Tag Archives: bricks

Water History Drawings

03 Friday Nov 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, engineering, water history

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I love it when engineers, from the real world outside of Montebello, send me historic drawings. Not only did he send me some really nice ones, he gave me a link to thousands of others. I’m glad someone else in the Water Department, besides me, is saving our history. Here is one that threw me off at first glance.

I know where the drain tunnel is off of Lake Montebello, but looking close at this drawing and at a recent photo I had taken of the drain where it enters Herring Run, something just didn’t look right.

Here is the photo from my inspection down there. Looks about right, but, the drawing says it is of the West Portal? West? This is east of the lake as shown in the 1894 topography below.

To the right of this kidney bean shaped lake is a small arrow pointing to the drain. Then looking close to the left, near Hillen Road is another portal. This is west. Also, the top elevation of 146′ matches the drawing. The east portal top elevation is about 120′. I wish I had photos of when this structure existed. It is all built over now. Under Hillen Road is a large storm drain – 9-12′ that goes into the gate house (Structure with unknown quarter moon shaped object next to it).

Here is another drawing, unknown location because all the shafts were filled in. (Unknown, even though it gives the station as 22+50. Without the overall view, I’m not sure where the engineer started his stations? 2,250 feet from where?

It shows how they built these tunnels, by hand, through solid rock. Bottom legend shows cost and materials. Thanks Engineering!

Electrical Survey

20 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, engineering, HISTORY

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This afternoon I will be giving a tour to a group of electrical consultants. They want to come up with new ways to save the City money by cutting back on our electrical use. Every time there is a new administration, new “Offices” and Bureaus are created. To prove their worth for their new job and new title, they come up with these new major plans for the City. Actually, there is nothing new about it. This will be the fourth or fifth time this has happened. Once in the 80s it was decided to turn 1/2 the lights out in the hallways and filter areas. Personnel complained that they couldn’t see, so they turned the lights back on, which in turn, maintenance then removed the bulbs. Just a few years ago they (paid consultants) came up with the idea to switch out all lights with LED bulbs. That definitely was not going to be cost saving.

I started looking through some old files and came across these Electrical Commission photographs from the 1920s:

Electrical Commission office for operations, maintenance and construction. 

On the wall to the left of the first photo was this photograph. It was in bad shape when it was removed from the wall and placed in storage.

The commission’s garage and work area was destroyed by fire. Looking thru the building on the left you can see the burnt autos.

 

More damage from fire.

Work still continues despite the damage.

Clay duct banks. These were used to rebuild the garages…

…as can be seen here.

A new fleet of vehicles while the rebuilding continues in the background.

Tunnel Inspection Part 2

30 Friday Jun 2017

Posted by in Baltimore, engineering, water history

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Over a year ago I was asked to be part of an inspection team, to walk/boat through the 12′ tunnel that connects the Loch Raven Reservoir to the Montebello Filters. This tunnel was built between 1875 and 1881. In the early years it was inspected quite often. In the 1960s it was decided, after a parallel tunnel was built in the late 1930s, to reverse the flow in this old tunnel to supply drinking water to Towson via the Cromwell Pumping Station. The old tunnel was last inspected in 1984. For that info you can see my post linked here:  https://rep5355.com/2016/04/06/tunnel-inspection/

In preparation for the inspection, I did all the necessary training – Red Cross/CPR, Confined Space, etc. Then we were told that it was too unsafe to send anyone in the tunnel. Totally bummed!

So now they have finally gotten around to inspecting the tunnel with a remote operated vehicle. It has been a long week starting last Friday. First order of business was to clear the site for the contractor to bring in his equipment.

Area cleared and the phragmites sprayed.

Next, construction mats were placed across the phrag roots – which is very soft. (And the equipment very heavy) These boards did the trick.

The equipment was unloaded. This is the inspection vehicle. It is about 14′ long and weighs 1500 pounds.

This is the tether. The sub is connected to this. It is 7 miles long, but only needs to go 5-1/2 miles.

The sub will enter at the top right. This is looking down the shaft towards the tunnel.

