Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-03-19
CITY AND STATE AFFAIRS.


Water Works. This is n subject Of deep interest
and importance To our community, and we canno;
doubt il will receive yonr careful consideration.
The undersigned. members of the Watering
Committee" of the City Council, have bestowed
our anxious attention on it, with earnest desire
to come to Just conclusion. and to promote the
welfare Of the City by the Recommendation wo
might make In the propriety of this recommen-
dation, we have heea ngihenel by the opinions
of ali who have fully informed themselves in re-
gard to 1t; and we NV propose to submit to the
public judgment some of the considerations which
have Influenced us in Jealous advocacy Of the
proposed measure. The limits proper to be OH
served in this communication, prevent any extern
del commentary or argument on the facts pre-
scented.
The cornerstone Of the present PumplIouse
was laid On the 23rd of August. 1923, and the wa
ter raised to the Reservoir on the 18th OF July,
1879. In tho report made to the Council by the
Watering Committee" in March, 1880, after
congratuating their fellow-citizens the success
full completion of the important work, the Com
mttee use this language
There is nothing, perhaps more requisite and
" Indispensable for the health. comfort and safety
"of cities and towns than an adequate supply OF
" wholesome water; and hence it has always been
considered desirable to procure this necessary
"article, even at great expense and labor. Since
" the invention of improved machinery, this dcsl-
sirable object is attained at much less cost OF
time and money; and, guided by the safe prece-
dent of successful experiment. and the expert
"ence Of scientific and practical engineering we
may look forward to an extension and wide dis
"triJuton of the blessings and comforts of an
= abundant supply of water in our sister towns
We ascertained, on looking to the number Of
persons within the range of the present Water
Works, and to the present capacity of the Pump
House and its machinery that the present supply
OF water was inadequate. eeen for those rlto nor
ul,.,,t
than $4,000 would be required and this without
an enlargement of the Pump-llouse or Reservoir.
And even with this expenditure, the supply Of
water was liable at any time to be cut OF by
rise in the river to given height, continued for
forty eight hours This state Of things called for
the application of some remedy
Again. we found that within the present tax
paying limits of the city, there two hundred
and torty-six families which could not he supplied
with water by of the Locations of the Rcscr-
voir. The larger portion Of the City de,ires no
heneft .Gom the Water Works.
In view Of these fac,s--secing that the safety Of
a large amount of property was imperiled to say
nothing Of the Inconvenience experienced by
large number of taxpayers, arising from the want
of an adequate supply of water for domestic pur-
poses-we desired to take some step which would
remedy the evils existing and We called to our as
sistance an able engineer, of enlarged scientific
and practical experience in works of this charac-
of the whole subject, he earnestly recommended
an extension Of the Water Works. upon the plan
presented by the Committed so that an adc-
quate supply of water might be furnished. not
only to all of the inhabitants within the present
limits of the City, but also to those in the suburbs
who would need the water in case Of an enlarge
ment of our corporate boundaries and thus Incl
dentally furnish to these latter a strong induce
ment to desire and seek such enlargement. lie
made two reports to the Committee, which
laid before the Council but they are too long to
be inserted here; though they may he seen by any
person wishing to examine them. lie says:
:" The size of the present Reservoir is clearly
"inadequatc to the present wants Of the City 1t
"only holds 100000 gallons; and, according to
the information have, the supply is only kept
up by incessant pumping. would advise you
:" to erect on the new site Reservoir capable Of
i" holding at least two and half millions of gal
LIONS Of water. This, estimate, would only be
:" five days supply for the City. after the pipes
care extended as far as they are needed"
The more we investigated the subject, the
stronger was our conviction of the Importance Of
some action upon it, nay of its urgent necessity,
if we expect our city to increase and citizens
generally to enjoy "Me heath, com fort, and sotty'
originally designed to be promoted by the cstab-
lishment Of Water Works. In other cities.
found that water in sufficient quantities for all do
nestle purposes and for protection against tho
perils of fire. regarded as Indispensable TO
their comfort, security and prosperity and that
expense was considered too great to procure it.
With us, our supply insufficient for any OF
these objects, and hence the prime necessity Of
some action in the matter. Even in pecnniary
point of view, without reference to personal com
forts dependent on t-simply as protection
against fre-u supply of water sufficient for that
purpose, is regarded as necessity in every city;
and where it can he obtained. cost has been
held too great to secure it. In the protection OF
Al
value, water in our city is worth more than it.
costs and when. in addition to this fact
certained that the larger portion Of the city was
deprived Of the use If the water and of its brnc-
fits in every form. thought that sound policy
ms did justice, required that some remedy should
be provided, and we seriously endeavorcd to pro-
vide the best
In surveying the subject in all its aspects we
could not disregard the fact that our city was al
ready heavily taxed But we thought the benefits
derived fully equal to the OUTLAWS made for them:
and that could we'll afford to make additional
improvements, prorided they did not invoke an
increase of taxes upon property already taxed
The improvement propost'd-grcat as will be It's
benefits to individuals and to the body corporate
nW notde .tmlored by an increase Of tie present
tares 10 The extent Of one dotiar; for the revenue
dnrivo1 from the present Water Works and the in
,crest OF the sinking Fund" will pay more than
scren per cent on TIE east of the Extension.
1t is estimated land the estimates cannot exceed
the amount by any sum worthy of notice. that the
/ ,~r.,vrment recommended will cost about 100000
.--.,-a' mo'e-in the bonds of the city, payable at
81 years after date. 1t has already leen stated
that nm outlay of $4,000 will be needed to con-
stitute the present Water Works of capacity sutf-
cient to supply chose who now use the water The
extension, therefore. will only involve an a4di-
Honal outlay of $50, 900. But if the whole oxpen-
dture be charged to Extension account, still we
repeat the assertion, that the present revenues
from the Water and interest on the "Sinking