Before filling, the inside of the tank was given a plaster coat,
consisting of 1 part cement to 1-3/4 parts of fine sand. This proved to
be insufficient to prevent leakage, the water seeping through the dome
and appearing on the outside of the structure along the line of the
bottom of the rings. Three more coats were then applied over the entire
tank, and two additional ones over the dome and about 8 ft. up on the
sides, and, except for one or two small spots which show just a sign of
moisture, the tank is perfectly tight.

The barrel of the tower was carried up to a height of 66 ft. A special
set of inside forms, about 2 ft. high, extending to the springing line
of the dome, was then put in, and the dome forms were set up on it. The
idea was that this 2-ft. form could be knocked out piece by piece and
the weight of the dome form taken on wedges to the last 6-ft. form,
these wedges being gradually slackened down in order to allow the dome
form to settle clear of the dome. As a matter of fact, this was done,
but the dome forms, being very tight, did not settle, and had to be
pried off a section at a time. A similar method was used for slacking
down the roof forms, with similar results.

After the dome forms had been put in, the concrete was carried up
approximately to the elevation of the bottom of the rings. Small neat
cement pads were then put in and accurately leveled, and on these the
steel rings were placed, and the steel tank was erected.

In order to insure a perfectly round tank, each course was erected
against wooden templates accurately centered and fastened to the inside
scaffold. The tank is the ordinary type of light steel, the lower course
being 3/16-in., the next, No. 8 B. w. gauge, the next, No. 10 B. w.