Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-11
NATIONAL iNTELLfGENCER.
SUPPLY OF WATER AND GAS TO CITIES.


before them an extract or two from the late able
report of the Committee on Public Hygiene, OF the
American Medical Association, of which committee
DIR. JAMES WyNNE, of Baltimore, was chairman.
WATER.
Pare water like pure air is essential requisite, that
presence is absolutely necessary to preserve human hte
Indeed, It's influence the human organization even
greater than that of the atmosphere for has been abundant
Ey Proved by many examples, in our large ce that lie
is enabled maintain itself while surrounded by noxious
and deeerious atmosphere but has yet to be shown that
the poisonous properties can be infused into wafer with
out Immediately inducing serious disease
But is only necessary that its quality should be good,
but that It's supply should be abundant in cies where 1t
required for numberess purposes, other than an ameh
which could not be dispensed WITH without great deImen
the comfort and morality OF their inhabitants among which
may be enumerated domestic purposes baths washing Streets
cleaning sewers manufactures and extinguishng hres
Waving the subject Of abundant supply OF water for
domestic purposes, question too seevident to be dis
cussed the committee would call attention to the remarks al
ready advanced in relation sewers and again the
cessity for active of through hen in order to
avoid depostes 1t be constantly kept in mind that an
absolute prerequisite for eecua DRAINAGE both for the
Sewers is coPous supply OF water without which
the best arranged structures would fail to effect this object
Whenever the quantity Of water furnished to town de-
fall upon The poor If there any parts Of which
possess unenvabe reputation Of bad drainage
consequent accumulaons Of filth, and excessive disease they
invariably inhabited by the poor The result of much OBJ
ervaton this subject has convinced the committee tina,
many of the evils and much the disease incident poverty
may be relieved by copous and failing supplies of pure
It would be great mistake imagine that the poor
incapable of estimating the advantages Of pure WATER or
would not avail themselves of it. The experience Of New
York and Philadelphia, which abundanty supplied
with water than any of the other cities in the United States,
has established this point beyond controversy. Thentoduc
ton of abundant supply of water intimately connected
with the health of city, that the municipal authorities should
rank this among the important Of their public duties In
connexon with this matter, the committee deeply i'm
pressed with the importance of combining the execution and
management Of such great works, supply of water, gas
and drainage, to the city authorities The public welfare is
deeply interested in their faithful performance, safely
permit them pass into the hands of incorporated companies
who, however high minded they may be- look them as
of revenue, and not objects of public good.
Letter from Pro sso WALTER R. JOHNSON Corresponding
Secretary of the National Institute, the introduction
of Uiater and Gas into cities
WAsHINGros, MARcH 81, ls49.
Dean Sin: In yur OF yesterday ask to be in
formed whether, in my opinion, the supply of aud
cities, we'll their drainage, should be under the
direction Of and conducted by, chartered companies or the
city authorities asd the reasons which have inclined
prefer the mode which deem advisable" .
In reply this inquiry, would that ir my opinion
all these important municipal matters ought unquestonaby 10
be controlled directly by the city authorities and be
allowed be left in the hands of chartered companies The
for this opinion may be briefly stated follows:
LIST. When managed by the municipal authorities who are,
every to which your inquiry relates to be
elected by and amenabe TO, the people Of the city,
the object KEEP. in view by the authorities will be likely
haf taui nf
lions, the greatest good Of the greatest number
3D. Under any trading corporation, however constituted
limited in its chartered privileges, the selfish motives OF trade
and speculation will inevitably find their WY in the man
agement and operations Of ae oks This is not mere
matter of conjecture but rests the experience of many
communities, and just inference fom he experience Of
those cities which have tried both species Of direction.
Sd 1t is also deducble from the anaoges other great
interests which by general consent managed by the
stuted authorities of the cities themselves and by copo
rate companies Thus the oenng maintaining, and cleans
ing public highways including the laying pay and
the construction of bridges; the maintaining of the public
the establishment and control of public market places
Che support Of public schoos the abatement of nusance
which would endanger public health; the establishment of
public prsons the management in Short of every
which ALL very great majority, of the citizens have COM
concern, directly IN point No would
think of entrusting these to corporate companies
Ala To illustrate my views in the Of ,cater may
Ter the experience Of the city Of Boston, where former
years. company, deriving from inadequate source
undertook supply the citz with that ndispens bic
<era and continued to receive compensation for such supply
long after had ceased be able the demands the
public the necessities Of its customers, until, length
the urgent Of the public pitch which compelled
the city resort to for obtaining that supply, sub
iect to the operations of trading corporation.
5h. may refer to the corresponding experience of many
in England, exposed in the elaborate reports of the
Royal British Commission the health of towns, prove
that the community there, when supplied with by cor
porate companies especially where those companies enjoy
lonopoes has almost every instance been Unfortunately
taxed for inadequate supplies. '..,
9th. But only the individuals who pay water are
liable be imposed upon both in price and quantity we'll
the quality of the furnished but supplies
particularly liable to be inadequate which aft dd by
porae companies TO the city authorities for public uses such
the washing Of streets and the extinction of fires.
h On the contrary have the experience Of those cities
and towns Of country, which have erected water
works under municipal direction prove the great utility of
that species of management Among these cities Phladel-
pha has had the largest experience having tried il about fifty
New York about oneseventh Of that Time and Boston
for few months only and yet would apprehend be an
exceedingly difficult task to persuade the nhabtants of either
OF these cites TO abandon their present system, ard again
sept such supplies o. water chartered companies would
afford.
9Th To public health The most abundant streams Of
water for cleansing streets and sewers and for supplying pr
baths ought be the command every individual in
large aid densey peoped city; and growing as rapidly as
-tucrican cities are, they cannot too early bethnk
themselves o this e!emet of health comfort temperance and
purity Public bah proper subs u for the private
Bathroom in ones own dwelling; any III n the public
pump substitute for The private hyda always ready to
send forth It's gushing stream at door.
9h II, Tor The purpose OF preventing mpos; IN by mo
uopolzing company, two corporations established
Zoe supplying the same dsi they must, Of necessity cross