Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-08-20
CORR ESP0N D EN- C E
PUBLIC ATTENTION.

FRosTsURa, August II, 1881.
To the MINING JOURNAL:
On last Thursday morning whilst
the fire fend visited our town and
swept away 500. 900 worth of property
in less than two hours, we were in
certain sense without water to extin-
guish the flames. By the time the
main building fell our water supply
was exhausted, and had there been
high wind prevailing we would have
been at the mercy of the flames and
there is no telling where the fire
would have reached.
at present we have no water and
hence no protection whatever in case
we should have another fire; the
question is open now for argument
by what means are we to remedy this
great evil2 My argument is this
some eight or ten years ago the Legis.
lature granted the corporation of
Frcstburg the right to vote whether
or not it warted $4,000 worth of
bonds issued to build water.works.
1t was put to vote by the citizens
living within the corporate limits and
defeated by majority of less than
twenty votes, on the ground that
those parties who lived in that
section of the town where the
pipes were not extended at the
time took it for granted that issue
was not for the extension of the pipes
to their part of the town, but merely
an issue to be voted on whether or
not the present company or the cor
poration should own the water. works,
and hence naturally it was defeated
by small majority. But this issue
is plain and simple: See that men
are elected to the Legislature who
will favor bill to give us another
privilege OF voting upon it and allow
us as corporation to invest $4,000
in the enterprise and issue bonds
bearing 5 per cent. interest that
would amount to $4,000 year inter-
est, and the current expenses would
possibly amount to $500, making
total Of $4,000 year. Now in order
to make the enterprise paying bust
ness we must first extend pipes to
these sections of the town which have
always been destitute Of water. With
out . doubt the proceeds accruirg
from water rent would amount to
$4,000 year; then after disbureing
enough of that amount to pay interest
on capital and EXPENSES there would
remain $4,000 per year to pay On the
capital, and in the course of seven
teen years we could have the whole
debt paid and then have the water
works independent of all claims, and
the proceeds from the water rent
would be clear money owned by the
corporation.
I believe that something of this
kind would meet the approval of
nearly all of our citizens aid especi,l-
ly those who live where the water
PIPES are not extended, because if
fire should occur in such localities
why there would be nothing in the
way Of preventing its destruction, and
I think that they should be entitled
to the same protection as citizens and
taxpaye rs as those who live in reach
of water now. So if we would ex.
pend $50, 900 we could lay pipes in
every part of the town and thereby
extend to every citizen some protec-
tion in case of fire. By conducting
the financial part in the way l sug-
gest it would not increase the taxes
one cent and the institution would
pay for itself. l am in favor of the
corporation buying the interest of the
present water-works and build it
larger, because don't think that it
would be Il paying investment to have
two water-works, but in course of
time it would pay one handsomely,
and in the meantime do vast amount
Of good in the way of supplying the
entire town with water and prevent
ing many disastrous fire.
In conclusion I would say if any
thing is TO be done why not do it at
onceP The way to act is to commence
at once. l would like to hear the
views of some of our prominent men
on the subject who are more able to
discuss 1t than I am; this is not
subject which involves the interest
only Of the large taxpayers but it is
subject which every citizen has a
right to discuss and to encourage from
the fact that it ia something which is
not calculated to be supported by
money collected as taxes but by
money collected as water rents; there
fore, every citizen, whether he be
taxpayer or not, should encourage
this enterprise and then when we
have good water-works and plenty of
water (Which we will have if we have