in these two boilers was about 1,000 square feet, and the grate surface 50 square feet. All of the boilers were so connected that they could be used to drive any or all of the engines.
In 1868 the Water Department officials decided to discard the No. 1 beam engine in the Spring Garden and Northern Liberties works and replace it with a new Cornish engine known as the full side lever type. Its adoption was thought to be another forward step. The contract for the construction was given to Merrick & Sons, who had attained some degree of prominence as engineers and machinists. This engine was designated No. 5. The No. 1 engine was removed in 1868, and No. 5 was put in service November 3, 1869.[1] Its steam cylinder was 72 inches in diameter with a stroke of 120 inches. Its pump was a single-action plunger pump, with a cylinder 36 inches in diameter and a stroke the same as that of the steam cylinder. In capacity this engine was able to handle 7.5 million gallons per day without difficulty, increasing the capacity of the station to almost 19 million gallons per day. This full side lever type of Cornish engine was the first of its kind to be installed in the United States.[2] The engine is delineated in FIGURE 23. Its unique feature consisted of a pair of side levers or beams below the level of the vertical cylinder top (head) which beams were firmly fixed to the opposite ends of the rocking shaft on which they were centered. The piston rod carried a cross-head, shaped somewhat like the letter T, from the ends of which hung a pair of side rods connecting it to the ends of the pair of side levers. The opposite ends of the side levers were connected to the pump resulting in a vertical motion when in operation. The cylinder and valve box were of the same type as the ordinary Cornish engine previously described.
The new engine proved to be an extravagant consumer of steam and the fuel bill of the station increased out of proportion to the added pumping capacity. About 14 years later the side lever Cornish engine was removed in spite of the fact that it was still in good working condition.
In 1872, H. G. Morris of the Southwark Foundry built for the Schuylkill works a compound cylinder steam engine of the Simpson type according to specifications evolved by Frederick Graff, Jr., Chief Engineer of the Water Works. This engine No. 6 brought the Schuylkill station abreast of the times in steam engine improvement. The aim was to provide the rapidly growing city with adequate water at minimum rates.
This Simpson compound pumping engine is pictured in FIGURE 24. It was of 10 million gallons normal capacity. Its high pressure cylinder had a bore of 36 inches and a stroke of 61 inches while its low pressure cylinder (located alongside) had a bore of 57 inches and a stroke of 96 inches. It was equipped with a single action air pump of a 30-inch bore and 48-inch stroke. The engine ran two bucket and plunger type pumps, one of 28½ inch bore and 96 inch stroke and another of 28½ inch bore with a stroke of 86 inches, under a total water lift of 126.6 feet. The first of these pumps was located immediately under the low pressure cylinder while the second was located under the opposite end of the beam, just inside of but below the crank connecting rod. There were two coextensive lever beams 30 feet long between end centers connected together, and together weighing 39,885 pounds. These were supported upon a large Doric column six feet in diameter at the base, whose hollow interior constituted an air chamber of about 744 cubic feet into which both pumps discharged their water. Steam was admitted to the high pressure cylinder and cut off at the half stroke and acted by expansion through the other half of the stroke of the high pressure cylinder, and also by expansion through the whole stroke in the low pressure cylinder, from which latter it was exhausted into the condenser. In 1874, extensive alterations of the piston rod valve controlling the steam cylinders were required. The original mechanism was reported an utter failure. After alterations the engine would pump 10 million gallons occasionally, but 9 million gallons was nearer its actual capacity.
In 1872 a contract was given to Wm. Cramp & Sons, a ship and engine building company of Philadelphia, to construct a compound steam engine of 20 million gallons capacity to be known as No. 7 engine. It was a fond hope of the Bureau and builders to have this engine in operation by May 10, 1876, the day upon which the Centennial Exposition opened in Philadelphia, but it was not started until December 20 of that year. It was of the two-cylinder, vertical, independent compound type, having the cylinders placed side by side with a double acting plunger pump underneath each. A flywheel back of the pumps was worked by cranks at right angles respectively connected by rods to beams which obtained motion from cross-heads between the engine cylinders and pumps. The cylinders were respectively 45 and 80 inches in diameter, and the pumps each 30 inches in diameter, while all had 72 inches stroke. The contract with the builders stipulated that the engine should be capable of raising 20 million gallons of water to a height of 130 feet in 24 hours, and that it should perform a duty of 75 million foot pounds per 100 pounds of combustible, provided that the boilers evaporated 9½ pounds of water per pound of combustible.
