James Avenue Pumping Station - Revision history

Gcook: /* Col. Henry N. Ruttan: Winnipeg City Engineer */

2025-07-24T04:33:21Z

Col. Henry N. Ruttan: Winnipeg City Engineer

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	[[File:Ruttan.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|Lt. Col. Henry Norlande Ruttan, ca 1914. (Courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Manitoba, N5188)]]		[[File:Ruttan.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|Lt. Col. Henry Norlande Ruttan, ca 1914. (Courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Manitoba, N5188)]]

	Born in Ontario in 1848, Henry N. Ruttan learned engineering on the job with the Grand Trunk Railway starting in 1868. He also worked with ~~Sanford~~ Fleming, who was building the Intercolonial Railway. In the 1870’s he began a two year study of municipal engineering, and, after working for municipalities in Ontario, came to Winnipeg in 1880 to start his own engineering business. In 1885 he was appointed the City Engineer, a position he held until retirement in 1914.		Born in Ontario in 1848, Henry N. Ruttan learned engineering on the job with the Grand Trunk Railway starting in 1868. He also worked with Sandford Fleming, who was building the Intercolonial Railway. In the 1870’s he began a two year study of municipal engineering, and, after working for municipalities in Ontario, came to Winnipeg in 1880 to start his own engineering business. In 1885 he was appointed the City Engineer, a position he held until retirement in 1914.

	Ruttan was a staunch proponent of public ownership of utilities, including the City's own power system, quarry, and asphalt paving plant. He oversaw the infrastructure for a population growth from 16,000 in 1885 to 130,000 at his retirement.He was an active supporter of the engineering profession and a charter member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering and was its president in 1910.		Ruttan was a staunch proponent of public ownership of utilities, including the City's own power system, quarry, and asphalt paving plant. He oversaw the infrastructure for a population growth from 16,000 in 1885 to 130,000 at his retirement.He was an active supporter of the engineering profession and a charter member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering and was its president in 1910.

Gcook at 16:14, 27 September 2021

2021-09-27T16:14:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:14, 27 September 2021
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	<!-- Full article starts here -->		<!-- Full article starts here -->
	[[File:Fire1921.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|Damage after a 1921 fire]]		[[File:Fire1921.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|Damage after a 1921 fire. (Courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Manitoba, Foote Collection N1824)]]
	[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|Pumping station interior, 1980]]		[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|Pumping station interior, 1980. (Courtesy of City of Winnipeg)]]

	Winnipeg’s first water system began in 1882 when a private company, Winnipeg Water Works Co., drew water from the Assiniboine River and distributed water by pipes to homes and businesses in the city core. The company’s intake and pumping facilities were on the north bank of the Assiniboine River at the Maryland Bridge. However, fire protection for the mainly wood buildings was inadequate, resulting in loss of life and property, and high insurance costs. In 1899, the City of Winnipeg purchased the system and began to use artesian wells rather than the foul river water. In 1904 a serious fire on Main Street threatened the entire business district and forced the City to pump Assiniboine River water into the mains. The contaminated water resulted in a typhoid epidemic with 1300 cases reported in the following days.		Winnipeg’s first water system began in 1882 when a private company, Winnipeg Water Works Co., drew water from the Assiniboine River and distributed water by pipes to homes and businesses in the city core. The company’s intake and pumping facilities were on the north bank of the Assiniboine River at the Maryland Bridge. However, fire protection for the mainly wood buildings was inadequate, resulting in loss of life and property, and high insurance costs. In 1899, the City of Winnipeg purchased the system and began to use artesian wells rather than the foul river water. In 1904 a serious fire on Main Street threatened the entire business district and forced the City to pump Assiniboine River water into the mains. The contaminated water resulted in a typhoid epidemic with 1300 cases reported in the following days.
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	== James Avenue Pumping Station ==		== James Avenue Pumping Station ==
	[[File:JAinterior1906.jpg\|thumb\|Pumping station interior, 1906]]		[[File:JAinterior1906.jpg\|thumb\|Pumping station interior, during construction 1906. (Courtesy of City of Winnipeg)]]

