Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-07-19
A FREE FOUNTAIN.
Comments Regarding a Recent Offer
aade by a Rich Citizen Of
San Francisco
To Present $4,000 Fountains to the
Leading Cities Of the Country
on Application.

Several months ago a public announce
ment was made by DIR. b. d. Coggswell, Of
San Francisco, CAL, that he would, il re-
quested, present a handsome drinking foun-
tain TO each Of the leading cities Of the
country. The fountains are said TO cost $4,000
each. 1t is reported that q movement is on
loot In this city TO secure one OF these
tountains, 10 be put up IN o. about Court
Square. A gentleman, IN discussing the
proposition yesterday, said he wondered it
had not been accepted long ago, and, as he
understood, Albany, n. Y, had just been
given one of the fountains, it was probably
not too late yet. Memphis wanted something
Of the kind, and ss it was probable none
would be provided at an early day it would
be we'll enough 10 accept the doctors offer.
There were a number of plaees in which it
might be put, and it would probably be better
placed at the Main street entrance of Court
Square than anywhere else.
AZ am not in favor of anything of the
kind" remarked another. "The doctors
offer lie not made directly TO Memphis, and it
would look too much like begging 10 accept
it. 1t is like his saying, Hold up your
hands, everybody who wants a fountain and
then having the head citizen of the Taxing
District elevate his palm. The offer Is
made in all kindliness of spirit, | am satis-
fed, but ii strikes me that the very tact that
| so few cities have accepted is a proof that
| they Object TO being regarded as
soRJECTs OF
"No city, no matter hos large, would pro-
test against an $4,000 f0un' ain if 1t was forced
upon it, or if the offer was directly and
poin,edly made; but ii Is not the case in this
instance. Again, Memphis is 10 a position
to pay her own way, and if a fountain is
necessary che should have one"
"a fountain is certainly needed" said a
listener. Nothing would add more to tbe
appearance OF that portion of the city in
which il nigh, be placed. We have one at
the Main street gate of Court Square, but ii
is small and is nothing like what it should
be. OF course it is not to b. compared with
one costing the sum mentioned in DIR. Coggs-
wells offer. A fountain to be popular, and
to satisfy the q.
POPULAR WANT
should be ornamental, we'll kept and invit-
ing. If the public supply of water is not clear
and pure, an apparatus for hltering should
be provided. Then, il a few hundred pounds
OF ice, in warm weather, were placed in II,
plenty of clean cups being about and some
one employed to give it cons ant attention,
we would have a fountain of which we wou d
be proud, with just reason. For $40 a month
an attend mt could be employed, and $50
worth of ice would be ample. I have no
| uOuut lue lGS COulpduIcs WOulu vie Will
each other for the privilege of furnishing i:
at it's actual cost to deliver. The attend ami
might be given police power 10 maintain
order and to prevent the waste of wster, and
the fountain would be q public bles- ing. La
the winter time ice worid, of course, be un.
necessary, and the expenses would be re-
duced to the amount psII he attendant. Say
it rost 800 a month to MAINTAIN it from May
to Ostober, five months, and $40 the balance
of the time. Then we
"wE woUL HAVE A FOUNTAIN
Of pure, cool and heslthful water, at which
no man would be ashamed 10 stop and drink
for $3.50 a year, or SOS a month, on an aver.
age. Court Square would be a good place
but it should not be put out on the idewalk
The Main street gate might be set bach
twenty or thirty feer, leaving an open space
which should be smoothly paved with stont
and shaded from the sun by an Ornamental
pavilion. Flowers might be planted about,
spray of clear water ret going, giving the
place a delightful and inviting appearance
Judge MADDEN, who was seuude1 on thu
subject of. a fountain some days ago, CAV,
vent 10 one of those inimitsble laughs of his
brought down the lid of one eye SO far tha
it obscured nearly half his cheek, and wanted
TO know it "they wouldn't be askiu' for lem
opade and clsret sangarees next" Whel
the ice question was brosched he adde,
something about strsws, and wanted to know
# the public would take sugar and a spool
in their'n."
Whatever may be done about a new foun
tain, 1t is certain that the one now used doe
not answer the purpose. II the bootblack
constituted the public sbea the public woull
be satisfied. They have it all their own way