The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-28
" GIVE US WATER, OR WE PERISH"


GIVE US WATER, OR WE PERISH"
Norfolk is almost surrounded by water
and yet strange to say during create
portion of the year, her people are very
nearly reduced to the unhappy condi
ton of the ancient mariner, will
water, water everywhere and scarce
drop to drink" The city is entirely de
pendent on the bountiful skies for sup
ply of this useful beverage, and neces
sary agent to cleanliness, and were
Heaven, in its just anger at a people who
have shown themselves so improvident
and careless of their own welfare as to
depend entirely upon its bounties, to
close its windows, cut off the supply,
and refuse to further encourage those
who will not help themselves, by with
holding its abundant, refreshing and re-
plenishing showers, the people would
perish of thirst; for the clouds are now
their only hope, and their Incidence, in
action, and want of energy would pre-
vent them from making efforts to obtain
supply from any other quarter. Should
the rains fail us, Heaven help the people,
for we know not what would become
of them. Their show not to do it"
policy has entered into the very marrow
of their bones, and become the rule and
guide of all their actions. They have
been talking about supplying their city
with water for the last century, and are
farther now from the adoption of any
feasible plan than when the question
was first raised. They arefully impressed
with the urgent necessity of having
constant and abundant supply of good
and wholesome water, but are appalled,
at the immensely of the undertaking, at
the exertion, labor and money it will
require; and so they postpone action in
the matter year after year, relying upon
their stagnant cisterns, filled with dead
vermin and the filth of the cutters. They
procrastinate from day to day, fOolishly
delaying to more convenient season a
work which they should long since
have had completed, and which might
have been source of revenue to the city
aquarter Of a century ago. This lethargy
/, is most shameful in the people Of large
commercial town, and should be no
further INDUCED. 1t is contrary to the
spirit of the age, and must be shaken of
at once. 1t is a grievous sin-a burden
that we can no longer afford to bear, and,
with many other dead weights, we must
cast it into the sea of the past, if we
would ride safely in the harbor OF the
future.
Every citizen of Norfolk sees and feels
the necessity of an abundant supply of
good water for all the purposes of life; it
is essential to the safety, the prosperity
and the cleanliness of the city,-facts
that are SOY well known, and SO apparent,
that it seems like q waste of words to
call the attention of the public to them.
Water is the one thing desirable to make
Norfolk manufacturing city, and the
centre of mechanical arts. Had we a
plentiful supply, manufactures OF all
kinds would flourish and besides CIV
ing work to thousands would add to the
wealth and population of the place, and
enhance the value of property; and
when we consider that for the CONF
paratively small outlay of half mil
lion dollars, the wholesome waters
from the Dismal Swamp can be poured
through our streets in torrents, we
are astonished that our capitalists,
or the city authorities should for mo-
ment hesitate about undertaking this
important improvement. A charter in
cooperating the Norfolk City Water
Company, was obtained from the Legis-
lature in 1856, the work surveyed, and
cost estimated, and there it was left; and
unless some public-spirited parties move
in the matter, we are likely to continue
to experience our present necessities for.
ever. We need water, as a beverage,
for culinary purposes, to keep our city
clean, to put out fires, and above all, for
mechanical and manufacturing uses;
and there is no good reason why We
should not have it ut once. Either let
the city undertake the work without
further delay, or let our citizens form
themselves into joint stock company,
raise the money, aud construct the ne
cessary works. The Investment will
prove profitable in every way, 1t will
not only put money in thepockets Of The
stock holders, i'm the way of large divi-
dends, but by the encouragement and
impetus it will give to the establish
ment of manufactures, it will increase
the wealth and population OF the city,
and the value of oursproperty. VINO
will be the first to make a move in this
matter aud win for himself the gratitude
of the people, and renown as an en-
lightend and public-spirited benefactor
of the city?
vynUyNc snxx~r,,