The Portland daily press., 1867-06-29

"A movement for the supply OF the city with
pare water from Sebago, has commenced IN
earnest and the prospect for such consum-
nation grows brighter every day. 1t would be
difficult to find city on this continent that
needs al abundance OF pure water moro taah
Portland and we go farther aud say, no city
has q lake OF purer water or more convenient
than this city Nature has done her part well
in giving US Sebago Lake on the one hand and
such harbor on the other, and now it remains
for our citizens to act well their part. Give US
n stream of pure water from Sebago to refresh
our city and make it clean, and give US the
contemplated Western railroad to pour its
stream Of traffic upon our wharyes from the
teening West' and Portland will receive 3
new impulse that will send her ahead and
make her large and prosperous city. Give
US these two things aud all else will GLOW IN
rapid succession. tlll. sF- IS ~ s-
This VAR question has been delayed long
enough. We have pure air and health-slVing
brseEes from the ocean. and now let us nave
pure water from Sebago Lake, ana PORTLAND
will become one of the finest watering places
on the Atlantic coast. We see by the Europe
an papers that London is in some trouble about
p1re water. The new water works have been
built some thirty years, and they are called
"new" because they were erected long after
the works to distribute the waters of the river
Thames were built The new works are about
SIX miles from the city, and the fountain is
only two or three springs that flow together
and their waters are pumped up into reser-
voirs. The works on the Thames are some ten
olN,, ,;t al
ell into reservoirs and filtered. But both these
sources combined form no such fountain as Se-
bago Lake. II the Londoners had this lake
they would soon spread its fame all over Eu.
rope. org 't ta'i '
A company is now prepared to bring this
water purer than the Cochituate as has been
proved by actual analysis, into the city, all
ready for distribution, on single condition
The work will be expensive. For the first Ten
years the enterprise caanot be remunerative
The company ask the city, as a measure Of re-
lief, to pay during the first ten years after the
water is actually here, the sum of $4,000 an
pually for the water which shall be wanted 70,
public purposes, in public fountains, at by
drants, in school houses and in other public
buildings. After the expiration of chat time
the city will be supplied gratuitously for ever
1t will cost us community, $500 900 to help
the company over their first difficulties, and
secure for ourselves an advantage SO greatly
needed. Is it a great price to pay? Why, one
of our hotel keepers said the other day he
would willingly pay $1,000 year for water in
his house. DIR. Fosters report on the sanitary
condition of Portland, has recently instructed
us as to the need of pure water to promote the
general health. Our growing manufactures
are needing more and more water every year
If at so comparatively moderate an expeidi-
ture, the city, awaiting itself of private enter
prises, can meet its necessities in this direction
we hope no untimely objections will be heard
We understlnd the company is ready to com
mence work in thirty days. and will expect to
have the water flowing through our streets
within two years 1t is a contamination de-
voutly to be wished. '