(Published In 1894-)

The Prudential Building at Newark, N. J., is located upon one of the principal streets of that city, is perhaps the most prominent business structure in the place, and is a large and thoroughly equipped modern office building. It is owned by the Prudential Life Insurance Company, and is occupied by its offices and by tenants. In this building a large number of fixtures are supplied with water at a considerable pressure, and to prevent danger of injurious water hammer when one or more faucets may be rapidly opened and closed simultaneously, a special provision for air cushioning was made by Mr. George B. Post, of New York City, the architect, which is illustrated in the accompanying cut, and has been successfully applied also in substantially similar cases which have arisen in his practice. The street and tank pressure supplies are delivered to small tanks or drums in the cellar, from which the pipes to the different riser lines diverge. These pipes are valved for control at one point. The drums are similar to those often used for distributing from one or two mains to several lines, but are of larger capacity and are intended to be always partly filled with compressed air confined in the space above the level of the outlets to the distributing pipes. When the system was installed the sediment cocks 6,6 and petcocks 5,5, were closed, thus confining the air to the drums. Being unable to escape, the air was compressed by the inflowing water until it occupied the upper parts of the drums as shown in the section. As it exerted a uniform pressure on the water, it acted as an elastic cushion for the water and absorbed the impact of shocks. Ordinarily valves 2, 4, 5.5, 6, and 6 are closed and all others are open, but if it should become desirable to cut off street pressure, tank water may be supplied throughout by closing valve 1 and opening valves 2 and 4. Similarly street pressure can be supplied throughout by closing valve 3 and opening all the others. Should the air in the drums become absorbed, valves 5,5 and 6,6 are opened and all others shown are closed, when the water in the drums is replaced by air. Then if valves 5,5 and 6,6 are closed and 1 and 3 are opened, the air is forced into the upper parts of the drums and the system operates as before.

WATER DISTRIBUTION* IN THE MATHEWS OFFICE BUILDING MILWAUKEE WIS.

Any sediment deposited in the drums can be cleaned out from time to time by opening valves 5,5 and 6,6, and closing all the others, when the man-hole covers may be removed and the drums thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed out, valves 1 and 3 being opened sufficiently to admit water for rinsing them, which escapes through the sediment pipe.