The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-14


ting community with draught Of pure water, an
article which flows such abundance under the
payements Of every street in the metropolis
Not solitary public hydrant or public fountain
where the weary traveller on our hot and dusty
highways can cool bis lips This is a shameful
neglect. The large cities Of most other countries
are well supplied in this respect, and where such
is not the case, humanity and regard for public
health are rapidly prompting the benevolent to
furnish drinking places for The people.
An association Coz ,hs purpose has been re-
Gently formed in London, ~ * ss,sesye that
the first public drinkips, Soantaia In that metro
polls was opened via great ceremony a few
weeks ago at the corner Of GiIispur and Skinner
streets, near the churchyaTd Of ST. sepulchre's.
daughter of the Archbishop Of Canterbury in
augurated the opening, and drank from silver
goblet the first draught of water, while the pre-.
sence of many distinguished persons, aud the
immense gathering Of people who witnessed tn
proceedings, evidenced that the Londoners appre
ciatc the blessing which has fallen to their lot
Yet the climate Of London is not 80 hot nor so
dry as ours. On the contrary, it is dull and often
moist. Nor are there, in proportion to the popu-
lation, greater number of persons of the poor
and laboring classes traversing the streets there
than here. If the want Of public drinking foun-
taius is felt so much in London, then, that an
association of philanthropists has been formed to
provide them for the people, what can we say for
New York?
But it would appear, from a communication
in another column. that narrow spirit animates
the Croton Aqueduct Department upon this
question, which We think is highly reprehensible.
When private citizen proposed to do that
which the Corporation should do, namely, erect
public hydrant and drinking cup at his own
expense for the benefit of his thirsty fellow citi-
zens, the Department met his application for
permission with positive refusal. The tempe
rance societies should take hold of this idea. A
good supply Of pure cold water within reach of
the people would keep many man out of the
grcgshop. Let the temperance reformers follow
the example of the London people, and they win
effect more for the cause than all the anniversa-
res ever celebrated or the tracts ever distributed
have done.
Public fountains are established in other Eng
lish cities-Liverpool, Hull aud Derby-and it is
proposed in London to erect these public foun-
tains- which are simple and economical struc-
lures, indented into blank wall--in the vicinity
Of churches. This is an excellent idea it strikes
us, and if we had q fountain near every church
in this city the spire would guide the thirsty
traveller TO the spot where he might be re-
&resbed
Let us have the public bydrauts by all means.
STEAMSHIP TRAVEL on The ATLANTIC
A SENtDAmY LINE.--As an instance of the
immense transatlantic travel by steamships at
the present time, merchant of this city
received letter the other day from his
correspondent in Liverpool, complaining of
the difficulty of avoiding duplicating his in
formation, in consequence of the frequency of
the sailipgs from the different English ports for
this country. No doubt it must be somewhat
embarrassing; but the multiplicity of steamers
crossing the ocean is nevertheless an evidence
Of the immense traffic and travel going on be-
tween the two continents. For example, there
were no less than six steamers left English ports
for America within four days, from the 10th to
the 10th Of last month, as follows