Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-27
THE REMEDY.

1n& 1EMEQ4.
The construction Of city Water works
in any Of the usual ways is too tardy a
remedy for our acute disease. If the
money for their construction were in the
Treasurgsa ID In doubtful awhe Tier they
could be putin running order Id time 10
save usfrom destruction.
Besides, private advices from the great
acknowledgements of theyeountrys from
"Wali Street itself, say, !" City obliga-
tions are at great discount The coun-
try IN now fulIof city and county bonds,
issued for war purposes, and great diff
Guilty 10 found in placing such securities
at any price.
This is poor encouragemant to the
proposed issue Of city. bonds for a con.
siderable proportion Of the cost of wa
ter works, and admonishes us that we
must look to ourselves for the improve
ment Of our city.
The question reeurs, have I'VE all the
means necessary for remedying the
evils we labor under svithin ourselvest2
answer, without hesitation, zoe hare !;
and say that what we do, must be
done quickly.
Permit me to suggest for your con
sideration, the following xpedients In.
vestigation and discussion, which I in
vite, win show speedily how far my sug-
gestions are practicable
list Let the City Council order an
immediate survey of the Ganal up to the
Pigeon Summit Reservoir, including
that Reservoir, to ascertain the neces-
sary cost of repairs, and probable cost
of maintenance of the works. The city
has all necessary authority to make or
repair such works, under her charter, as
water works. 1t is believed that this
Reservoir, and this piece of canal kept
in repair, will furnish ample water for
our manufacturing and Ere department
purposes the year round, and for good
navigation at least half the year, and
that the gain to our citizens in the prices
of wood and coal, timber and lumber,
alone, would greatly exceed all cost Of
repairs, and maintenance. If found
practicable, it is not too late TO make
these repairs and secure the necessary
water from the spring rains, for the
use Of the city in she approaching dry
season. Il I IL 8 VI E A - ~s-A 2
I'd Construct Immediately strong
brick and cement water main in the
shape of sewer, from the elbow of the
canal to Pigeon Creek As it runs down
it may follow the canal, hugging one
bank all the way, or itmay .dlysrge at
Sycamore street and run down Sixth
street and join the canal again at Ann
street. This main must ba placed low
enough to receive a supply atthe low
nk 80 81 H. 1nwnaI ID 10
large enough for a man to work in and
clean il, and nstnbe pierced wherever
necessary for the use OF the water.
Sd. Drain and purify the canal from
the elbow to Pigeon Creek, and fill it up
at leisure. The Railroad can, if de-
sired, lay a temporary treek to and
along it, and fill it with earth from the
country at moderate cost, ss the whole
of Cairo ia being filed up, which is or
was deeper all over its site than two
such canals. ~ 81 ~ 4 -
4th. If survey of the canal and res
ervoir shall show that the expense of
repairs and maintenance will be too
great to be compensated by resulting
advantages to the city, which do not
apprehend, still, build the brick wafer
main 6uu uE6tut E1tlAJ 0uA III up tAU
canal. Meantime and Immediately pro-
cure and etsup suitable steam engine
and machinery for pumping supply OF
water all the year round from Pigeon
Creek, which furnishes, a never-failing
supply of good water for the purposes
named. There are no obstacles to the
control of the canal by the city for that
purpose till the permanent water-works
can be made. The surface levels
through the city are eminenfiy favorable
to laying down the brick main and to
making slight current from either ends
An emergency exists. The city Of
Evansville 10 equal to the emergency, il
she wills so to be. The labor and mg-
terial necessary are at hand IL, the or,
binary supply of bricks will not suffice,
order an extraordinary supply at once.
1t thousand or more cords Of firewood
are wanted to burn them, the railroad
cannot, and will not, refEse to furnish it
Tor such an emergency. If necessary,
let private improvements stand still
whilst the city usas the necessary labor
and material to save it from destruction
| or great peril When the health of the
people, and the very existence of our
industrial interests are at stake, we will
all make greater sacrifices than the pres
ent emergency can possibly call for. The
money, the materials and the man are