“The site known as Markley Farm is a point where the water of the Ohio River is deep and free from drainage or any other vitiating influence to affect its quality, perhaps for a century to come, if ever. The shore is bold, and, with the bed of the river, is of gravel and rock formation, washed clean by an active current at all seasons of the year. Pumping works may be located at this point without any objectionable and expensive inlet-pipe; while the adjacent hills afford an excellent site for a storage reservoir, 307 feet above extreme low water, and 75 feet above the Garden of Eden Reservoir. On the lower level there is a fine plateau for locating, not only the pumping house, but subsiding reservoirs and filtering basins.

“The force-main extending from the pump house to the storage reservoir will be short, or about 1,450 feet long, whereas, works located on the second site, or any other sites examined, would require force mains several thousand feet in length. By the first site, water from the river would be lifted by the pumps and forced to the reservoir with the least amount of power, friction, and expense of fuel to do the work. This site also commands an excellent and safe landing for boats supplying the works with coal.

“The analyses of waters lately taken at the Water-Works and at the Markley Farm clearly indicate the superior quality, purity, and healthfulness of the latter.

“It has been suggested that the offal from one or more distilleries, said to be in operation at New Richmond, some ten miles above the Markley Farm, would leave its taint in the water reaching the latter point. My answer is, that in this case the river, so slightly affected at New Richmond, and flowing ten miles to reach the Markley Farm, would, from agitation and dilution, and from the well-known self-purifying property of water, become pure.”

“The second, but objectionable, site for water-works was found some three miles above the Garden of Eden reservoir, and about the same distance below the mouth and offensive discharge of the Little Miami River. This location, although favorable in many respects, intercepts the drainage of the upper portion of the city, and all of that from the Miami Valley emptied into the Ohio River, which renders that site wholly inadmissible for water-works purposes.

“The valley of the Miami forms a water-shed of several hundred square miles in area. Upon the surface of this vast plain is deposited the dead carcasses of animals, and the droppings from cattle of all kinds. The ground is covered with decayed vegetable matter, and the soaking of stable-yards, hog-pens, slaughter-houses, distilleries, stagnant pools, etc. The refuse is washed off by rain storms into the Miami, which is the common receptacle, and thence into the Ohio River.

“It is only necessary, first, to disease the water, then disease the man; and it is clear, therefore, that water-works located below the Miami would, by wholesale pollution, disease the whole community.

“There is no city in the civilized world so regardless of the cleanliness and health of its citizens as to adopt a plan of water supply to foist upon them the concentrated filth from sewerage and the impurities of a stream, the water of which is only fit for mill-power, manufacturing purposes, and for cattle to drink; and I did not think that Cincinnati was emulous of setting the example.

“With regard to intermediate points between the county line and the mouth of the Little Miami River, I found the Ohio River lined with sand-bars, some of which projected from the shore nearly to the middle of the river, miles in length; while the bottom or bed of the river was, for the most part, covered with logs and craggy stones.”

“I, therefore, regard the first and best site, known as the Markley Farm, as one commanding all the advantages sought, where works may be erected combining greater simplicity of construction, economy of cost, and maintenance when put in operation, than could be built at any of the other points mentioned.”

“The present pumps are deficient; that during the summer of 1881 the daily demands exceeded, at times, their capacity; and on one particular day there was a deficiency of over six million gallons. The engines are generally of light construction, and not sufficient for any increased loads. They are expensive in operation and maintenance. First-class engines of to-day would save two-thirds of the fuel used. The principal reliance, during the summer, is the large “Shield” engine, which is most extravagant on fuel, and has a wrought-iron force-main, of weak material, intrenched 35 feet below the surface of the street. Some of the boilers are of an age that require them to be treated with the greatest care, and should be condemned. The principal buildings do not afford protection or access to the pumps in case of derangement during average high water. The hill-top service is inadequate, and a larger and more comprehensive system should be adopted for the supply of the increasing territory.

“The subject of increasing capacity requires immediate attention; and should the removal of the works be deemed inadvisable, it will become essential to at once proceed with the erection of machinery, buildings, aqueduct, and aqua-fort at the old works. The cost of these improvements is placed at $1,394,000; reserve engine for 1884, $618,000; and sewer in Front Street, to carry the sewage below the works, $1,600,000. Total, $3,612,000.”