The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-06-23

The following respectful suggestion to the gen.
s'nemen composing the Water Board" appeared
in the advertising columns of Tuesdays San
|fp PUBLIC FoUNTAINS-It is respectfully sug-
W gested to the gentlemen composing the
Water Board, that the vicinity of North Charles and
Eager Chase streets would be very suitable
Fountain and Jet The proximity OF the upper reservoir
to this point and its great elevation would pre-
sent very strong reasons in its favor in addition which
1t Is rapidly becoming the promenade for the ladies and
gentlemen of our city.
The Postofce is simply place of business, frequened
Dy tradesmen, mliners and mantua makers who have
neither time taste for the appreciation and
Indeed the erection of beautiful fountain in the latter
locality would be great absurdity establish
botanical garden at Fels Point the Causeway
MT. VERNON PLACE.
In republishing the above gratis, it is scarcely
necessary for US to disclaim any sympathy with
the peculiar notions of the writer on the subject
of Public Fountains, and the capacity of Grades
''men, milliners and mantua-makers'' to appre.
ciate draught Of cold water. Neither have we
any very serious apprehension that his scheme
will find favor in the eyes of the gentlemen COM
posing the Water Board" 'It Vernon Place"
who-if he be not the proprietor of eligible lots
for sale, Gin the vicinity of North Charles, and
'Eager or Chase streets, lis evidently, a bit of
asnob-has no conception, apparently, of the use
full properties of INDEPENDENTLY as a means
of quenching thirst. He looks at the subject from
purely asthetical point of view, and with exclu-
sive reference to the comparative advantages of
the Post-ofice and of the location he recommends
as site for a jet eau. Now it is precisely in
the dusty, heated thoroughfares of business, and
for the benefit of the very trades-people and arti
sans whom he despises-that we think public
fountains are most needed, and would have not
one only, but fifty of them established We are
in the habit of regarding water as one of the COM
monest things in life, and as being only less cheap
than air and light ITSELF sun-light we mean, not
gas-llght) Yet who of US, in the long, hot days
OF summer, and in the streets even of this popu-
lous city, has not thirsted for drink of water,
and not known where to obtain it? 1t is true,
there is hydrant in almost every yard, and by
ringing any body's door-bell, or upon respectful
application to the occupants of any kitchen, one
may almost anywhere procure a glass of water
But that is n liberty which few persons would lk,
to take, and rather than make such request tn,
thirsty wayfarer will most likely stop at the mex
bar-room or soda-fountain, and substitute juleI
or a cobbler for the pure clement he prefers, O.
likes not half so we'll In Europe, and particularly
in the cities of Southern Europe, they manag
these things better. In addition to numerous
public fountains, water is sold in the street;-a
sultry noon, the water-carrier, with his earther
jar slung across his shoulder, or borne before him
the back ola diminutive donkey, forms picturesque
feature in almost every group. We are glad to Sc,
thatin our own country also the subject ofree wate
is beginning to attract attention 1t is true, that
scheme to open fifty public fountains on Broad
way has just been defeated in the Common Council
OF New York city; the reason for which is probably
correctly given by contemporary in the pertinen
suggestion, that fountains have no votes, and fret
fountains can buy none;" while the grop-shops
with whose business they might interfere Gar,
"notoriously prolific of votes" Let not our Cit,
Council be deferred, however, from undertaking
the same good work by any such consideration
In order to have fountains, we must buy iror
pipes and pillars and marble basins, and although
after the scurvy treatment which the Railwa,
Assignees have recently sustained at our hands
we can hardly expect another Philadelphia Asso
citation to apply for the contract, there ma,
doubtless be found among our own citzens-per
haps, in their own honorable body-some philan
thropic individual willing to pay handsomely TO
the job. Let us have the fountains, then, by al
means, and besides earning the gratitude of tn
wayarer in our streets, and of the stranger within
our gates, we shall have the satisfaction of doing
more for the cause of temperance in our city, thar
could possibly be effected by the closing of twice
many dram-shops