Here she goes.

Because this is a pipe that is in use, with drinking water, everything that enters the water was sprayed with a chlorine solution.

The control center. All this information on all these screens will be made into a report for the City to decide if the tunnel is still usable. The interesting one is bottom center. If you watch that and there is a change in the circle, say a rise in the bottom, that means the sub is going over a rock fall. You then look at the camera display and you can actually see it.

In my previous tunnel inspection post is a photo where the balancing shaft enters the tunnel at Cromwell. It is mostly smooth. Unlike this entry point – it looks like someone busted thru the top of the tunnel with a sledge hammer.

The sub was moving at a nice pace – looked like the Enterprise going at warp speed! Not sure what those particulates are just yet. Probably just some stirred up lime deposits.

And when I got bored, I went looking for nature. There are 3 young bucks…

A couple babies.

An Eastern-eyed Click Beetle

Bunches of other bugs.

And our night time visitor looking for food.

Loch Raven Property

10 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by in Baltimore, Dams, HISTORY

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The day before taking off work for my daughter’s operation, I was contacted by CHAP – Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation. They wanted to know if I knew anything about a fireplace mantle from Glenn Ellen Castle that was stored in a maintenance building downstream from the second dam? No. They were getting ready to tear down the buildings and were told by the contractors about the mantle.

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This was Glenn Ellen prior to raising the dam from elevation 188′ to 240′. The reservoir did not reach this height but it was still on watershed property and taken by the City. I think only the foundation exists now.

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Earlier this week a friend of mine, Thom, contacted me and told me about some signs he saw on the property as he was hiking behind the construction site. At first glance I thought they were bronze plaques so I met him and Wayne to go exploring.

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The hiking trail is on the hill behind the silt fence. This is where the signs were. Turned out to be steel and not bronze, but still worth keeping a couple for history’s sake!

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Saw some interesting items so took a closer look. I thought it was odd that the contractor cut the beams instead of just knocking this building down. Come to find out a company called Bricks And Boards came up a removed the wood to re-purpose. The boxes contain core bore samples. Not sure why the City didn’t want to keep these? They do me no good without the engineer’s records saying where the samples came from.

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After rooting around in the barn we decided to head into the house. This is being knocked down also. A few years ago I was told there were lantern slides stored in here along with some old drawings. Back then, I wasn’t allowed in to look.

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The house as it looked about the 1920-30s. I tried to find who was the original owner but had no luck. From a map of 1882 it has it listed as City Property. Adjacent to the Wisner, Shanklin properties. Further investigation is needed.

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Wayne asked the date the house was built. Not sure but it shows up in a 1881 photo. Far right side just up from the Gunpowder River. This photo shows the dam near completion, ready to lay the last stone.

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Back into the house. Entrance hall.

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There are 3 fireplaces. One plastered over and two, like this one, with the mantles missing.

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Kitchen.

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Looking up the stairwell. Three floors.

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Second floor to third floor

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This was a nice design – up the stairs to a landing that will take you in both directions. This is a huge house.

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Lots of rooms – curves and angles.

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Chairs on a desk – watching…

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One of the many views. Someone nailed a metal sign to the window? I would have loved to live here with this view. Two eagles were playing most of the morning over the lower reservoir. Nice!

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Another room. Candles, a bed, money box and stuffed ducks that look like the turkey buzzards tore open – must of thought they were real!

Prologue: I asked the contractor to hold two of the signs for me until I can come back up. He said ok…but, between my visit and when I sent off the email, Brick and Boards came up and took them. Talked to Max from there and he said they are in his warehouse and I can come pick them up!

