267
Madama, Monte Rotondo, St. Orestes, and many other places (Secchi 1877: 74;
Buonora 1992: 102–103). These inspections examined the reliability of the springs
over time, determining whether their elevation made them suitable for use, identifying the most convenient locations for pipelines, and eventually setting up a service
for pumps to be built as was actually done in Anagni, Frosinone, and Terracina.
7
For both economic and scientific reasons, he was opposed to the use of steampowered pumps, whose emission into the atmosphere was already causing negative
effects on the climate (Secchi 1866: 57). He always preferred to exploit gravity to
power the flow of water.
Between 1861 and 1865, Father Secchi and the engineer Giuseppe Olivieri
planned and supervised the construction of the plant that would bring drinking
water from the top of Mount Cacume to the fountain in Patrica’s square. Patrica was
the birthplace of his faithful assistant and dear friend, Brother Francesco Marchetti
(1823–1898); Marchetti took care of all the administrative phases of the procedure,
maintaining a close correspondence with the municipal, provincial, and central
authorities.
8
A water wheel was built at Anagni in 1862 that powered four pumps to
lift water up to the city. Drawbacks encountered in the first construction were solved
after Secchi’s intervention, who suggested the modification of some parts of the
mechanism. The subsequent reliability of their operation persuaded everyone of the
real usefulness of these devices. The scientist seized that opportunity for a first test
of modern pipelines made of tubes joined with elastic rubber gaskets, learning from
them for further applications (Secchi 1865a: 5–7).
Also in 1862, during a trip to the mountains of Subiaco, he traveled through the
nearby plains of Arcinazzo and Guarcino. After visiting the famous Chartreuse of
Trisulti, he met Bishop Gaetano Rodilossi in Alatri, who told him of the suffering of
7 (APUG, Carte A. Secchi, cart. 3 “Memorie sulla derivazione dell’Aniene; sopra i fiumi; sulle
acque potabili” [“Memories on the derivation of the Aniene; above the rivers; on drinking water”];
cart. 112 “Domande di Municipi al P. Secchi per le acque” [Requests from Municipalities to
P. Secchi for the waters]. ASRm, Collezioni disegni e mappe - Collezione I, cart. 1, ff. 1–8 “Alatri.
Condotti delle acque di Trovalle e di S. Aniello” [“Alatri. Water pipelines of Trovalle and
S. Aniello”]; cart. 101, 95–1 “S. Oreste. Serbatojo di acqua potabile e conduttura” [“S. Oreste. The
reservoir of drinking water and pipeline]. 1869. Ferentino, Archivio storico comunale, b. 142, fasc.
403 “Piano di esecuzione per la condotta di derivazione dell’acqua potabile dalla acropoli di Alatri
alla piazza del seminario in Ferentino …” [“Plan of execution for the pipeline for the derivation of
drinking water from the acropolis of Alatri to the square of the seminary in Ferentino …”],
1866–1867. Patrica, Archivio storico comunale, b. 3, fasc. 5 “Costruzione acquedotto di Cacume”
[“Construction of the Cacume aqueduct”], 1835–1870; fasc. 6 “Conciliazione con il principe
Colonna” [“Conciliation with Prince Colonna”], 1864. Priverno, Archivio storico comunale, b. 88,
fascc. 688 “Fontane e acquedotti” [“Fountains and aqueducts”], 692 “Acquedotti” [“Aqueducts”],
1852–1872; b. 22 “Palazzo vecchio, prigioni, acquedotto” [“Old palace, prisons, aqueduct”],
1868–1872. “S. Oreste, Archivio storico comunale, b. 3, fasc. 1 “Storia acquedotto – Progetto
Secchi” [“History of the aqueduct – Secchi Project], 1864–1925)
8 (Patrica, Archivio storico comunale, b. 3, fasc. 5 “Costruzione acquedotto di Cacume, 1835–1870;
fasc. 6” Conciliazione con il principe Colonna, 1864. Roma, Archivio Provinciale dei Missionari
del Preziosissimo Sangue, Archivio Moretti, cart. 10; Una stanza per Refice, Dialoghi. Colagiovanni
2015. Thanks to Gioacchino Giammaria for reporting documents and the brochure).
16 Secchi’s Science in the Service of the Public
Madama, Monte Rotondo, St. Orestes, and many other places (Secchi 1877: 74;
Buonora 1992: 102–103). These inspections examined the reliability of the springs
over time, determining whether their elevation made them suitable for use, identifying the most convenient locations for pipelines, and eventually setting up a service
for pumps to be built as was actually done in Anagni, Frosinone, and Terracina.