After installation, this pumping engine was given a thorough test and checkup, observations being made each hour for a period covering 48 hours. From this test, it was determined that the capacity was 20,299,725 gallons per 24 hours. The height to which the water was raised was 121.96 feet or 8.04 feet less than stipulated. This lower head used in the test (130 feet had been specified) arose from the fact that while it was intended that the engine pump into the East Park reservoir, this reservoir, started in 1871, was not completed in time. In fact it was not completed until 1889. For the test and for three years after therefore the engine pumped into the Schuylkill and Corinthian reservoirs. They were at the lower elevation but nearly twice as distant from the engine as was the East Park reservoir. Some defects in detail were discovered during the trial but were promptly corrected by the builders. (See FIGURE 25)
No. 7 engine remained the largest in the works for a number of years. During the first seven years its service was required so constantly as to prevent proper overhauling and reconditioning. Although designed as a 20 million gallon engine and proven by its test to be capable of that work, it was not used for pumping over 17.5 million gallons and was rated by the Water Department as a 15 million gallon engine. It ran with but occasional shutdowns for very necessary repairs until late in the summer of 1883 when serious cracks in the housings, which were from defects in adjustment and had existed for years, began to look dangerous and a fortnight’s time was taken to stay and brace them. New housings were made and installed late in 1883 after which the engine could pump 22 million gallons against a 200 foot head without any difficulty.
On September 20, 1880 a contract was given to the Worthington Company to construct a duplex concentric cylinder pumping engine of 10 million gallons a day capacity for the Schuylkill works. It was duly completed and went into operation in July 1881 as engine No. 8. This engine, which was first instituted by Mr. David Rowan, is comprised of duplex units each of which consists of a smaller cylinder into which the steam is first admitted and begins its expansion, which small cylinder is contained within and is concentric with a larger cylinder in which the expansion is continued. The two concentric cylinders correspond to the two side by side cylinders of compound engines No. 6 and 7. The inner piston is of the common shape; the outer is ring-shaped and has packing not only on its outer surface but also on its inner surface, which slides on the outside of the inner cylinder. One piston rod is provided for the inner piston and two piston rods for the outer piston, and all are fixed to one crosshead, so that the two outside of the inner cylinder. One piston rod is provided for the inner piston and two piston rods for the outer piston, and all are fixed to one crosshead, so that the two pistons move together. Steam passes from the ends of the inner cylinder respectively to the opposite ends of the outer cylinder. The steam is superheated sufficiently to prevent condensation to an injurious extent in either cylinder. Being a duplex concentric type, this engine has four cylinders. Each high pressure cylinder had a 38 inch bore and each low pressure cylinder a 663/16 inch bore while the common stroke was four feet. Each duplex unit actuated a double acting plunger pump having a 30-inch bore with a stroke of 48 inches. Water was lifted under heads of from 121.2 to 216.6 feet. A cut of this pumping engine is not available, but FIGURES 26 and 27 show the somewhat similar duplex tandem concentric type of 1873. In this the cylinders while concentric are not arranged one within the other, but one in advance of the other.
A new building was being erected at this time, an addition on the southern side of the old engine house. Inasmuch as it was not completed when engine No. 8 was put into service, it was necessary to erect a temporary wooden shed to protect this engine from the elements.
In 1881, a contract was awarded for the erection of a standpipe on an elevated location several hundred feet in a northerly direction from the pumping station. The ornamental iron work, stairway and masonry from the old Twenty-fourth Ward standpipe were utilized in its construction. It was finished October 14, 1882. During the same year it was recommended that the old Twenty-fourth Ward standpipe be removed since it was showing signs of serious deterioration, as was also the temporary one that was erected at the Schuylkill reservoir.
By 1883 the Schuylkill water works (as the Spring Garden and Northern Liberties Station had come to be called) was the largest plant in the city. The station was additionally important because it was supplying a large population direct from the pumps without the intervention of a reservoir. A failure of the engines in this plant meant the deprivation of water to a large district which at that time had a population of 100,000.
In 1880 it had become imperative that the station be enlarged once again to meet the constantly increasing demands for water. An appropriation of $100,000 was given the Water Department for the extension of these works with the promise of additional appropriations later. On July 1, 1880 bids were opened for the building of a new station at the Schuylkill works. The plans and specifications for the new extensions were worked out by Mr. Joseph M. Wilson of the Water Department. Because the buildings were to be prominently located facing the popular East River Drive in Fairmount Park, near the Girard Avenue Bridge, the designs were worked out to harmonize them with their surroundings. The buildings were completed on June 9, 1884. They stood on the north side of the forebay, with a total length of 166 feet along the forebay and 58 feet width on the river end. The engine house was 58 feet wide and fronted along the east river drive. The boiler house, 48 by 110 feet, was separated from the engine house by storerooms and offices. The stack stood in the rear of the boiler house. It was 16 feet square at the base and 100 feet in height, with a wrought iron cap and railing at the top. FIGURE 28 is a photograph of the completed group.
