The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-05-09
water Works-FOOIlsh Haste.

About enc year ago, the JOURNAL
called particular attention to the
peculiar plan Of supplying cities with
water for domestic, manufacturing,
and fire purposes, known as the Holly
system. Since then its readers have
been furnished with such facts-both
favorable and adverse to tho system
as would enable them to form correct
conclusions as to its merits and de-
morris. a largo msjorityof them, no
doubt, arc fully convinced that the
Holly system has so far demonstrated
its efficiency aud reliability, where it
has been iairly tested, as to render
il entirely safe for cities Of the size
of Evansville, or even double its pop
u%lation, to invest largely in it as a
public improvement. On this point
there seems to be little difference Of
opinion. The only question, then,
for consideration now is, how can the
Holly machinery be supplied with
pure water, and at what cost? This
question ought to be considered, and,
ss0I approximately at least, settled, before
the people authorize the City Council
to commence, blindly, an improve
ment Of whose cost they have no con-
c~eption.
se Those who attended the Water
Works meeting at the Court House,
on Friday evening, and heard the
speech Of Mr.. Flagler, President Of
the Holly Company, must have OBJ
served that one Of tho great auyan-
tages claimed by him for his system,
over the old reservoir plan, was the
purity Of the water supplied. Yet,
when approached directly on the
practical point of how this supply Of
pure water was TO be obtained in our
city, and the cost Of obtaining it, he
stated most emphaticallg that the
iasg point was of so uncertain and doubt
full a character, that his Company
JUL would not assume the responsibility
of determining it. In other words.
the city would have to assume all the
anon responsibility of what might turn out
a disastrous failure. IF the city is
successful in obtaining wells Of pure
water, the Holly Company will take
pleasure in attaching its machinery,
at good prices, and claim the credit Of
supplying the city with a splendid
quality of water. fa
To the credit Of Mr.. Flagler and
his Company, however, he insisted
that the city OUGHT NOT TO WIDER
TAKE THE WORK UNTIL SHE HAD
ASCERTAINED THE COST. This
advice contains so much good com
mon sense that the Council can not,
with any propriety, disregard it.
An election has been ordered on
Thursday next ito ascertain the
sense of the citizens Of Evansville up
on the question of construoting Water
Works on the plan proposed by the
report submitted to the Common
Council, at the session held on the
evening Of May 2" In the report Of
the committee alluded to, aud upon
which the election is ordered, the
committee says: "We have before
US, a detailed statement of the proba-
bic cost of said works, submitted by
William G. Weir, agent for the 'Hol-
" Manufacturing Company, under
date Of March 18th, 1870, who esti-
mates the cost to erect the works in
our city, at S167, 735 40. This amount
embraces tue SutES CVob VI tHc SEcC-
tion of the works in running order,
with about eight miles of pipe ready
for use" The committed therefore
"seommend your honorable body to
order an election, to be held on
Thursday, the 18th day of May, inst,
to-submit the question directly to the
qualified voters Hence the question
to be decided by the people at the
election on Thursday next, under this
aclion of the Council, Is, shall the
Council be authorized to contract with
the Holly Water Works Company,
for the erection Of Water Works in
our city. as per specifications Of Will
Ian Weir, Engineer of said company,
including eight miles of pipe, at a cost
not to exceed s167. 735 40. Those
favoring the proposition, viii deposit
a ticket printed or written yes" and
those opposed a similar ticket con-