The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-06-12
TIE WATER SUPPLY.

Probably no manufacturing cities in the
world have a more abundant supply OF
water than have Rock Island and Moline
and yet, to come down to plain fact, we are
obliged to admit that We know of no manu-
featuring cities which bid more fair to be in
dire distress, in short time, for want Of
water than they do. The great Father of
Waters laves their shores with millions of
the necessarily elevated position of the two
places, in order 10 utilize the supply, great
individual expenses have to be gone to in the
form of powerful pumps, to say nothing of
the cost of the pipes required. Then the
residences of the citizens, and their numer-
GUS places of business, make use, daily, of q
quantity of water, which though already rep
resenting a vast and rapidly increasing
demand, are, and have been for some time.
in possession of an amount of water quite
inadequate to even their absolute wants. 1t
is true that many have providently built for
themselves oisterns to insure a supply of
water, especially for washing purposes. But
even the most capacious of these can not be
freely used with impuDity, because of the
ever present fear of exhsusting them, and
almost all are dry in the hottest part of the
summer, when water is most needed. The
water which we procure from our wells is
not,-as many of us KNOWN every case,
of very good quality, and is liable to fac
tuations which are at times not little alarm
ing. It is also and this is a most impors
ant item, so hard as to be next TO useless
for washing purposes. What we want is an
universal supply of good water, a supply
which will be equal to every demand we
may require or wish to make on it. It is
probably because our eyes are constantly
filled with the sight of an enormous body OF
water flowing past our feet, that we have
allowed our two rapidly increasing cities to
swell to their present size, without ever
considering our wants 10 this respect
/ 1t is safe thing to say that many of US
do not know what q nice shing it is TO
have water "laid en- in our houses AND
r places of business, to be had fresh and cool,
: and in Sny quantity for the mere turning of
tap. whenever we wish. Towns and cities,
4 located away from the river, of far smaller
q dimensions than ours, have either already
supplied Themselves with means OF obtaining
all the water they want, right to their hands
in their places of business and residences or
are now engaged in doing SO with all posi-
b e despatch; and the result is that their
! growth is almost magical, and their in
creased comfort Of a most envisble nature.
We have no intention of wishing to make
i any othcious suggestions upon this topic v e
merely speak because the time has come
when it is our duty to call attention to it.
We pres ume that IN the event of Water
t Works beng projected for the joint supply
o Of Rock Island and Moline, it is probable
) that some place upon the bluffs between the
7 two cities would, most likely, be the location
q selected; and that thence would flow for the
It service and delectstion Of the citizens OF
u OShA pioSCos . OpsOOe hHO never timing
j. supply of water, hard enough to slake the
y most burning summer thirst and soft
II enough to meet the exactions of our
housewives. In speaking o. water, we come
last but not by any means least, to the con
=. siierston of its indispenssbleness in case o.
FIRE. If we have pipes of water running
down our thoroughfsres, We shall have also
). at very short intervals, plugs" on q leve'
> with the road, to any of which, in case Of
FIRE, we attach our hose. The hose is IN
> stsntiy distended with water from the alt
tude Of the main pressure, and we can al
, once, and without the necessity Of any tarth
err assistance than that of man to hold the
! nozzle, throw etof water nearly as service
able IS that thrown By steam fire engine
aud-comparstively speaking positively
inexhaustibls. But, after all the princips
n thing in having Water Works is the smpl,
D. fact that when we have them we have excel
e. lent water, more than we can use for manu-
/ faoture and al other purposes, which is whR
u we have not got at present, nor shall hay,
h until we have Water Works.