The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-06-16
THE WORST OF WATER.
The Howl of the Citizens Against the Dirty
River Water Turned into the Mains

River Water Turned into the Mains.
A few days ago the city council let the
contract for enlarging the supply spring at
the water works. The contractors began
work at once, and, Of course, the water was
rendered muddy; more than this, the water
lowed so rapidly as 10 impede the work Of
enlargement and the city council sent out
one OF the steam fire engines to pump it
OFF, and the next day u was discovered
that there was hardly tgo feet of water in
The stand.pipe at the corner of Main and
Harwood streets, and had Il fire occurred
the city would have been at the mercy Of
The flames. The matter was kept quiet,
however, and the river pump WAS resorted
TO in order To throw water from that stream
into the stand-pipe, but it had hardly
started before some OF the
machinery broke. Thus the CITY
was LETT with but very little water which
was pumped ut night from the spring at The
main works after work on the excavation
had ceased for the day In the meantime
the river pump was repaired, and Tuesday
the mains were pumped full of dirty,
All water consumers know how
it looks, and they are loud
in their protestations against it. The dogs
imprisoned in the pound refused to drink
it yesterday morning People cannot drink
it or battle in it, while Digger Indian
would never once think of using it for COOK
ing purposes. The hotels, bath rooms
and the people generally are
marked in their denunciation OF
of being offered such filthy water, and the
old wells, cisterns and water-wagons ARE
being resorted to. The price of good water
has gone up, and the great majority of the
M MI n
wagons, which are unable to sup
ply the demand, and for this the
consumer has to pay, while at tie
same time. he has already paid the Water
Supply company, now owned by the city
and controlled by the council, for three
months in advance, as per the rules and
regulations of the works. In other words,
he is paying the water-works for water he
does not get, and is forced to
buy it from the wagons on the
streets. There are great many
families who are unable to purchase water
in this way, and it is hardship that causes
them to cry out against such miserable
management. The work of charging the
spring should have been done during the
earlier months, when the consumption of
water was not so great and
the article was more plentiful.
Superintendent Wheels urged this on the
council, as did the old board of water COM
missioners, but the matter went over from
one meeting to another until it was forgot
ten, or at least the subject was dropped.
Alderman Williams, one Of the old water
commissioners, resigned in disgust. The
new commissioners are Aldermen Moroney,
G.. Il. Carter and Moore, who have
been appointed since. The consumers argue
that the council has contracted for more
than it can do. They think that first Of
all the citizens should have good water in
abundance before so much of IL is sold to fac
tories and railroads. The Texas & Pacific
and Texas Central railroads, the Howard
oil mill. and ice factories, all take
water, and the consumption by them
is so great that there has always existed a
more or less scarcity of water The city,
now that she owns the work, owes just as
much to the paying consumer as ever
the Water Supply company did, and they
think the city council should look at the
matter in that light. Some of them say
that they will demand a reduction for their
water rent, as they have paid for what they
are not getting.