991818

3

Petition of E. Shepard x|x|x|x|x|x x x x calling attention to the necessity of providing for the delivery of coal at the Lake Washington Pumping Station

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991818

To the Mayor & Common Council of the City of Seattle.

Gentlemen.

I wish to call your attention to the urgent necessity of providing means for delivering coal at the Pumping Station on Lake Washington.

The barge now used by the Spring Hill Water Co is almost entirely worn out and cannot be considered at all.

There should be built two barges of about the following dimensions; 22 feet wide, 80 or 85 feet long, and 5 1/2 feet deep. These would probably carry about 125 tons each, sufficient to last (when the new pumps are in use) about 5 [strikeout] or 6 [end strikeout] days, as the consumption will be about 25 tons per day.

And I would further suggest that steam power be put on these barges, which would enable the City to get coal wherever required, without depending on hiring a tow boat.

Barges of the size above mentioned would cost about $1200 to $1400 each; the steam power from $2000 to $2500 each, making total cost of two steam barges say $7000.

As to the comparitive cost of delivering the coal, the Spring Hill Water Co is paying at the rate of 35 [cents symbol] per ton for towing, it

might be done with better barges for 25 [cents symbol] per ton, say 750 tons per month @ 25 [cents symbol] per ton is $187.50.

With steam barges.

Interest on cost of steam power at outside figure of $2500 each say $25 per month; salary of engineer & one man say $150 per month making $175.00 as against $187.50 a small difference in favor of steam barges, and as the consumption increases the difference will be greater as with the steam barges it would cost no more to deliver 1500 tons per month while with ^hired tow boats the cost would increase in proportion to amount delivered.

In place of steam power on the barges a tow boat might be built at perhaps a less cost and accomplish the same result; however I am not prepared to give any figures as to the cost of a tow boat.

This matter should be [strikout] gotten [end strikeout] attended to at once as it will be impossible to keep up a supply of coal for the new pumps without new barges

Very Respectfully,

E Shepard