Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-01-16
HE RUTLAND HERALD.
water--1Iore Water.

By the providence of God, and not the
forethought and wise action of citizens
and tax payers of the village of Rutland,
the Central House and the buildings on
the entire west side of Merchants Row
are still standing. We owe the fact
that these are not now a smouldering,
smoking mass of ruins, to the entire alb
sence of wind, and not to an adequate
supply of water. This is no new fact,
but has been called to the attention of
our citizens and tax payers, time and
time again. Rarely have we had fire
but that the fact has been demonstrated
that, if we would preserve our property,
measures-immediate measures must
be taken to procure more water The
fact was again demonstrated, yesterday,
beyond all cayil or possibility of doubt,
that even in our very business center,
where are located our most costly and
elegant buildings, our banks, our hotels,
our stores, our Town Hall and Opera
House, there is not water sufficient and
readily accessible to extinguish even a
small fire, if our reliance was placed on
the reservoirs, to which one would
naturally look for a supply 1t may do
no good to talk about these facts. II
has done no good heretofore Year af-
ter year, the Chief Engineer of the Fire
Department has urged the subject on
the attention of the people. The pres
ent Chief Engineer, in his last annual
report called attention to the absolute
necessity for the immediate building
of an additional number of reservoirs"
He says: 'The experience Of the past
year has demonstrated that in certain
localities the ample apparatus of the de-
partment is practically Yaluless for any
aid it could render in extinguishing fire
for the want of water In three in
stances, at least the whole force of the
department could not be used ON account
Of the distance of the fire from the sup
ply of water; and in another instance
there was no water to be procured.
How are these recommendations met ?
The tax payers meet, discuss and refuse
to take any action themselves, but refer
the matter to the Chief Engineer and
Trustee, and then tie up their hands by
refusing to vote taxes sufficient to meet
any necessary expense in that direction.
Tue Trustees are, of course, powerless
to act, because they have no money
with which to act. The Water Com
mjosioners donothing, either because they
clunot or for some other reason. The
whole matter rests with the tax payers.
and with them rests the question whcth-
er we shall burn up or have the means
with which to eHtinguish fires. We
have on Merchants Row, probably res
eryoirs enough, but they are supplied
through pipes so small, that a very short
time sutiices to empty them and then
they are temporarily useless. Again,
even this small supply cannot be obtain
ed without cutting off the water of
nearly every household in town. Yes
terday morning. during the continuance
of the Central House fire, had a fire
broke out in one of the buildings on
West street, streets north thereof or in
Nebraska, there would not have been a
drop of water with which to fight it.
we do not propose to discuss this ques-
ton any further at this time. The Eng
fish language does not afford words with
which to construct arguments so en-
nhatic rs these fires themselves. If our
citizens will not be convinced by stub
born facts, words and argument would be
futile and worse thah wasted. Fellow
citizens the settlement Of tie question
and the responsibility connected there
with rests with you.