Their site: https://baltimorebrickbybrick.com/2016/08/04/brick-board-is-here/

Entrance to the Jones Falls

20 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by in Baltimore, HISTORY, Sewage History

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On sunday I went looking for the entry point of the Jones Falls conduit. Here is the 1912 description of where it should be:

The extent of this improvement (Jones Falls conduit) will be from Baltimore street bridge to the westerly side of Maryland avenue, a distance of approximately 8,850 linear feet. The structure planned is of reinforced concrete with a flat roof, designed to carry the heaviest city traffic, and curved inverts, lined with vitrified brick. This design was selected after considerable effort to find an arched structure which would fill the requirements and keep the expense within a reasonable figure. The lack of head room over a considerable part of the distance to be covered made the problem very difficult. The structure proposed can be erected without disturbing the present retaining walls, the invert of the east conduit being first erected to carry the ordinary flow of water while the other conduits are under construction. As the retaining walls are not to be taken down they can be reckoned upon to give side support to the structure which, in consequence, has not been designed to carry all of the lateral pressure which the side banks would impart to it if not already safely supported.

A quick view of Google maps is deceiving because of all the growth under and around the JFX. The plain map view shows the Falls ending right about under Howard St. So there I went. This portion appears to have been built later – for the light rail and Amtrak? Looking thru the tunnels you can see daylight and I believe this is where the actual entrance starts. Didn’t have my water shoes on so I didn’t venture thru the first set of tunnels And it actually smelt pretty bad there – sewage! (Sewage does not belong in the Jones Falls!)

Here is a link to some guys who actually went into the tunnels – amazing and I thank them for the trip!

http://ronniekirchner.com/jones-falls-conduit/077

Howard Street bridge up above

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I just added this last one because I like the brick-work.

Kerbs

23 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in HISTORY, Sewage History

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From the 1899 Commissioner’s Report on stormwater, sewers and streets – Referring to the present condition of the paved streets of Baltimore, I cannot say that they are in good or bad condition, as this is a relative term, and depends a great deal upon what residents are accustomed to, what advanced civilization requires and the willingness of the tax-payers to keep pace with the same. We have succeeded in the last year in repairing most of the places which were specifically complained of, and have done much to make the best of bad pavements. The kerb-stones are far from being in repair, but the citizens become so accustomed to seeing them lay over in the gutter, or partially so, that they have long since ceased to make an outcry concerning the same, especially as it involves an outlay on the part of the property-holder to repair his footway; but we have succeeded in resetting more kerb this year than any previous year, over ten miles.

1900 curb

More Pics of Outfall

16 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Baltimore, Sewage History

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While on a break from Facebook, I have been working on my new sewer history book, completing so far, 159 pages with 101,232 words. Now I need a break from writing! So I will just post some photographs with mini-captions!

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Section #6 Showing David Peoples, contractor, in concrete invert, ready for brick work. 1907

010-134Section #6 Laying brick and completed section near Back River Road. 1907

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Section #9 Showing inside of completed sewer at manhole Daylight exposure for this shot. 1907

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Section #9 Showing bridge at Eastern Ave. over sewer trench. Danger sign in driveway where a teamster drove into bridge and threw a mule into the trench (Go slow danger) 1908

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Section #10 South of Eastern Ave, section of sewer on 7 degree curve. 1908

Outfall Sewer

14 Monday Mar 2016

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The Walbrook Testing Plant gathered information on sewage disposal. The Eastern Ave Pumping Station would pump Baltimore’s sewage to a newly built Sewage Treatment Plant at Back River. (For the most part, the sewage of Baltimore would flow by gravity to Back River except in the area downtown, near City Hall. This area is below a sufficient elevation to allow the sewage to flow on its own, or the shit is just deeper in City Hall)

An Outfall Sewer was built from the Eastern Ave Pumping Station to Back River, connected by force mains and interceptors. The contract for the Outfall Sewer was divided into 10 sections.

Below is section #3, showing what I consider a few points of interest: The Baltimore Brick Company to the right, which means this is looking west on Monument street. Making the house in the far off right on Edison Highway – Loney’s Lane. After the new Edison Highway bridge was built, I grew up in that area, west of the road. I was told as a kid to not play under the bridge because of there being quicksand on the other side. This area is now occupied by a covered-over landfill. Armco steel was in the vicinity for years, taking over a cemetery on the west side of Edison. I do remember the Brick Company. They had sample walls built along Edison, showing the types of bricks they manufactured. Bocek Park was there also.

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