Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1880-06-20
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR TAXPAYERS AND
BUSINESS MINIS CARSON PAYING FOR
WATER 1T DOES NOT GRT-F SO HOW
CAN pRK NATTER BE kEAEDIED.

| WATER IT DOES NOT GET-IF SO HOW
CAN TAK NATTER BE kEAEDIED.
The report of the Grand Jury published ON
Thursday last strongly censures the Carson
Water Company fer not furnishing the city
with proper supply Of water. This report
has caused considerable discussion among tax
payers, merchants and business men who are
directly concerned in the matter, and the i'm
portance is fully realized by the citizen of Car
son. Tho Grand Jury specifically charges
that since March 6, 1876 up to May 10, 1880
the city has paid the water company s., 421,
an average Of $1O6 per month. This is not
merely the assertion of the Grand Jury, it
is matter Of simple. record. At the time
Of purchasing the hydrants, it was understood
anat the City Water Company should furnish
a sufficient quantity of water for each hydrant
to be made effective in extinguishing fires
which might occur within reasonable dis
lance Of the hydrant. The Times, i'll it's issue
of Friday night denies that such an under
| standing ever existed. The bargain could not
! : we been made unless such an understanding
/ existed There woald be no sense in pur-
| chasing hydrants without water supply and
| if such an understanding was not put in
writing it was implied by the very nature of
the sale and purchase.
HOW THE JURY INVESTIGATED THE NATTER
When the jury were in session a complaint
came from the FIRE department to the effect
that the mains aid hydrants of the city were
in such bad condition that in case Of fire the
town was in danger of total destruction. The
Grand Jury then Summoned number Of fire.
men, amsng whom were Augustus Lewis,
Charley Wilson, Geo. Chedic, David Lentz ana
about dozen others, all men Of practical
experience in such matters. All testified to
the utter ineficiency of the water supply.
Lewis and Wilson swore that the force
when two hydraats were used was SO weak
of balcony. and third stream made all use
less. Mr.. Lewis cited the case of the FIRE at
the Adams House, when with two streams
they could net get water on the roof until |
they had carried the hose to the top Of an ad-
joining building. Time and time again the
fact had been demonstrated at fires that the !
water supply was inadequate.
TALK WITH FOREMAN FOSTER.
B. F. Foster, foreman of the Grand Jury,
was interviewed by an APPEAL reporter yes
terday. He said that the Grand Jury could
under the circumstar IS have made no other
report. The compl vas entered and they
had investigated the natter thoroughly. They
summo. e. witnesses and these men gave
their testimony under oath. They were all
men Of long experience in such matters and
several were old fremen who had served in
tho fire departments Of New York, Chicago,
Philadelphia aud Sar sanc;sco. 1t was clear
that the city was not getting a proper supply
of water and the report was matter Of JUS
tice to the taxpayers and property holders
Mr.. JAMES DUFFY
Told the reporter that good deal more evil
dense might have been taken but it was all
enc way and overwhelmingly against the
water company. The last bill paid the com
pany by the city was $119 and it was then
agreed to furnish water for $50 menth until
tie city's exchequer was again in healthy
condition. All the jurors who had anything
to say about the matter agreed that it was a
matter IF vital Importance to the city and
should be sgitated until a change for the
setter was brought about.
THE PLAN PROPOSED.
All sorts Of plans have been proposed to
,lace the city upon better footing as regards
water The following we think would fill the
ill. Let the money being paid the Water
Company be devoted to the building Of cist-
rms, in which supply of water could be
tored and depended on in any emergency.
l cistern capable of holding four or five thous-
nd gallons of water costs in the neighbor-
'sod of $3.50. and the Money paid the Water d
company each year would build several of F
hem. The expense Of keeping them full )
sould be but tri6e. The ten cisterns now il
n use are kept full by Sweeney at the cost of r.
40 month, and they contain ten times as P
,uch water - is ordinarily used by the city
nd for which over 500 is paid. With say .,
IN more cisterns added, the Carson fire de- =
artment would be in a condition to handle :,
ny fire which might break out; aud another h,
ngins would be most economical invest M
lent. The one now in use cost $4,000 but
lis was An expensive steamer On account of
'e extra finish. A plain machine just as q