The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-05
The WATER Trouble,

TOT ulOTc lIluu tWeutS'lOu uouLS Lue
city Of Wheeling has been exposed to great
dangers, and subjected 10 great incon-
venienccs and personal and corporate losses
by reason Of the miserable state Of affairs
at the Water Works. Had serious fire
occurred, famed by strong wind, the
town might have readily burned up as far
as an adequate supply Of water was con-
cerncd. By sheer good luck, and nothing
else, we have escaped such calamity for
the time being. There is no telling how
soon We viii be agaia subjected to it The
history Of our Water Works Of late years is
history Of constantly recurring trouble
and danger. 1t would be hard 10 estimate
the losses that have been inflicted directly
and indirectly on this community by reason
ofthc unbusiness like management Of the
water supply. 1t certainly would foot up
large sum.
To say that those who are heavily taxed
for water rents are utterly disguised with
their experience in the matter Of water
supply i, stating the case mildly. They are
not only disguised, butindignant So well
defined is this feeling in our midst at this
time in consequence Of the constant occur
renee Of breakNGes and stoppuges at the
Water Works, that movement is on foot
for u public meeting at the Court House to
consider steps looking to radical change
in the management Of the Water Works.
The manufacturers feel that their interests
have long been triaed with by those whose
duty it is to make good the contract to fur
nsh them an adequate water supply.
In view OF their constant losses and
annoyanees and in view Of the
great dangers to which they in common
with all citizens are subjected from liability
toagCneral confagration, they feel that the
time has come for the agitation Of radical
change in the Water Works. They have
no confidence that the future, under the
present system, promises anything but
repetition Of the past 1t is simply patch
upon patch, here an old piece Of machinery
and there new one, to-day crank and
tomorrow pipe, one time one thing and
another time another thing but always
something; and SO on throughout a con-
sinaous chapter OF accidents and blunders,
with which all are familiar.
In view OF these past experiences It is
believed by many business men, large pay
es Of water tax, that the management Of
7hc Water Works should be put in the
hands Of a responsible and capable man
aseMent, and not any longer be shuttle
cock in Council. Council has shown chow
not 10 do it," after the manner OF the Cir
cumlOcution Office, and patient people
have suffered the consequences OF their in
capacity. The question is, must we suffer
on IN this way for the futurs7 Is
there no hetter wayH II there
A Why should not a better
way be adopted? Scarcely anything could
be worse than the present unrestricted
management. 1t is both costly and dam
gerous. Thepeople pay high-very high
water assessment, and get Us little for 1t
as it is well possible to give them. For
ycan we have collected about double the
cost Of the water supply from the people,
and yet given portion Of them no supply
at all for several hours in the day. We have
taken the fifty per cent Of extra ta1 levied
upon everybody and diverted it to other
fuses, and We have put large tax on
She factories and yet compelled them al
critical times, to their great loss, to sud.
denly stop their machinery and shut
down. We have seen important busi.
ness property burn up in our midst fol
lack Of water to throw on the flames
and as consequence we have seen
the city sued for a failure to per
torm her contract. How much more o
tho same sort Of burning and suing To-
damages We shall see in the future unde
the present order Of things time must deter
mine, but we are constantly exposed to It
1t is plain that change OF some sort /
needed. We are not surprised, therefore
at the movement that is on foot, 1t /
rather a matter OF surprise that such
movement has been delayed so long.