The Portland daily press., 1868-07-25

Ihe questlon OF supplying large cities with
pure water, dates back to the earlies times of
which there is any record The local sources
OF supply, such as springs and wells, not only
utterly fail to furnish water for manufacturing
uses, but also for the domestic wants of large
collections of people. Hence nearly all the
great cities of the world have appropriated the
skill of the engineer to conduct this indispen-
sable element from natures great basins to
their very doors. Jerusalem, ages ago, receiv-
ed its supply of water from the "pools of Sol
omon," six miles distant, and the modern city
is watered from the same source Rome at one
time had twenty-four aqueducts, which sup
piled the city of one million inhabitants with
fifty million cubic feet of water daily One of
these brought the water from point sixty
thee miles in the interior
Several of these aqueducts still exist and
are in use for their original purpose, thus de-
monstrating that work of this kind is not
for day or a generation, but for centuries and
ages. The water works of Marseilles, France
are sixty miles in length and were twenty
years in course Of construction, costing more
than twelve millions OF dollars. The Croton
water work of New York City are probably
~-~oSS ",
though perhaps not so bold in their concep-
ton as the Chicago Lake Tunnel, over VIII ich
the denizens of that city were so much excited
short time since. The aqueduct belonging
to these works, is forty and one-half miles in
length, the water being brought from an arti-
ficial lake, formed by throwing a dam across
Croton river. The capacity of course is limit
ed and liable to be entirely exhausted, if New
York increases in population, as it is expected
it will These works cost $12, 500, ,OO0 Boston
water is brought twenty miles and cost nearly
six millions of dollars. Philadelphia is sup
piled by pumping the waters of the Schuylkill
into reservoirs upon Fairmount Hill. The wa.
ter thus obtained, after receiving all the filth
OF great city must carry in solution elements
which are neither agreeable to the taste, nor
conducive to health. Nearly all the cities of
any size, in this country, have taken some steps
towards the introduction of pure water, all
seeming to regard it as essential to the COM
mercialand individual prosperity of the in
habitants, as it is to their cleanliness and
health.
With these statements as to other cities. if
gives us pleasure to write that Portland is not
behind them in availing herself of the advap
tages which the introduction of pure water al
ways brings.
There is no city in the world whose condi
tions are so favorable for the success of a work
of this kind. We are only forty miles from an
inexhaustible supply. Lake Sebago covers an
area including Long Pond, its principal trim
tary, OF more than one hundred and fifty
square miles, is navigable for steamers of con-
siderable Size for more than forty miles. ana
contains water enough to supply twenty mil
lions of people. We do not claim that PORT
land will ever reach this population, and bence
can safely say that the quantity of water 10
sufficient to meet all the demands that evor
will be made upon it,
This great natural reservoir is two hundxod
and seventy-four feet above the CITY leve, On
that the water by the mere force eff cravitat;or
can be thrown from the hydrants, over the
highest building, on the highest point. in this
city. The day of street sprinklers and fire on.
glnes is gone. Every house in the city will
have the means of extinguishing fires, eoual
to an ordinary steam fire engine, by simnlv at-
taching hose to the house faucit, grayitation
propelling the water into any part of the bp,,5-
ing. In the single item OF insurance rates
there will be a saving of at least one hundred
thousand dollars per annum to the citizens of
Portland iindeed some companies have already
reduced their rates in anticipation of water
1t can be readily seen that the great fire wonld
have been stopped long before it was. had
every building in discourse been supplied with
faucit and hose. The benefits of an abundant
water supply being so many and so great, and
the city of Portland being so vadvantageouslv
situated in regard to obtaining it, it is fit SUBJ
ject for congratuation that the great work has
already been entered upon, and that the water
is almost at cur very doors. Marseilles waited
twenty years after the ground was broken be-
lore she was gladdened at the sight of the spark
ing liquid. The citizens of Boston were two
years engaged in the enterprise before the
spray of Cochituate formed rainbows on tn .
common. But the people of Portland do not