The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-09-22
"Ding, dong bell
The cats In the we'll"

Capital plea tor lying abed to await it
But We must he up doing all we can
pen IN hand, to prevent the recurrence of |
such sad calamities. Accidents to cats |
associations with cats, ind eed, all inter
course with the domestic fclines should
be deemed portentious. I must be up at
once, and enter on early protest against
this now prevalent fellcide. The late Ia
mented is not the fIst of the felines
which has found watery, though not
wandering grave" in our public wells.
o, that it might possibly be the last.
Grimalkin's untimely end now calls
forth some reflections. long harbored, but
hitherto, unexpressed. The water ques-
tloE has troubled other communities as
we'll Us this; but with them have moth
ing to do. A Greek Poet (was it PIndar
Mr.. Editor I have forgottenO has given
his unqualified praise of water in the well
known words, "Ariston men hudor, ,"-"wa
ter is verify the best thing" o, tortun!
ate poet, not to have lived in Beaufort
in these latter days. o, fortunate "Tem-
plars," thus furnished with your choicest
text,-"aristor men hudor,"- the
poet was permitted to live in times and
places of waterl But, to the point:
Without arrogatiDg to myself the func
tions of public censor; without scruti-
nizing the annual accounts rent of our
Town Treasurer; without questioning the
necessity of the high taxes imposed; and
especially without asking why revenue
of 100000 cannot, now, keep our Town
in the like clean and healthy condition
in which 1t was formerly kept on 100000.
I pass directly to the subject of the public
pumps, Pumps, did say2 Why, of them
we have none Until the close Of 1861
there were thirteen. So excellent was
the water In five of these, SO good in
three others, that the first cistcrn in the
town, it is believed, was constructed in
1857; not because purer water was need
ed, but because it was desirable TO
have it convenlent,-more convenient
than the public pumps in the western
part of the town, whence the best table
water had to be brought. The first
cisterns, therefore, were constructed on
the "Point"
Now; these wclls,-all furnished with
pumps,-were cleaned out and kept in
order, and the pumps in repair, by sal
aried officer, called the pump contrac-
tor" whose bonds, with snreties, to the
town council, secured the faithful dis
charge of his engagements. 9his was
the system until the year 40 or 80 when
q Yankee contrivance, called, "chain
pump" was introduced; and an admira-
Bile contrivancc'it was. This did away
with the necessity of + "pump contrac-
tor" and the expenses i-cideat to such
an officer. The COMMITTEE on pumps"
thenceforward, audited bills for actual
repairs, and the annual water expense
was thus reduced toa nominal figure.
Some fastidious palates thought that the
galvanized iron chain communicated
metallic taste to the water. Suppose
they did. What of it Cha ybeates are
wholesome, arc sought after.
Let those wells, known to have yielded
good water, be thoroughly cleansed,
and again equipped with substantial
lift-pumps: and the Others, subjected to
q like publication, with the cheaper
chain, pumps. We should thus obtain,
from the former, all the supply demanded
for our sideboard; and from the latter,
quite as much as would be needed for
culinary and other household pur
poses. The wells, partially covered, are
open, (through small trap,) to all CO.
mers. All manner of dirty slops; all
tine dust borne on the wind, or adhering
to the feet of the water carriers; the
struggling dogs, cats and poultry: and
what ever other adventitious matter
may find its way into the neighborhocG;-
all, ,-all descend into the common recep.
tacle, from which the water for daily
consumption is drawn. Little or no
option Is left us, ESPECIALLY in seasons
when like the present the "Hcavens are
shut up"
Is there any thing which the comfort,
the decency, the we'll being above all,
the health of our citizens more loudly
demands Of council, than pure, clean,
wholesome watcf2 Is there any commo.
dify within ito orift winch the naonle
have better right to cxpect7 Who,
since the days of the Samaritan Woman,
las ever heard of wells for the accommo-
dation of the public. without appliances
for drawing the water, foul through it
be. from tl:eir noiscme dtnths2 This nc