The Wilmingtonian, And Delaware Advertiser

For the Wilmingtonian.

THE WATER WORKS.

TO THE WATERING COMMITTEE.

In commencing a work of so much importance to the citizens of this Borough, as that of introducing the water from the Brandywine, you will doubtless appreciate every hint that may tend to the most advantageous application of philosophical principles, so as to derive from a limited power. the most useful results of which it is susceptible.

I have been told that you propose drawing the water for the use of the borough from the tail-race, as it is called, or after it has passed the water-wheel, instead of taking it from its original elevation.

Now this will render the apparatus more complicated and expensive, at the same time it will furnish a much less quantity of water to the reservoir; consequently injure the mill by requiring too long a time to work the pumps.

It is said that Mr. Graff recommends this plan. We are too well acquainted with the practical talents of that gentleman to believe for a moment, he would ever recommend such a measure, if he was possessed of all the circumstances attendant on the undertaking. Nothing but the most imperious necessity, we are persuaded, could induce him to propose such a perversion of mechanical power. But here no such necessity exists

We are entitled by the purchase to all the water that can flow through a certain aperture, say 10 1/2 inches, and every person the least acquainted with mechanics and the pressure of fluids, knows very well that it will require at least three gallons on the wheel, in order to raise two gallons to an equal elevation. Why then incur an additional expense to render the pump more complicated, for a purpose worse than useless? Why not conduct the water from the gate directly at the pump and thereby retain an additional power equal at least to one half of the quantity used by the citizens