The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-09-30
DALlMs, September %.

TO the Editor OF the Dallas Herald.
The short editorial in your yalua-
bic paper of the 2Sth, has the true ring.
You state that you are ready for any
thing that can "advance the public
wealn or "keep the enterprises Of the
city constantly Oh rising ground 1t
seems to me that this is The idea
that should be entertained by every
man who is ut all progressive andwho
wishes to dispense with the "stonc in
one end of the bag" in going to mill.
five wish Dallas to become large
city we must 20 to mill rs the citizens
of other cities have done; we must re-
place with grain and keep the sack
full at that Manuiactur ny Of every
kind must be encouraged. We must
also encourage railroads, the build
ing of gas and watcrworks, aud in fact
all other public enterprises calculated
to advance the growth Of the city. We
must aud should have waterwOrks to
enable Us to carry on manufacture
ing.. We must have wafer, also,
for domestic purposes, for p0lice pur-
poses, and last and not least, for the
protection Of our homes against fire
individual arrangements, such rs els
terms, wells, tanks and water carts can
not be relied on for domestic and police
purposes in large city, much less as
protection against fire. Then, well
constructed system Of waterworis is
the only safe and reliable protection
against fire.
A fire raging on Elm and Main
streets for two hours, with Il strong,
heavy wind blowing would destroy
moro property than will the amount
necessary to build waterworks. In an
article signed 'TaXpayer," the cost of
constructing waterworks in six cities
and the number of miles of pipe is
given. This gives us some idea of the
amount of money necessary to cXpend
in erecting the Dallas waterworks. 1t
cannot be done in Dallas MS cheap rs
it can he done in the large cities i'll the
east. We have no large machine shops
for building engines; no foundries or
skilled mechanics; and no water that
can be used as q motive power
The Dallas waterworks will then
be compelled to use steam as
the motive power, using powerful
steam engine and Holly pumps. The
cost of this engine, engine house,
pumps, etc., will, | understand, be
over $4,000. This leaves out the cost of
hydrants, laying down the pipe, con-
structing reservoir, hiring labor, ETC.,
which must cost II large amount.
Cumberland, Md, within 4 few
hours travel of BALTIMORE, filed with
foundries, machine shops, engine build
crs, skilled mechanics, rs well as all
kinds of skilled material, laid down
six miles of pipe and forty-seven ny
drants at a cost of S99,SG4. Minneapo-
lis, Mimi, five miles of pipe, at cost
of $4,000. Evansville, Ind. (not yet
completely, has thirteen miles of pipe,
S300,00O Laportc, Ind, five and half
miles of pipe and iifty-two hydrants,
cost $4,000. Saratoga Springs, eleven
miles fpipe and ninety-nine hydrants,
100000.
These works were all erected on
the Holly system of waterworks.
The Dallas Waterworks Company
propose to build the waterworks for
the city on the same plan. To lay
down seven miles of pipe and to erect
fifty hidrants which will always be
ready for use and equal to two fire
engines each. Now, as ''TaX Payer
says, take into consideration the differ
ence in locality, and | may add the
difference in the supply of material
necessary to construct waterworks rs
we'll rs the great cost of railroad trans
portation, then can any one for
moment conclude that waterworks can
be constructed here for less money
than in either of the cities named
above I? | think not. What have we
here? We are compelled to rely on
water wagons for domestic purposes
and for sprinkling the streets. What
are the people to do-the poor people
to do for water for domestic use and
for protection against fire, which /
would in few hours sweep away n
years hard work. Let these questions
be considered WELL and on the day of
the clection vote thatwhich Is asked for,
so that the waterworks can be put into
operation as soon as possible; vote also
for the railroad, and let the ball of
progress keep rolling until Dallas
takes her stand among the large cities
of the South. DALLAS.