There were 10 steel return tubular boilers installed in the station during 1884. These boilers were all built by the Edge Moor Iron Company of Wilmington, Delaware. The first four were under steam on June 24, the fifth and sixth on August 27, the seventh and eighth on September 5 and the ninth and tenth on October 21.
In July and August of the year 1884, two compound duplex engines which were purchased from the H. R. Worthington Company were put into service at the new Schuylkill pumping station as engines Nos. 9 and 10. They were identical in design. Each was capable of pumping 15 million gallons per day under a lift of 165 feet. The official test of these engines commenced November 20, 1884, but the bursting of a pumping main a few hours after starting compelled postponement until November 25, when the test was concluded.
These duplex pumping engines comprised two high pressure cylinders of 38 inch bore and 48 inch stroke, and two low pressure cylinders of 66 inch bore and 48 inch stroke. No. 9 engine was equipped with four single acting air pumps, two being of 29½ inch bore and 24 inch stroke, and two being of 27 inch bore and 24 inch stroke. No. 10 also had four single acting air pumps, identical with those of No. 9 except that two of them were 29¾ inch bore, in lieu of 29½. Each engine drove two double acting plunger pumps of 37 inch bore and 48 inch stroke operating under a total lift varied from 121 to 216.4 feet.
Auxiliary to these main pumping engines, there were two Worthington duplex boiler feeding donkey pumps (14 inches by 10½ inches) each capable of feeding all the boilers at this station with comparative ease. The auxiliary donkey pumps fed water to the boilers when the main pumps were idle.
There was also installed an electric light unit of 100 light capacity furnished by the Edison Electric Light Company. It was placed in a separate room built at the southeast corner of the boiler room.
In 1884, this station regularly supplied the highly elevated district service distribution in the 28th, 29th, and adjacent wards by pumping the water direct from the engines into the supply mains, in the same manner as is done by the present day booster stations. The new engines Nos. 9 and 10 were designed to pump into the Cambria reservoir which was to have a height of 100 feet above city datum, but this reservoir never materialized. Then it was planned the new station should pump its water into East Park Reservoir, but this was not finally completed until 1889.
The old No. 4 Cornish engine installed in 1855 and the old No. 5 Cornish side lever engine installed in 1869 were both dismantled and sold during 1884, and the original standpipe for these works was also removed during this year.
Additional burden was added to the Schuylkill works at this time on account of the necessity of supplying the Fairhill or Delaware water works reservoirs at 6th and Lehigh Avenue as the service required from this last mentioned station was gradually lessened in view of its intended early abandonment. In addition to this the Fairmount districts made big demands on the Schuylkill station during the summer months by reason of the low water conditions in the Schuylkill River, which sometimes caused an almost complete shut down of the water turbine driven pumps in the Fairmount works. Occasionally the Schuylkill was so low that Fairmount could deliver but 5 or 6 million gallons per day and the Schuylkill works was compelled to make up the entire deficiency, a deficiency which at times reached approximately 30 million gallons per day.
In 1885, it was recommended that a new 20 million gallon per day engine and pump be installed on the site vacated by the removal of the old No. 4 engine to keep up with the demands. In 1886 this recommendation was acted upon, a Gaskill compound engine of 20 million gallons capacity being purchased for $69,000 under contract with the Holly Manufacturing Company of Lockport, New York. On September 14, 1887, it was ready for steam and it was placed in service September 28, although the official tests were not made until November 29 and 30. This was engine No. 11. Two high pressure cylinders of 33 inch bore and a 48 inch stroke and two low pressure cylinders of 66 inch bore and a 48 inch stroke supplied the power. Two single acting air pumps with 24 inch bore and 27 inch stroke took care of the exhaust steam. Two force pumps of the plunger type each with a bore of 36 inches and a stroke of 48 inches and a total lift of 188.9 feet supplied the water. Five furnace flue tubular boilers which were built by I. P. Morris and Company under a contract of 1886 supplied the steam. They were ready for operation April 13, 1887, several months ahead of the engines. The installation of this Gaskill engine brought the combined capacity of these works, then operating six engines, to 90 million gallons per day.
In 1888, the attention of Councils was called to the fact that in spite of the latest additions to the works, the demand had once again grown ahead and that yet greater pumping facilities would soon be needed. Acting upon these warnings, preparations were started in 1889 to move a Worthington 6 million gallon per day duplex type engine from the old Delaware Water works and set it up in the old engine house at the Schuylkill works. This transfer was completed in 1890 and this engine became known as No. 12. It was started, pumping into the East Park reservoir, on June 27, 1890.
