Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-07-05

MEETING AT THE CAPITOL.
Al an adjourned meeting Of the persons qualified III
vote for nembers ofthe Common Hall, held q, the
Capitol. July Ist:-
Mr.. r. Rutherford, from the Committee, made a
report, which was read.
The Committee appointed to deliberate upon the
cxpcdicucy OF watering tho city Of Richmond in the
manner pointed out by Mr.. Stein, and to report what
tney CONCEIVE to be the bcst moans Of raising tho mo-
ney necessary for tho object, and from what sourcethe
principal and interest may be reimbursed in the most
equitable and least onerous manner to the c,tixens, to-
gether with any other matter theymay doom peril.
nent to tho subject.
REPORT.
That they deem an abundant supply Of nuye and
wholesome water not only oxped,ent. but of the
6rst importance. to the health andcomfort of
the inhabitants Of the city. In this convict;on
they are confident that there. is but one sentiment,
prevailing among their fellow citizens, while
they are aware Of the diversity Of opinion in reo.rd
Ia lhe most judicious and most equitable means of oh
tanning The object in view. II seems, too, to be al
most universally admitted, that in the adoption Of any
scheiae to provide d full supply Of watcr, DOT only for
domestic purposes, but for the security Of proper
~ from the rsvages OF fire, we should look to the
perinanency OF the work aud It's c~apabilrty to defuse
hsadvl ntages thro' every pat ofthe city. This benefit
eau only be acquired " res0rtiny to the river. and
the last scheme aud estimate furnished by Mr.. Stein
viii, in the opinion OF your Committee. fully accom-.
plish both objects. With regard to the use of river
water tor drinking and for culinary PURPOSES. thore cnp
be no question as to It's fitness after the experience of
SO many large towns in other countries, and of m.nv
IN vur own. The S~chuylkil at Philadclph,s, the Bar.
cywine ut Wilmington, the Ohio at CINCINNATI, and
the James River at Lynchburg, are ali found To sun
ply pure and wholesome water. The OHIO and the
Schuylkll are probably more turb,d streams than the
James River, and yet no sort of Inconvenience is felt
at Philadelphia Or Cincinnati IN consequence of the
very Judicious plan adopted in providing different re-
seryoirs in which all TIE impurities have time to sub
side before the water Is distributed. We have also
tho proof of the %saiubrity of the water of james Ri.
yer IN the fact, that 1t lie admirably adap,ed to long sea
voyages. Your COMMITTEE arc persuaded, that there
D no Instances of the inhabitants OF any town with
The advantage of a supply OF river water, ever resort
ing either TO sPriog or wells preference; and your
Coinmltiee are credioiy informed. hat where preju-
does against the use OF river WAFER have existed, there
Is now a continued increase of ~applcan, 9 Tor a supply
otit by converts to IT'S sa!ubrry On he score of security
against fire, your Committee need only mention one
r,ct, VIZ. that the insurance on houses IN the city of
Philadelphia ID per cent less Than IN the Liber-
Les, vhere the Inhabitants have not yet q full supply
of Schuylkill water. Tue important difference Of
o,inion on the subject IT watering the city, will be-
G,,nd 10 apply to the means OF accomplishing the OBJ
;ect. Your Committee are convinced, that supported
it,v the credit of the Corporation, the work may be
r1dertaken and completed without Imposing one ecu,
In the ehape oil taxes Oh the Inhabltsnts; anu that In
,Le ,snse Of some years, the water works mar, If
,oo,n.d equitable, even contribute TO the aenersl funds
of tho Corporation. The cost OF establishing that
monument OF enterprize anu WISDOM ut Fairmount,
was much larger IN proportion to the quantity OF wa
tor raised than will be that of the works proposed TO
bo 60, established here; and yet, after providing a sinking
fund of SI4,UOO per annum towards extingulshimg
the principal of the debt contracted In erecting the
works, III o sum vi S69,l78 has been returned " The
cofBers of The city OF Philadelphia, between the years
1ay6 and 1929 inclusive. Your committee confident
IL believe, that when the works here propossd shall
he put into operation, the watcr Tonts will not oniy
discharge the interest on The cost OF tl work, but
n .L--.. Et,, y,ald n alr nlrIa "a, ha anplioA a. .
sinking fund for the extinguishment of the principal
in the course of 70 or IS years. The Estimate OF Mr..
Stein for the cost Of the work l., ssO 1000. There are
6e4 tenements within the lines OF The pipes he Propo-
ses To Law down in the first INST ance, and allowing SIO
fo, the annual water rent Of each tenement, q cunsio-
cradle sum above the intercs, OF tho cost would DO
received; for although some of fhe occupants within
those limits NAV at first refuse to take water, a mum
Der of them would take an additional supply for pub
lie and private baths, and others Csach as the keepers
of taverns and boarding houses, confcctioners. hat
ters, Divers, DC Sc. would probably take q double
and often O triple quantIty-and there can be no
doubt, from tho experience of other places, that the
piocs will be greatly extended in o very short time
after the water shall be brought into the city, aud the
profits OF the work be thereby intellectually Increased
With this view Of the %eubjects referred TO them,
you. committee beg Leave 10 offer the following reso-
lutione:-
l.. Resoyped as the opinion Of this ~eommittes, That
it ia expedIent to establish works for supplying the
city of Richmond with water from James river.
4kfSOtpC0 luut ~ SSoaN SAa.o fAAsu
by DR. Stein should be adopted, with a larger main
pipe (s proposed in the FIRST estimated from the re-
servoir to tho city.
3. Resoived, That Gen. Harvies proposition for
furnishing the wosor power for the machinery, &c.
should be accepted.
4. Resotred. That the Common Hall should be 70
quested to devise a plan for borrowing $4,000, In
such portions as may be required as the work pro-
gresses, and that that body also b. requested TO pro-
vide for The psyment Of the interest thereof for the
FIST and second years, to be reimbursed out of the
water rents.
g.. Resolved, That Mr. Stein be- recommended as
the Engineer to construct the contemplated water
works.
Mr.. r. Rutherford also made a report from O mi
nority Of the Committee, as a substitute.
The Committee appointed to deliberate upon che
expediency Of watering the city Of Richmond, in the
manner pointed out by Mr. Stein, and TO report what
they conceive TO be the best means Of raising he mo-.
ney, necessary for the object, and from what sources
the principal and interest may be reimbursed in the
most equitable and least onerous manner 10 the citi
h.ns, together with any other matters hey may deem
pertinent to the subject, have given the most atten
tive consideration to The subject. which the shortEess