Morning journal and courier., 1881-10-24

The Water Supply of London--Some In
 teresting and Important Facts--Ctty
 Management of Water not CIamored
 for.
 To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER:
 In an article advising the city to purchase of the Water Company, sighed A. B. Dudley, in your issue of Saturday last, he takes occa- sion to quote the value of the shares of the New River Water Company, of London, as an evidence in favor of the purchase of the Water Company. If the gentleman had felt so disposed presume he could have enlight- ened the public immeasurably more if he had pursued the subject of the New River water works a little farther. If he knew more about those works he certainly acted wisely in saying as little as he did if his informa- tion extended no further than simply the val ue of the New River Company's stock, then the gentleman is not a fit educator of the peo- pie, for he should have said nothing about it; but, since he has mentioned the New River Water Company of London, England, let us glean little information in regard to that company. You will pardon me, MT. Editor, for the length of my article, but l wish truthfully to show the opinion of the largest aggregation of people in the world in regard to city management of water companies.
 The first water system of the city of Lon- don was inaugurated in the year 1235, and WAS private water company, and called stthe Great Conduit At about the same time an- other operation was in progress to bring wa ter to the city from Tyborne. This was an important undertaking, and Q long time elapsed before it was carried out. The grant was in the hands of the Lord Mayor and commonalty of the city of London, and even in ssye olden time'' they possessed sufficient knowledge of political economy to turn it over into the hands of private water con- pany. In 1439 8 grant was confirmed by Henry VI to the Lord Mayor and citizens of London for another water company, and 1t was deemed an act of wisdom on the part of the Lord Mayor and citizens to turn 1t over to 8 private water company.
 In l544 the Common Council of London applied to Parliament for new waterworks from Hampstead Heath, Marylebone, Hack ney and Muswell Hill The act was granted. It was subsequently, deemed eligible on the part of the Common Council after lapse of fifty years, and the charter was conveyed to private individuals who were incorporated in 1892 as the Hampstead Water company.
 After various grants to the city of London not mentioned above, all having been con- veyed to private water companies, the Lord Mayor and Common Council granted @ lease in 15S1 to a man for 800 years to pump water into the city of London, the lease extending 800 years In 1619 the New River company was incorporated by charter from January 1st. The length of the New River was origi- nally forty miles, but has since been short ened to twenty-eight miles. Soon the com pany had to increase it's supply, and recourse was had to the river Lea The supply con- stantly falling short was constantly in creased and always by private water compa- nies This water company supplied twenty four million gallons daily to London in 1870. The waterworks were visited annually by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council of the city, and there is every evidence that said officials were amply satisfied with the management of private water companies as well as the good dinners provided for them.
 In the year 1891 works for supplying Pic cadilly and other localities were erected on the banks of the river. The proprietors were incorporated by act of Parliament as a pri- vate water company. After 100 years, the company realizing no profits, it was leased to the New River Water company for 2.0O0 years. In 1918 the New River Water compa- ny, being large and successful one, began to absorb the smaller companies.