The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-05-11
From the Evansville CourIer.1
Water HOrks-Au Address TO TIT
DnnnIn
To the VoLgrs OF EvansvIlIe !:


People.
To the Voters of Evansville:
The subscribers were recently ap-
pointed a standing committee by the
Council, upon the subject of
Water Works.
After such investigation as we could
make, withou. too much de-
lay, we reported to the Council that
we were satisfied Water Works. upon
the Holly plan, could be constructed
for the sum Of $168,000. in round
numbers, including eight miles Of
maios and small pipes. We thereup-
on recommended that the question Of
the construction of Water Works
should be submitted to.a vote of the
people, and an election was according
" ordered for the 18th inst.
10 ordering this election, we may
say that we were mainly governed by
this consideration: IF the people
voted against Water Works, we
should not feel authorized to enter
into negotiations, or to expeud a sin
gle dollar In surveys and scientific
examinations for the purpose of as
c%ertainiDg the feasibility of erecting
such works. If the popular verdict
was found In favor Of building them,
then we would feel authorized I o have
suitable Investigations made, but
would not attempt to close a contract,
of any character, without being clear
" informed as to the maximum cost
of every separate part of the works,
and unless we could see clearly that
the works were not to be a burthen
upon the people in the way of oner-
Gus taxes.
We desire now to say that the ex-
preston of the people on the 18th
inst, if favorable to Water Works, as
we hope it will be, will only be re-
garded as a direction to the Council
to make suitable investigation by sciI
entiic men upon the feasibility of OBJ
tanning an abundant supply of water;
whether the water of the Ohio River
may be made pure by a process of fill
trationi the proper site for the
works; their entire cost when COM
pleted and ready for use; the terms
upon which payment is TO be made,
and the time when the people may
hope to be supplied with water.
VIZ are satisfied that if the Holly
system is put in operation in Evans
vile, that it will be so popular an i'm
provement within the first year there
after, that the people would not dis
pose Of the Works on any account
whatever. But, as prudent managers,
VIZ feel it to be our duty to guard
against the possibility of mistakes,
which might otherwise mako what was
designed to be a great public benefit,
a public calamity. And we earnestly
desire to impress upousfhe people this
important truth-that a vote In favor
of Water Works, on Thursday, the
18th inst, will not add to their taxa
ton, but will only authorize us to de
termine, with unerrinR certainty, the
cost of supplying Evansville with
pure water for domestic purposes, an
abundance of water for manufactur-
ing purposes, and water in every part
OF the city for She extinguishment Of
fires when they occur.
The present sources of supply for
our steam fire engines in case of fires,
our public cisterns, are confessedly
inadequate to the public nacessaries.
At almost every fire the water in the
public cistorns, in the immediate
locality, is exhausted; and frequently
before the flames are subdued, and
before the steamers can secure new
positions aud the hose be removed,
the fire will burn with its original
fury. To make the FIRE department.
equal to the necessities of our growing
city, a large expenditure of money is
required Additional cisterns are
needed. and a great many of them.
The fire apparatus must be increased,
possibly another steamer be pur-
chased. All this will make a
heavy draft upon our revenue for the
present year; as time passes the ex
pense will have to be repeated. It
becomes q question, then, for citizens
to determine whether the time has not
arrived for Evansville to secure Water
Works, which, in addition to supply
ing the entire population with pure
water fer the purpose of health, com
fort aud domestic use, will supercede
the necessity for additional OUTLAWS in
the maintenance of an inadequate fire
department, and will be a certain pre-
tentative against an extensive conha-
grafton, eve In the most boisterous
and tempestuous weather.
When we repeat that these great
advantages are to be obtained without
adding to the taxes of the people any
material b~urthens. aud add that the
water rents will lessen taxation as
we'll as rates of insurance as 500 as
the works are in operation and again
give assurance that ~e shall take no
step that is found to be impraoticable,
we feel that we do not ask too much
in soliciting the votes of all men, Of
all parties, in favor of Water Works
at the special election called for next
Thursday.
E.. G. VAN RIPPER,
NJ. MUHLHAUsEN,
@. w. DoUGHTY.