The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1865-09-23
LOCAL.
"There is a tide in the affairs of men,

oThere is tide in the affairs OF men,
which taken at its food leads on to fortune
The honorable Mayor of this city has issued his
to the voters of this city, requesting
t.o,, 70 exnress their sentiments in regard to the
.rbscription, on the part of the city, of five hun
dred thousand dollars to the proposed introduc-
+;on of water. This is a matter of much impor-
lance. and is pregnant with the future veal or
u,oe of Norfolk While the voters of this city are
thinking on this subject, we desire that they bear
in mind that at one time Norfolk had it in her
mower to purchase, for small sum, the Seaboard
and Roanoke railroad, but doubts, traitorous
doubts, arose and prevented the purchase; much
to the disadvantage of Norfolk. In addition to
this the city was importuned to build the gas
works, but old fogyism said it would not pay,
and for some time it hung fire, until finally
company was formed, and gas introduced by pri-
vate enterprise. When it was too late, the peo-
nile saw their error, and learned what the city
had lost.
Here, now, is presented a scheme for the intro
duction of that much-needed article water. The
city has it in her power to borrow the money, by
the hypothecation of water bonds, in sufficient
amount to bring the water into the city; and the
people are to decide the matter by their vote at
the polls. Let them bear in mind what has been
lost to this city by their former doubts, and come
manfully to the polls to vote for the water sub
scription. 1t is a positive disgrace that a city
with the age and magnitude of this should be
without water 1t is downright imposition on
the people that thereis not an abundant supply
Il lot And wi
be a reflection upon the good Judgment of the
people if they let this opportunity pass. Wake
up and let's be doing something Don't let's do
everything at once, don't run headlong into all
sorts of schemes that require the outlay of large
sums of money, and that may entail heavy taxa
ton without corresponding benefit; but let us
take hold of one thing at time, and as soon as
we are convinced that it is for the common good,
and is feasible let us put it through. And first
and foremost let us take up the water question,
and put it through on the 18th of next month.
The poor man need not fear that it will increase
his taxes there's no danger of that; the water
works will be selfsustaining institution, and
will cost the poor nothing but his rent fee,
and not even that if he sees fit to decline the use
of the water. The real estate owner need not
fear to cast his vote for the subscription for there
is little fear of its increasing taxation; and there
is general and well founded belief that it will
reduce the rates of insurance, and enhance the
value of every description of property.
This is no new subject here; for twenty years it
has been the almost constant theme; it has been
discussed in all its various aspects, both by the
press, and in public meeting, and the people are
fully convinced that water is the dss1deratum,
but the great trouble heretofore has been the want
Of funds. The city had invested largely in other
projects which looked to the common good, but
these Investments have increased taxation and
frightened the people, and led them to believe that
no investment that the city make will pays but
that every dollar she can invests, in any scheme
whatever is forever sunk and the people must be
forever taxed, with an ever-increasing tax, tomeet
the interest on bonds from which the money
was raised to meet these OUTLAWS. Here how
ever, is a project that wiU pay and there is
no fear of taxation Besides, the introduction OF
water will so materially improve the condition OF
the city, and so odd to her commerce and manu-
factures that the various schemes In which the
city has invested will be benefited, and by and by
they will begin to pay, and as they realise prohts
they will pay the interest on the money invested
in them, and thereby relieve the people OF the
burden. This water question will affect the whole
system of taxation. 1t will enable the railroad
and other interests of the city to declare dlyl-
dends because it will increase the business OF the
place, and instead of increase, will reduce the rate
of taxation. Without water, all the money now
invested by the city will go for nought and the
people will be forever burdened with the interest
on the outlay With water we will have struck
at its food that tide which will lead us on to for
tune.