Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-07-10
THE WATER QUESTION.
A Sensible and Timely Statement
by the President of the
Company.

EDlTOh nbDdEh' l. u6 SplrlO Vi IalI-
ness pervading your discussion of the
water question invites a response to
the extent of brief statement Of
what the water company has been
doing and proposes to do, the unac-
countable incredulity Of some to the
contrary Notwithstanding. m
Though we had no title until two
weeks ago, | had been active, both by
voluminous correspondence and per.
sonal interviews, relative to our con-
templated improvements. The most
pressing need exists for immediate
increase of machine power and pump
ing capacity. Great aud just COM
plant exists among our elevator pa
irons from want Of sufficient pressure.
Serious as this is now, the situation
will be unspeakably more embarrass-
ing when the fall trade opens, unless
we, in the meantime, provide the
remedy.
The only obstacle to this is the time
necessaryto construct and erectanother
engine of adequate capacity, forwhich
we are now prepared to contract. This
is only a question of a few months
time and fifty or sixty thousand dol
lars outlay.
The question of real difficulty is as
to the source Of supply. While no
analysis ever made, that | am advised
of, shows greater purity in Mississippi
than Wolf river water, the readiness
with which the former can be
cleared by subsistence, and without
filtration, establishes an almost uni
versal and decided preference for it..
This alone is sufficient to decide the
action of the company but, in addi-
ton, we could then dispense with the
expensive reservoir filtration. To
this end, at the first meeting after or
ganization, it was resolved to thor
oroughly investigate the question as
to the possibility Of supply from
thai source.
With view to reaching fnality,
on this question, and such result as
would be accepted by our people as
decisive, | conferred with the mem
bers of the city government and asked
them to actively take it in charge
superintend the surveys under the
most competent engineer attainable
and our company would pay the eX
pense. / further urged them to i'm
press on the engineer the violent pref
ndice against the present supply
They promptlyacceded to my request
Major Benyaurd kindly agreeing tC
cooperate with them. An engineer
of extensive experience in such work
and OF high repute, and who has moi
nreyiouslv been consulted as to oul
supply, will within few days entel
ON the work, aad report to the cit!
government may be expected yer.
soon.
And now, speaking for myself alone
and without conference with my asso
ciates on this point, but not doubtin!
their hearty concurrence, ! beg to say
Ii the result shows it possible for th,
present company, alone or with all at
tainable assistance, to supply the cit,
with water from the Mississippi river
it will be done; or we will sur
render our charge to any responsible
company that will; or better still
to the city, to whom the works shoul
belong. -,
IN other words, if we fail to abid
by H. e forthcoming report, we will no
be in TIE way of any party that will
We are Sincerely anxious to suppl
Mississippi river water, if for no othe
reason, beca use the people prefer i
and it would therefore prove in tn
end more profitable if within ou
reach. We earnestly hope it is.
we decide it is not, those who ca
shall have the fullest and most satli
factory opportunity. / have not th
courage to remain at the head of q
institution a day longer than it meet
the reasonable demands Of those b
whom it is sustained, especially whe
health and life itself are involved.
have the utmost confidence in full
satisfactory solution Of the who
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