The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1880-06-24
THE EMPoRrA WArER-WOaKs.

Emporia was laid out in the spring of 1857.
1t occupies slightly roll Of prairie lying be-
tween the Neosho and Cottonwood rivers
and six miles west of their confluence, its
corporate limits being closely skirted by the
trees that line both streams. Its founders,
with an eye TO beauty Of location and cOnti-
guilty Of valleys that should furnish the trade
which was to develop commercial metropo-
Lis, II seems overlooked the item of water for
domestic purposes. Several good buildings
were erected and newspaper started before
they became fully aware of the fact that no
water could be had. The discovery nearly
proved fatal to the town, and rival burg
was started near the junction which, for
time, bid fair to carry of the metropolis busi-
ness. But one lucky day. or night rather, in
u well which was being sunk, in the bed of a
ravine that puts down through the town, by
n man who was working for u bonus Of city
shares, water was struck The strike Killed
Forest Hill and saved Emporia. Col. Plumb,
now United States Senator, and Jacob Stot-
Ter, now postmaster, were running the hsn-
sas Neus, and John Hammond, one OF our
State House Commissioners, was the man who
dug the well. For years that well was al
most the sole reliance of the town. Judge
Watson and one or two Others had struck
water, but the town continued to be "dry
town. until few years since when the rails
ing of the Soden dam, or something, else filed
strata Of gravel, that runs between the riv
ers, with water, and shallow wells were pos
sible. In the mean time Emporia has, per
force Of her favorable location partly, but
principally from the. never firing energy OF
the older citizens, continued TO grow and ex-
pand until she has become among the most
noted towns Of the State and until she boasts
the Holly System of Water-works. To the
fact Of her early privatiohs may be attributed
the fine enterprise mentioned. She Is the
first town i'm the State 10 erect water-works.
Last Thursday, after having invited the au-
thorities Of all other cities of the State to be
present. the works were formally put to
work with great demonstrations and general
rejoicings. As Wichita has for some time
been. in quiet way. agitating the feasibility
Of like step. the Mayor. accompanied by
portion of the city council and city officers,
and the editors of the EAGLE and Beacon,
were present. Thursday forenoon was en-
plcyed in going over the city, examining the
number Of water mains, and hydrants, and
their capacity, the well from which, the water
supply is drawn, and acquiring into the APP
proximate costs Of the different capacities
and various systems. In the afternoon, after
q free dinner at the Normal School, which
State institution was celebrating its COM
mencement exercises, hose and nozxles were
attached to several hydrants upon the cor
ners of the different streets and taste OF
real live watsr-works, in actual work, was
given all beholdcrs. The streets were filed
with people and the demonstrations OF joy
were vehement. From six hydrants as many
streams from one-inch nczzles were thrown
simultaneously and for considerable length
OF time. Whether the well will furnish
sufficient supply Of water. whether the pumps
and naias are Of sufficient capacity. and
whether there are the proper number Of by
Lrants, are questions that the test Of time
and future exigencies can alone determine.
For cur own part. and we believe so too our
city authorities, doubts are entertained upon
some Of these points. But. knowing exactly
what Emporia has got, the actual tests Of the
future will supply them with . knowledge
that will prove very valuable in case Wichita
SHOULD ever determine upon like enterprise.
therefore their time was well spent.
The commencement exercises Of the State
Normal School, to which We incident
ally alluded, were very fine. A class Of more
than ordinary young men and women were
graduated, whose influence in the common
school work of the State will, we hope, be
felt In the years 70 come. The new building
is complete and very 6ne. not to say magni-
ficent, public building. Judge Brewer, Of
the supreme Court, Chancellor Marvin. Of
the State University. and President Fairchild,
Of the State Agricultural College. made each
excellent addresses, and the school bids fair
to be second to none Of its character in the
West