The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-02

THE Cry WATER-ASoTHRR MEETING.
A bonfire in front of the Court House,
last night, drew together goodIy nuE.
Der OF citizens. DE-. Talley took the
chair about half-past 8 o'clock, and AIr.
Sloan occupied his position as Secretary.
| Mayor Alexander arose and stated to
the meeting that he had heard nothing
from Col. Pearce in response to the reso-
lutions passed Monday evening. He
then went into an explanation OF the
causes why the old Council had entered
into the contract with Col. Pearce. He
K: ew nothing of the Columbia Water
Power Company. The Mayor also ex.
plained away the statements made by
Judge Melton as to wastage near the
Wheeler House and on Arsenal Hill, etc.
he intimated that the counsel for Col.
Pearce attempted to gag the meeting the
night before, in which they failed. After
further statements and explanations, the
Mayor closed.
Mr.. Chamberlain, of counsel for the
Water Power Company. then arose, and
s,id he was present for the purpose of
reading the following explanation from
Col. Pearce, in reply to resolutions
passed at q meeting Of citizens on Mon.
day evening:
Hon. John Alexander, Muyor Of Columbia.
SIR: In answer to your request, which
I have jnst received, have the honor to
submit the following statement:
It must be we'll known to the City
Council and to the citizens that the only
sources of water supply are. first. the
water from the city springs, and, second,
the water from the river. AS to- the first
source OF supply, I presume nothing
need be said, further than this, that it
furnishes the same water which the citi
zens have been accustomed to uHe for
years past, and, so far as I ain advised,
no complaints are made as TO its purity.
This supply, al I am informed by COM
peteat civil engineer, amounts to about
27O, 900 gallons daily. As to the second
source of supply-the water from the
river-you are aware that, by tho con-
tract, it wns not to be used unless upon
the failure Of the other streams TO fur.
nish sufficient supply. Finding that,
from causes beyond my control, the
usual supply from the frst source was
proving inadequate, it became necessary
end, employed person skilled in the
and have since been using water from
the river, but only in sufficient quanti-
ties to supply the deficiency of the spring
water. This water has been pronounced
pure by skillful chemists and eminent
physicians OF this city. The fltering
apparatus I am using is constructed in
the same manner as the filters used in
other cities. It is found, upon frequent
examination, that the water which passes
through it is etfectually cleared OF nll
sediment.
The city is now using daily more water
than the streams from the springs sup.
ply. How this is done cannot but be
; we'll known to any one who puts himsel!
to the trouble to inquire. Why it is
done and the necessity thus forced upon
the company to resort to the river water
it is needless for mo to suggest. It Ger
tainly cannot be supposed that the com
pany would subject itself TO the addi
tional expense of pumping river water
and using filter, If the necessity Tor st
doing did not exist; and If the citizens
prefer to use alone the water from The
, springs, it must be apparent to every one
that it can only be secured by such re-
; encourage the use Of the water, anG
limit it to the supply furnished by tn,
springs.
, II the City Council persist in allowing
lavish use Of the water, as matter O
course, the Columbia Water Power Com
pany, under their contract. will continue
to be compelled to resort to the river fol
an adequate supply. Whether the water
when delivered by the company into tht
distributing reservoir, be or be not pure
can only be ascertained by an exsmina
2 tion of the same as it is thus delivered
Such an examination, submit, should
in fairness be made, and if upon suci
5 examination it be found to be impure
, and tho correction of the evil be within
. the power OF the company, I should no
hesitate moment to endeavor its correc
, ton.
The. complaints Justly exist as to th'
inpurity of tho water when delivered b.
tho city supply pipes, cannot question
That these impurities are in the water
when delivered by the company into tht
distributing reservoir, respectfully dony
The fact is we'll known. that the distri
buting reservoir is in bad condition
that it has not been cleaned for lonl
! interval Of time, and is fouled with mucl
4 | III