In further response to the 1888 recommendations of the Water Bureau to Councils, an appropriation was made in 1890 for another 20 million gallon per day pumping engine. This was to be built by the Southwark Foundry and Machine Company of Philadelphia. In 1891, a new boiler house, stack and five new boilers were erected. The installation of these new boilers permitted the removal of five of the old boilers and thereby provided space for locating the new 20 million gallon per day Southwark engine which was then in course of construction. This engine was completed and placed in service on June 15, 1892 and was known as No. 5. (Original Nos. 4 and 5 had been scrapped in 1884.)
On May 26 of this same year (1892) a 20 million gallon per day pumping engine was purchased from H. R. Worthington and Company at a price of $67,800. It began operating June 5, 1893 and was designated No. 4.
On June 30, 1893, two vertical triple expansion engines of 30 million gallon per day capacity were contracted for with the Holly Manufacturing Company. The contract price was $162,570. One was placed in operation on December 1, 1894, and the other on February 11, 1895. They were denominated Nos. 2 and 3. A new boiler house with 12 new boilers, a new stack, and an addition to the engine house were provided for these new pumps. With the installation of these two 30 million gallon engines in 1894 and 1895, this station reached the peak of its activities and importance. The combined capacity of its 10 pumping engines was 190 million gallons per day.
Engine No. 12, the 6 million gallon per day capacity Worthington engine which was brought from the abandoned Delaware pumping station in 1890, was removed from the Schuylkill works and put in service in the Roxborough high service pumping station in 1894.
In 1895 the new No. 4 engine was removed from this station and set up in the Belmont pumping station. FIGURE 29 is a plan of the station and its pipe connection as of September 1895, apparently made shortly after No. 4 and No. 12 had been removed.
Two new 48 inch diameter pumping mains were laid from the two 30 million gallon per day engines last installed to the East Park Reservoir, but by 1897, on account of inefficient boiler facilities, it was impossible to run both engines at the same time, as only six of the 44 boilers in this station were capable of generating steam at the 150 pounds pressure which these engines required and these six boilers could not generate a sufficient quantity for both engines.
During 1900, a testing station was built at these works for the purpose of studying the effects of slow sand filtration on the Schuylkill River waters and also to obtain data relative to the qualities of various local sands and filtering materials for use in preliminary filtration. The subject of filtration was of paramount importance at this time on account of the decision to make the first installation of Philadelphia’s water filtration system at Roxborough.
The year 1905 marked the turning point of this station’s activities. In 1905 the pumpage of the station showed an unusual occurrence, i.e., a pumpage 3.4 percent less than the previous year. Though small, this decrease prophesied the decline of this station. The decrease marked the introduction into the East Park Reservoir distribution system of a great quantity of water from the Delaware River, through the Frankford pumping station and Wentz farm reservoir system. Three new 20 million gallon per day pumps had been placed in operation at the new Lardner’s Point pumping station. From this time on steady decline was experienced.
On December 12, 1906, a contract was awarded to the Holly Manufacturing Company to equip No. 11 engine of Schuylkill station (20 million gallon per day Gaskill) with new pumps, and place it in first-class condition, and move it to the Shawmont pumping station. This was accomplished in 1908. At Shawmont this engine was designated No. 1 and rated at 10 million gallons per day on account of the greater head against which it was required to pump. In the city’s 1901 plans for the improvement, extension and filtration of the water supply, it was proposed to abandon the Schuylkill works. With the increasing quantity of filtered water that had been coming from the new Torresdale and Lardner’s Point plants, the rate of the station’s decline increased. The pumpage during 1908 was 23 percent less than in 1907. It was but slightly more than half of the then available capacity of the station. On February 18, 1909, all the pumps in the Schuylkill station were shut down. However, for a number of years following, probably until 1914, steam was carried in the boilers and the station was kept in condition for use in case of emergency. Finally, the entire station was dismantled and razed. The only visible evidence of this once commanding station which remains today (1931) is the standpipe.
[1] Annual Report of the Chief Engineer of the Water Department of the City of Philadelphia, presented to Councils February 10, 1870. Philadelphia: E. C. Markley & Son, 1870, p. 8
[2] Annual Report of the Chief Engineer of the Water Department of the City of Philadelphia, presented to Councils February 20, 1868. Philadelphia: E. C. Markley & Son, 1868, p. 13; also, Annual Report of the Chief Engineer of the Water Department of the City of Philadelphia, presented to Councils February 1869. Philadelphia: E. C. Markely & Son, 1869, p. 9-10, and Plate 5.