The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-07-02
THE EMPoRIA WATER WORKS.
Wichita Eagle.


Emporia was laid out in the spring OF
1857. 1t occupies slightly roll of prai-
rie living between the NcOsho and Cot
tonWood rivers and six miles west of
their confluence, its corporate limits be
ing CLOSELY skirted by the trees that line
both streams Its founders, with an eye
to beauty of location and cOntiguity of
valleys that should furnish the trade
which was to develop a commercial me
tropolis, il seems overlooked the item of
water for domestic purposes. Several
good buildings were erected and news
paper started before they became fully
aware Of the fact that no wafer gould be
had. The discovery nearly proved fatal
to- the town, and rival burg was start
cd near the junction which, for a time,
bid fair 10 carry off the metropolis busI-
ness But one lucky day, or night rather,
in II well which was being sunk, in the
bed of "A ravine that puls down through the
town, by n man who was working for n
bonus of city shares, water was struck.
The stike killed Forest Hill and saved
Emporia Col. Plumb, now United
States Senator, and Jacob Stotler, now
postmaster, were running the kanZas
News, and John Hammond, one of our
state house commissioners, was the man
whp dug the well. For years
sole reliance OF the town. Judge
Watson and one or two others had
struck water, but the town continued 10
be a 'dry town" until a few years since
when the raising of the Soden dam, or
something else filled strata of gravel,
that runs between the rivers, with water,
and shallow wells were possible. In the
mean time EmpOria has, per force of
her LOCATION partly, hut principally from
the never firing energy OF the older
cltigens, continued to grow and expand
until she has become among the most
noted towns of the state and until abe
boasts the Holly system of water works,
To the fact of her carly privations may
be attributed the fine enterprise mention
| ed She Is the first town in the state to
erect water works Last Thursday, after
having invited the authorities of all the
cities of the state to be present, the
works were formally put TO work with
great demonstrations .aa general re
I ioicings. AS Wichita has for some time
been, in 4 quiet way, agitating the feast
! bility of like step, the mayor, accom-
panied by portion of the city coun-
ell and city officers, and the editors
! of the Eagle and Beacop, were
| present. Thursday forenoon was EN-
ployed in going oyer the city, examin
ing the number of water mains, and
hydrants, and their capacity, the vel
from which the water supply is drawn
and inquiring into the approximate
costs of the different capacities and vari
Gus systems. In the afternoon, after
free dinner at the Normal school, which
state institution was celebrating It's com
mencement exercises, hose and noZZle
were attached to several hydrants upOI
the corners of the different streets and
taste of real live water works, in aotqa
work, VS. given all beholders. Tn,
streets were filled with people and tn
demonstrations of joy were vehement
From SIX hydrants as many stream
from one-inch noZEles were thrown sim
ultaneouslY and for counsiderabl
length of time. Whether the we'll vii
furnish a sufficient supply of water
whether the pumps and mains are c
sufficient capacity, and whether ther
are the proper number of hydrants, ar
questions that the test of time and fl
ture exigencies can alone deterInin,
}, For our own part and'we believe ais
ON the part OF our city authorities, douh
a are entertained upon some of thes
points But, knowing exactly what En-
/ poria has got the actual tests of the Fl
ture will supply them with a knowledg
. that will prove very valuable in ca:
Wichita should ever determine upon
a like enterprise, therefore their time W;
well spent.
The commencement exercises of Il
State Normal School, to which we i
9 cidentally alluded, were very fine.
- class OF more than ordinary young me
and women were graduated, whose i
flueRce in the common school weak
le the state will. we hope, be felt in Il
V. years 10 come. The new building
complete and very fine, not 10 say ma
u nificent, public building. Judge Brewt
y of the supreme court, chancellor Marvi
re of the State University, and preside
Fairchild, of the State Agricultural @,
lege, made each excellent addresses, al
Of the school bids fair TO be second to no
re of its character in the west.