	The pumping station building is 48 m by 28 m, steel frame, faced with buff coloured brick above a concrete substructure. The building is divided into 2 gabled bays, each having a crane running the length of the interior. The engine floor is 5.5 m below grade and the six pumps are in a trench below this. The pump suction and discharge header pipes are 600 mm in diameter, in duplicate, all six pumps being connected to both pipes, either being sufficient capacity for the whole plant. The suction header is connected to a two compartment wet well. The water was conducted to the wet well by a 900 mm wood stave intake pipe that extended 130 m from the well to deep water in the river where a stone ballasted crib was located. In 1919 the station was connected to the new aqueduct, a source preferable to the muddy water of the Red River.		The pumping station building is 48 m by 28 m, steel frame, faced with buff coloured brick above a concrete substructure. The building is divided into 2 gabled bays, each having a crane running the length of the interior. The engine floor is 5.5 m below grade and the six pumps are in a trench below this. The pump suction and discharge header pipes are 600 mm in diameter, in duplicate, all six pumps being connected to both pipes, either being sufficient capacity for the whole plant. The suction header is connected to a two compartment wet well. The water was conducted to the wet well by a 900 mm wood stave intake pipe that extended 130 m from the well to deep water in the river where a stone ballasted crib was located. In 1919 the station was connected to the new aqueduct, a source preferable to the muddy water of the Red River.
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	== Producer Gas System and Storage Tanks ==		== Producer Gas System and Storage Tanks ==
	[[File:JAexterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|Pumping station with coal plant in background, 1980.]]		[[File:JAexterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|Pumping station with coal plant in background, 1980. (Courtesy of City of Winnipeg)]]

	The gas producing plant was attached to the pumping station. Coal or coke was heated in 4 boilers to produce a gas under pressure. The gas was filtered, cooled, and piped to the gas storage tank east of the pumping station.The plant had four massive Crossley type producers: two 373 kW (500 hp), and two 745 kW (1000 hp), with the necessary platforms, hoppers and piping. The plant had an overload capacity of fifty percent with selected coal and could make gas from anthracite, lignite, or any non-caking bituminous coal. The coal was delivered on railway track adjoining the building and unloaded via a hopper.		The gas producing plant was attached to the pumping station. Coal or coke was heated in 4 boilers to produce a gas under pressure. The gas was filtered, cooled, and piped to the gas storage tank east of the pumping station.The plant had four massive Crossley type producers: two 373 kW (500 hp), and two 745 kW (1000 hp), with the necessary platforms, hoppers and piping. The plant had an overload capacity of fifty percent with selected coal and could make gas from anthracite, lignite, or any non-caking bituminous coal. The coal was delivered on railway track adjoining the building and unloaded via a hopper.

Rbernier at 19:43, 25 September 2016

2016-09-25T19:43:34Z

Show changes

Rbernier at 17:10, 24 September 2016

2016-09-24T17:10:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:10, 24 September 2016
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	~~== Introduction ==~~		<!-- Content for the main page Featured Article -->
	As a means of celebrating the role of engineering and geoscience in the 91st year of APEGM's history, the Heritage Committee is writing a series of articles that link water to the economic and social development of the province. The first article described the relationship between commerce and water before the Association was formed. This article is a follow-up to the summer 2010 article on Winnipeg’s water supply as it related to health and welfare. This is the story of the historic James Avenue Pumping Station, part of Winnipeg’s early water supply system.A safe clean and abundant water supply is essential to public health. It is also important for the ~~protection of persons and property from fires. The value to the economy is reflected in many ways; the key in this case, was reduced insurance costs.~~

