Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-01-29
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

to assume control in case a joint service
should be required. 1t is evident there was
an entire misapprehension of the object in I
view. 1t was merely designed to meet a diff
fculty that might occur, and We think little
calm reflection will satisfy any one that the
step, so far from being an infringement on
the companies, is perfectly proper. So long
as they are fully organized and act together
harmoniously there would be no occasion for
interference, but suppose contrary state of
affairs, who so proper to decide as the Bur-
CESS? The most trivial matter sometimes
creates an excited feeling--an instance of
which we could readily give-that would pro
duce precisely the clse in which the interfe
renee of the Chief Burgess, or some other
person with like authority, would be called
for. 1t is apparent to US and many others
that eases may arise when such an officer
might be of service; and if the companies
object to one cut Of their department, let
them, tcih any degree of uRagimity. elect one
jointly, and we have no doubt the Council
will cheerfully rescind the appointment mere
ly made TO meet a difficulty that has not been
provided for.
What an excited feeling will do, was we'll
illustrated last week, by the construction put
upon our remarks relative to the fire. We
cast no reflection whatever in that article on
the conduct of those who were endcayoring
/ to do something with the apparatus, unless
+ stating the fact that most of the fremen. in
/ stead of attending to their apparatus, ran to
/ the fire, be considered one. The greatest
fault we had to find was that the Henderson
/ hose was n9t on the reel, and we gave it as
our opinion that had it been in its place some
water would have been thrown on the fire. It
is now alleged that the water was not turned
on as soon as it ought to have been, and that
it was the fault of the Water Company the
/ impression had got abroad there was no wa
ter. From circumstances that have since
traEspired, 1t is probable the plug in front Of
Dayiss shop vas frozen in the pipe. having
since burst, which would at once account for
no water being dleTc. What we stated in re-
latioh to the reservoir was derived from good
authority, and where we referred to other
facts, II was from personal co5Rizancc
One thing has been clearly established,
namely. that the water powcr in dry seasons
IS insufficient to supply that element at fres
This was the case at the fire in W. Market
street. at the destruction ef the Lutheran
Church, and more recently at the fra in
Brown street. by the terms Of the charter
as well a an agreement subsequently entered
into, the company is bound to use ali due
diligence to keep supply for oxtinguishing
6res, as we'll as general use. The term is
somewhat indefinite, still the question may
arise whether the company is not bound, both
in equity and law, to furnish supply with
out resorting to stopping Oft at night-for we
regard that as a serious evil, as fifteen or
twenty minutes must always elapse in such
cases between an alarm Of fire aud flow Of
water. Although there is n disposition at
present among the managers to do something.
we fear that disposition may, as it too fre-
quently does, dwindle down into drawing
few small springs into new or the old res
eryoir, which are sure to fail when water will
be most wanted We believe the time has
arrived when the Kishacoquillas ought to be
resorted to-we care not at what point or in
what modc-aud such quantity furnished as
to give general lcence for It's use for al
purposes. This would be 4 strong induce
ment for almost every property holder in
toxin to take it, and we have 10 doubt that in
a few years the company could rs readily de-
clare a dividend of six to eight per cent. on
capital stock Of $25 900 or So, 900, as they
now can on their present capital. Jacobs
(late Shaw's) mill would be the most eligible
site for such a purpose. and if it can he secu-
red at reasonable rate ought to be purchased,
with all the water rights belonging TO it
The water, the power to raise it, and q ridge
for reservoir are Oh the spot-leaving moth
ing IL be done but the erection Of force pumps,
constructing 4 reservoir, and laying about
1000 yards Of pipe to intersect the main pipe
in Valley street. This done, we should have
water enough to supply town ten times the
size Of Lewlstown, and Of course an abun-
dance for all purposes, whether for fire, for
/ household or manufacturing uses.
THE Poor HousE-We publish to-day
statement Of the settlements made by the
Auditors with the Treasurer and Steward.
which are published in more satisfactory
manner than heretofore, but arc still far from
showing the real transactions of the estab-
lishment during the year, as it will be percei-
we'd that over $4,000 are out il unpaid orders,
of which the public will get no account until
they are paid. The present board set out
with the avowed purpose Of making reform
in the expenditures, and we would suggest