7
For both economic and scientific reasons, he was opposed to the use of steampowered pumps, whose emission into the atmosphere was already causing negative
effects on the climate (Secchi 1866: 57). He always preferred to exploit gravity to
power the flow of water.
Between 1861 and 1865, Father Secchi and the engineer Giuseppe Olivieri
planned and supervised the construction of the plant that would bring drinking
water from the top of Mount Cacume to the fountain in Patrica’s square. Patrica was
the birthplace of his faithful assistant and dear friend, Brother Francesco Marchetti
(1823–1898); Marchetti took care of all the administrative phases of the procedure,
maintaining a close correspondence with the municipal, provincial, and central
authorities.
8
A water wheel was built at Anagni in 1862 that powered four pumps to
lift water up to the city. Drawbacks encountered in the first construction were solved
after Secchi’s intervention, who suggested the modification of some parts of the
mechanism. The subsequent reliability of their operation persuaded everyone of the
real usefulness of these devices. The scientist seized that opportunity for a first test
of modern pipelines made of tubes joined with elastic rubber gaskets, learning from
them for further applications (Secchi 1865a: 5–7).
Also in 1862, during a trip to the mountains of Subiaco, he traveled through the
nearby plains of Arcinazzo and Guarcino. After visiting the famous Chartreuse of
Trisulti, he met Bishop Gaetano Rodilossi in Alatri, who told him of the suffering of
7 (APUG, Carte A. Secchi, cart. 3 “Memorie sulla derivazione dell’Aniene; sopra i fiumi; sulle
acque potabili” [“Memories on the derivation of the Aniene; above the rivers; on drinking water”];
cart. 112 “Domande di Municipi al P. Secchi per le acque” [Requests from Municipalities to
P. Secchi for the waters]. ASRm, Collezioni disegni e mappe - Collezione I, cart. 1, ff. 1–8 “Alatri.
Condotti delle acque di Trovalle e di S. Aniello” [“Alatri. Water pipelines of Trovalle and
S. Aniello”]; cart. 101, 95–1 “S. Oreste. Serbatojo di acqua potabile e conduttura” [“S. Oreste. The
reservoir of drinking water and pipeline]. 1869. Ferentino, Archivio storico comunale, b. 142, fasc.
403 “Piano di esecuzione per la condotta di derivazione dell’acqua potabile dalla acropoli di Alatri
alla piazza del seminario in Ferentino …” [“Plan of execution for the pipeline for the derivation of
drinking water from the acropolis of Alatri to the square of the seminary in Ferentino …”],
1866–1867. Patrica, Archivio storico comunale, b. 3, fasc. 5 “Costruzione acquedotto di Cacume”
[“Construction of the Cacume aqueduct”], 1835–1870; fasc. 6 “Conciliazione con il principe
Colonna” [“Conciliation with Prince Colonna”], 1864. Priverno, Archivio storico comunale, b. 88,
fascc. 688 “Fontane e acquedotti” [“Fountains and aqueducts”], 692 “Acquedotti” [“Aqueducts”],
1852–1872; b. 22 “Palazzo vecchio, prigioni, acquedotto” [“Old palace, prisons, aqueduct”],
1868–1872. “S. Oreste, Archivio storico comunale, b. 3, fasc. 1 “Storia acquedotto – Progetto
Secchi” [“History of the aqueduct – Secchi Project], 1864–1925)
8 (Patrica, Archivio storico comunale, b. 3, fasc. 5 “Costruzione acquedotto di Cacume, 1835–1870;
fasc. 6” Conciliazione con il principe Colonna, 1864. Roma, Archivio Provinciale dei Missionari
del Preziosissimo Sangue, Archivio Moretti, cart. 10; Una stanza per Refice, Dialoghi. Colagiovanni
2015. Thanks to Gioacchino Giammaria for reporting documents and the brochure).
16 Secchi’s Science in the Service of the Public