	<onlyinclude> <includeonly>		<onlyinclude> <includeonly>
	'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''		'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''
	[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]		[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]
	</includeonly> </onlyinclude>
			Winnipeg’s first water system began in 1882 when a private company, Winnipeg Water Works Co., drew water from the Assiniboine River and distributed water by pipes to homes and businesses in the city core. The company’s intake and pumping facilities were on the north bank of the Assiniboine River at the Maryland Bridge. However, fire protection for the mainly wood buildings was inadequate, resulting in loss of life and property, and high insurance costs. In 1899, the City of Winnipeg purchased the system and began to use artesian wells rather than the foul river water. In 1904 a serious fire on Main Street threatened the entire business district and forced the City to pump Assiniboine River water into the mains. The contaminated water resulted in a typhoid epidemic with 1300 cases reported in the following days. ([[James Avenue Pumping Station\|Full Article...]]) </includeonly>
			</onlyinclude>

			<!-- Full article starts here -->
			Winnipeg’s first water system began in 1882 when a private company, Winnipeg Water Works Co., drew water from the Assiniboine River and distributed water by pipes to homes and businesses in the city core. The company’s intake and pumping facilities were on the north bank of the Assiniboine River at the Maryland Bridge. However, fire protection for the mainly wood buildings was inadequate, resulting in loss of life and property, and high insurance costs. In 1899, the City of Winnipeg purchased the system and began to use artesian wells rather than the foul river water. In 1904 a serious fire on Main Street threatened the entire business district and forced the City to pump Assiniboine River water into the mains. The contaminated water resulted in a typhoid epidemic with 1300 cases reported in the following days.

			Winnipeg was experiencing an economic and population boom during the 1890’s through the 1920’s. Shortly after the 1904 fire, the Fire Underwriters’ Association reported to Council that ‘the city would find itself deficient of 3 million gallons of water based on the present rate of service, with over half the homes not yet serviced by water mains’. The City’s groundwater pumping station and 6.3 million gallon reservoir was located on McPhillips Street near Logan Avenue, three kilometres from the business district. In 1905 a new 10 million litre per day well was dug but with the rapid population growth the supply was still inadequate. There was also a concern about drawing the water table down below the river level and thereby introducing contamination.While studies were undertaken on ways to develop an abundant supply of fresh, safe, potable water, City Council directed its engineer, Col. Henry Ruttan ‘to determine a long term solution to providing the rapidly growing business district with adequate fire protection in a manner which would not impair public health’. Large warehouses with wooden post and beam construction were springing up all over the warehouse district. These warehouses were part of a growing trade that supplied all of western Canada. A major problem the entrepreneurs were facing was Winnipeg's high fire insurance rates because of the limited ability of the fire department to fight fires.

			In 1905, Col. Ruttan proposed a dedicated fire protection system drawing water from the Red River at the foot of James Avenue. Council approved and directed him to complete the works. Ruttan partially designed the high pressure fire protection system in 1906 and supervised the construction to completion in 1908.


			::'''It is interesting to note that one of the largest fires was the J.H. Ashdown Hardware Store (Winnipeg’s merchant prince) on Main Street. In 1906 Ashdown won the city election for Mayor running on a platform recommending city ownership of utilities.'''


	<gallery>		<gallery>
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	~~== Summary ==~~		__NOTOC__
	~~<onlyinclude>~~
	Winnipeg’s first water system began in 1882 when a private company, Winnipeg Water Works Co., drew water from the Assiniboine River and distributed water by pipes to homes and businesses in the city core. The company’s intake and pumping facilities were on the north bank of the Assiniboine River at the Maryland Bridge. However, fire protection for the mainly wood buildings was inadequate, resulting in loss of life and property, and high insurance costs. In 1899, the City of Winnipeg purchased the system and began to use artesian wells rather than the foul river water. In 1904 a serious fire on Main Street threatened the entire business district and forced the City to pump Assiniboine River water into the mains. The contaminated water resulted in a typhoid epidemic with 1300 cases reported in the following days. <includeonly> ([[James Avenue Pumping Station\|Full Article...]]) </includeonly> </onlyinclude> Winnipeg was experiencing an economic and population boom during the 1890’s through the 1920’s. Shortly after the 1904 fire, the Fire Underwriters’ Association reported to Council that ‘the city would find itself deficient of 3 million gallons of water based on the present rate of service, with over half the homes not yet serviced by water mains’. The City’s groundwater pumping station and 6.3 million gallon reservoir was located on McPhillips Street near Logan Avenue, three kilometres from the business district. In 1905 a new 10 million litre per day well was dug but with the rapid population growth the supply was still inadequate. There was also a concern about drawing the water table down below the river level and thereby introducing contamination.While studies were undertaken on ways to develop an abundant supply of fresh, safe, potable water, City Council directed its engineer, Col. Henry Ruttan ‘to determine a long term solution to providing the rapidly growing business district with adequate fire protection in a manner which would not impair public health’. Large warehouses with wooden post and beam construction were springing up all over the warehouse district. These warehouses were part of a growing trade that supplied all of western Canada. A major problem the entrepreneurs were facing was Winnipeg's high fire insurance rates because of the limited ability of the fire department to fight fires.

