Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-06-20
SHALL THK CITY BE SUPPLIED WITH
WATER
The Birdsill Holly System.

ply ct Rock Island and Moline, pointing out
our conviction that the time had come for the
subject to command our citizens greatest
consideration, and giving our reasons at
length. Since then, others have pointed in
the same direction, and it has been general.
ly admitted that, sooner or later. Ii. .wo
cities must have a water supply adequate to
their requirements. AS we stated before,
had we been situated inland, away from the
largest river in the world, we should have
had our reservoirs, and been in the enjoy
ment of the luxury of plenty of good water,
long ago. Now the question arises. "What
is plenty of good water? We can get all
We want by just going down the river bank
and fetching it," Trae. But we have to
fetch it. The Mississippi water Is not the
very best water in the world, but it ia good.
A question of rivalry srose some years ago,
between its purity and that Of Rock River.
Rock River was always considered good, aud
yet it appeared by proof, that tbs Mississippi
was the purest of the two. Then the pro-
curing Of water from TIE river after our
present fashion is Ap Expensive and labori-
Gus operation. W. hsve to transport it ev-
cry inch OF the gay to the place where We
want to maxi. use of it, aud then stint our
selves, T'Iere are two ways open to US to
supply every house in our two cities with
water one of which is BY means of reser-
vCirs constructed at an altitude sufficient to
give Us the necessary pressure and the 9th
er is to raise aud discharge the Mississippi
water by means Of a hydrant' To build such
reservoirs as We should require would be-
comparatively speaking, an expensive and
tedious operation whereas, the hydrsnt
principle can be applied to the river water
at about half the cost, in a short time, and
has other additional claims upon our notice.
The already we'll known new system of Water
Works invented BY Birdsill Holly, has taken
the lead among hydroststic engineers 10 the
United States, on account Of its simplicity
and utility. There is nothing com
> plicated about it, or liable to get out Of
> gear. In our own cases it can be applied
. without having to use steam engines the
l cost of which and their maintenance are
most expensive items. The power necess
/ airy to run the Holly Water Works, would OF
course, be obtained from the Moline Water
: Power from the inexhsustable flow of the
q river itself. Bv the Holly system the supply
= of water can be regulated to q nicely and
o so far as protection in case Of fire is con
; cerBed, no hose has yet been manufactured
o which will bear the full pressure. The ares
over which the water would have to be dis
tributed would be about four miles il
7 length three and a half Of which is dowl
( hill. II is probable that it would only cos
c Rock Island and Moline about 1925, 600 Il
. be supplied by the Holly system whereas
q to construct reservoirs, which would uecess
n arily have 10 be done out Of the straigh
q line between the two cities, and away bacl
J on the bluffs, would entail an expense of q
- least $500, 900. We DO not, in this article
j purpose to give a minute description Of tn
4 machinery of the Holly system and its az
plioation. Our reporter is, however, nov
engaged in procuring tor us accurate par
~:iculars of the whole thipg, which We hop
IA to lay before our readers in a very few days
II We take a very deep interest in the waite
: works question, being not only aware Of tn
: real blessing of having e copious supply Q
= good, living water on hand in sny-or,
~ we wish it,-every room in the house Blu
III being fully awake to the fact that the pres
ence of such a supply would increase GU
Il cities, and their importance as msnufActul
II ing cities, in q degree of which few Of I
" have the slightest idea. 1t is true that pee
le pie who have never been accustomed to b
le able at al times to have as much water q
they require for their bare ne e~sssitiss d
ba occasionally wish, in Gu underlined sort
70 way, that they had g better supply. Blu
ma let the same persons once experience ii
ba cheap but immense luxury of having alwsI
on hand not only ell the water they ought
nk have for manufacturing, washing, and coo
m ing purposes, bat slso for tho bGth,-th
fount Of vigorous health and comfort OF
IN they will wonder how they sver lived wit
"A out il.