World's. Largest Redwood Tank

Reproduced above is a photograph of the largest Redwood tank in the world. It has an inside diameter of 130 feet, with 17 f.eet inside depth and a capacity of. 1,692,ffi gallons. This important structure was designed, manufactured and erected by the Little River Redwood Company for the city of Pasadena, California.

The tank is used by the city in its sewage disposal plant and Redwood was chosen by the engineers for the city because of its resistance to decay or disintegration regardless of the severity of conditions. Before deciding upon the use of a Redwood tank of this unprecedented size, the engineers in charge investigated the record of Redwood tanks used in chemical and mining processes and were able to verify the records of extraordinary durability achieved under many different conditions of use. It was impossible to use a steel or concrete tank because of the disintegration of the former and the lack of water-tightness of the latter under the ordinary conditions of service.

Also, as exhibiting the faith of the engineers in Redwood, the conditions under which this tank will operate provide for its being emptied and filled once each diy, obvibusly a more difficult service than if the tank were kept constantly filled.

The staves for the tank are made from 4inch stock finished 3fu, inches thick. More than thirty tons of steel hoops are required to bind the staves and to carry the internal pressure induced by the great contents of the tank. The design provides many special features suited to the unusual size of the structure and including, among others, an ar- rangement at the top of the tank to provide stiffness against deformation from wind pressure or other causes.

The Little River Redwood Company has been active in prosecuting the development of importint structures of this kind, believing that the lumber industry is best served by examples of the possibilities of wood construction that go beyond the ordinary range of affairs. Undoubtedly even the layman will concede the possibilities of heavy wood construction when adopted by municipal engineers of the first standing after careful investigation. If the use of lumber for important structures is to continue, it must follow as a result of active effort and demonstration of the possibilities by those familiar with its properties and use.

It may also be mentioned that not only has this company successfully installed by far the largest wood tank ever built, but in the manufacture of other technical equipment they have kept abreast of sound engineering thought and have been instrumental in advancing the interests of the lumber trade as a whole by their active campaign on behalf of the industry. An experienced engineering staff is maintained both in San Francisco and New York to analyze and determine the possibilities of wood construction in any given case submitted to them.

The Pasadena tank project was carried out under W. C. Earle, City Engineer, and A. H. Wyman, Superintendent of Sewage Disposal. J. P. Barry, Consulting Engineer for the Little River Redwood Company, acted for the latter in the design of the tank,. \