	In 1905, Col. Ruttan proposed a dedicated fire protection system drawing water from the Red River at the foot of James Avenue. Council approved and directed him to complete the works. Ruttan partially designed the high pressure fire protection system in 1906 and supervised the construction to completion in 1908.

	::'''It is interesting to note that one of the largest fires was the J.H. Ashdown Hardware Store (Winnipeg’s merchant prince) on Main Street. In 1906 Ashdown won the city election for Mayor running on a platform recommending city ownership of utilities.'''

	== Col. Henry N. Ruttan: Winnipeg City Engineer ==		== Col. Henry N. Ruttan: Winnipeg City Engineer ==

Rbernier at 02:19, 20 September 2016

2016-09-20T02:19:41Z

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	<onlyinclude> <includeonly>		<onlyinclude> <includeonly>
	'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''		'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''
	[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75%\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]		[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]
	</includeonly> </onlyinclude>		</includeonly> </onlyinclude>

Rbernier at 02:18, 20 September 2016

2016-09-20T02:18:51Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:18, 19 September 2016
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	<onlyinclude> <includeonly>		<onlyinclude> <includeonly>
	'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''		'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''
	[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|~~500x500px~~\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]		[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|upright=0.75%\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]
	</includeonly> </onlyinclude>		</includeonly> </onlyinclude>

Rbernier at 02:02, 20 September 2016

2016-09-20T02:02:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:02, 19 September 2016
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	<onlyinclude> <includeonly>		<onlyinclude> <includeonly>
	'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''		'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''
	[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|~~300x300px~~\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]		[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|500x500px\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]
	</includeonly> </onlyinclude>		</includeonly> </onlyinclude>

Rbernier at 02:01, 20 September 2016

2016-09-20T02:01:12Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:01, 19 September 2016
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	<onlyinclude> <includeonly>		<onlyinclude> <includeonly>
	'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''		'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''
	[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|~~1000x1000px~~\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]		[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|300x300px\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]
	</includeonly> </onlyinclude>		</includeonly> </onlyinclude>

Rbernier at 02:00, 20 September 2016

2016-09-20T02:00:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:00, 19 September 2016
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	<onlyinclude> <includeonly>		<onlyinclude> <includeonly>
	'''James Avenue Pumping Station thumb\|~~upright=0.75~~\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980~~'''~~		'''James Avenue Pumping Station'''
	~~<gallery align="left">~~		[[File:JAinterior1980.jpg\|thumb\|1000x1000px\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980]]
	~~File:JAinterior1980.jpg~~
	~~</gallery>~~
	</includeonly> </onlyinclude>		</includeonly> </onlyinclude>

Rbernier at 01:42, 20 September 2016

2016-09-20T01:42:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:42, 19 September 2016
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	<onlyinclude> <includeonly>		<onlyinclude> <includeonly>
	'''James Avenue Pumping Station thumb\|upright=0.75\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980'''		'''James Avenue Pumping Station thumb\|upright=0.75\|James Avenue Pumping Station: Interior Machinery 1980'''
	<gallery\|left>		<gallery align="left">
	File:JAinterior1980.jpg		File:JAinterior1980.jpg
	</gallery>		</gallery>