Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1882-01-28

emergency we can prevent all these
undeniable facts of danger, and in
my opinion go0d, substantial never
failing water works are necessary;
they would be acceptable, beneficial
and healthy, and in course of time
paying investment to the corporation,
besides it would give employment to
many and the money expended in the
construction Of them would be circu-
lated in our immediate community.
Now I have endeavored to show you
the advantages and benefits to be de-
rived from them did they exist now
let us look at the disadvantages and
Inconvenience we have to endure in
various ways as they nolO exisL-for
instance, we refe- to the past summer,
a two-months drought left us without
any water whatever, people knew not
where to obtain it, and when they di
succeed in getting any it WAS such as
vas liable to breed disease, for it is a
well-known fact that where stsgnant
pools of water remain there disease
and sickness will first make its APP
pearance and of entimes death is the
result. Let us look back to a period
OF time not covering more than four
months when we ware called upon to
witness a terrible conhagration, and,
in certain sense, no water to extIn-
guish the flames which were commu-
nicating from one house to the other /;
people were terrorized and wild with
excitement, for it was quite evident
that if soon the flames were not sub
dued the result would be terrible in
the extreme. Il caused loss OF some
valuable property. True, we had a
limited supply of water, but that
would have availed lie nothing had
not fortune favored lis with a calm
summer night, which with the heroic
efforts of our firomen arrested the
progress of the fire. For six weeks
afterwards we were destitute Of water
and ii we should have teen 60 unfor-
tunate as to have had another fire
during that time what would have
been the result with weather perhaps
not so favcrs bic as it was at the pre-
vious one? 1t would have swept the
entire town and laid it waste rem
dered many families homeless, and
converted our prosperous little city
into smouldeling heap Of ashes, if
we had to depend upon the present
system of water works TO extinguish
the flames. Then tell me that it is
not advantageous to have ample pro-
lection against fire and contagious
diseases when We can have it with
very little inconvenience and in
reality no expense ?-for in course Ct
time the enterprise will repay itself
from the water rents which will neces-
sarilY accrue. 1t seems to me that if
we could only induce the Legislature
to grant US The privilege to vote upon
IL We should be glad to have the glo-
rious opportunity to start such an
enterprise; but then some people
very lew have remarked that it
would not be just to issue bonds for
the construction Of the works, say for
instance $4,000, and then charge
wafer rents against poor people who
have say eight in the family and
charge rich people, with four in the
family, only half as much as the
Poorer class. Arguing from that
Standpoint that the poor were paying
for the rich, or, in other words, those
who do not own real estate were pay
Ing for those who do, Now to show
you how absurd that argument is: |
will cay for instance it would require
$4,000 to construct the proposed
works, we issue $4,000 worth Of
bonds running say for twenty years
and bearing 6 FER cent. interest,
which would amount to $4,000 per
year to be paid to the bondholders.
Now, I'll say for instance, the works
are completed, pipes extended to all
parts within the corporate limits, We,
rich and poor, apply for water and re.
ceive it. am poor man and have
family Of eight, owning no real
estate. hence not responsible for the
payment of the bonds. 1 pay $l2 a
year water rent, my neigltbor is q
rich man, he applies for water also
and receives it he has family of
four persons, owns real estate, hence,
propcrtionately responsible for the
payment Of the bonds, he pays Y6 a
year water rent, at the expiration of
the year we have realized enough
money accruing from the water rents
to pay the $4,000 interest, and to
meet the necessary expenses to con-
duct the business pertaining to the
works; but new | who own no real
estate say to my neighbor who does
that il my Water rent is not redu. ed
to what his rent notwithstanding
have family OF eight and he a
family of four-I Will discontinue to
take any more water my neighbor
says TO me you are not compelled to
take the water. So l and a great
many more discontinue using the
company's water, and at the explra-
ton OF the second year We fall short
81 900 OF the interest money who is
responsible for 1t to the bondholders,
l who own no renl estate or my
neighbor who does not why the
real estate owners within the corpor-