THE Statements made in the secular press anent public construction, especially water works often afford good reading and this may be truly said of the following taken from the Enquirer of Buffalo: "Chicago has four tunnels for water to the one which Buffalo has in use. These tunnels supply to the pumps 430,000,000 gallons per 24 hours. Our pumping engines are throwing into our city mains daily from 100,000,000 to 120,000,000 gallons and even with more power at the pumping station not a great deal more than this can be forced through the present tunnel. At times last winter the pumps were forced beyond their guaranteed capacity because of the scarcity of water in some parts of the city. In Chicago though the capacity of the tunnels is 430,000,000 gallons daily the greatest amount ever pumped in 24 hours is 284,000,000. It would appear from these figures that we are much better off than Chicago in point of amount of water available for the use of citizens, for our Water Department is able to pump 120,000,000 gallons daily upon occasions and our population is only somewhere between a quarter and a fifth that of Chicago. The machinery in use there is much of it worn out and old fashioned and what Chicago seems to need most is more pumping engines. We need both more engines and more tunnels. The Commissioners of Public Works have recommended as a temporary measure the enlargement of the present tunnel at the river end and the purchase of one engine. It is estimated that this improvement would enable the department to furnish the city with 200,000,000 gallons of water daily. In Chicago as in Buffalo it is hard at present to get a plentiful supply of water on the top floors of buildings in the business districts. It is proposed that beside increasing the pumping capacity, a hydraulic plant be constructed in the business center of the city. This would accomplish several things. The greater water pressure would supply the tank for a large number of hydraulic elevators and stop the necessity for individuals to do their own pumping into tanks. It is estimated that this would do away with at least 450 chimneys in the business district and thus materially lessen the smoke nuisance. More important still, it would increase the efficiency of the Fire Department. Perhaps there is a suggestion in this plan which our own Board of Public Works might do well to consider.” These figures are misleading as the following will show. Buffalo is credited with having the highest average daily consumption per capita of any city in the United States, namely 184 gallons. Placing its population at 250,000 and assuming that 120,000,000 gallons of Water is pumped every twentyfour hours. This figure would be raised to 400 gallons for each person per day. Chicago although a liberal water user, only furnishes 140 gallons to each inhabitant, while she has a pumping capacity of considerably more than to satisfy this demand. The city has just contracted with the Holly Manufacturing company for one high duty compound horizontal Gaskill pumping engine of 14,000,000 gallons daily capacity to be erected in the Lake View pumping station; one horizontal compound high duty Gaskill pumping engine of 14,000,000 gallons daily capacity to be erected in the Sixty-eighth street pumping station: one vertical triple expansion pumping engine of 30,000,000 gallons daily capacity to be erected in the Fourteenth street pumping station; engines of 15,000,000 gallons daily capacity, both to be erected in the Chicago avenue pumping station, at a cost of $276,000. With these additions for an extra supply of 73,000,000 gallons, the windy city will be secure for some years to come. The four-mile tunnel and crib improves the supply, as it is now taken from a point beyond the sphere of contamination. If Buffalo keeps on increasing its consumption and her capita, there is no doubt the city will require extra pumping engines and probably a different source. For each person to consume more than 186 gallons of water every day, looks like the most reckless kind of waste, and the best method to stop it is to meter the supply. New York has an aqueduct supplying the city with its 2,600,000 inhabitants, and its average capita consumption does not exceed ninety gallons for each day. Brooklyn has a population of 1,000,000, and its people are fully supplied with 75 gallons per head. One hundred other places may be mentioned where the daily average supply for each person is little more than fifty gallons. Now, it must be apparent, from the Buffalo statement, that Chicago and itself are very wanton in their waste of water, and the sooner the matter is investigated the better. We incline to the opinion, however, that the data furnished the Enquirer might be investigated first.

AT Atlanta, Ga., elaborate preparations are being made for the great cotton exposition which will open in September next. While the title of the enterprise is limited to “Cotton”, the exhibition will embrace a very wide field, including nearly all the features of the World’s Fair. The branch of the exhibits in which we are most interested, however, is that of fire protection. In order that the display of all modern apparatus may be shown to the best advantage, Chief W. R. Joyner, has recommended that a special building be constructed for the fire exhibit, and he is now trying to raise enthusiasm among the manufacturers so that they may be thoroughly represented on the occasion. So practical a man and competent ar. officer as Chief Joyner in charge of the management ought to be an assurance that all details of this highly interesting and important exhibit will be carefully looked after. We trust that all those interested in the equipment of fire departments or other accessories to fire protection will second his efforts to make the display a great success. As the Convention of the National Association of Fire Engineers will be held at Augusta, within easy reach of the Exposition, a large number of the delegates will have a good opportunity to inspect and purchase the goods, and we think from this standpoint, it would be most judicious for manufacturers and selling agents to have full lines of their various makes of rolling stock and supplies on hand. With commendable enterprise, the Gamewell Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph Co. has decided to equip the grounds and buildings with its system, and it is to be hoped that other manufacturers will follow its example and give early notification to Chief Joyner as to the nature and extent of the exhibit they propose to make.

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