Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-27
AMENITIES OF LANDLORDS.
How Two AvariciOus Owners Were
WOrsted by One Generous Woman.

An interesting case illustrating the
importance OF property owners, as we'll
as to all other classes of citizens, of OBJ
serving the ou-would-be-done-by
rule occurred a few days ago. In
row OF dwelling houses in the upper
part OF this city three continuous build
ings, owned by as many persons, received
their water supply through a single
half-inch pipe connecting with the main
on the opposite side of the street, which is
100 feet wide. They were old dwellings
and the pipe had been thus connected
many years ago, and before any of the
present owners had come into possession.
No one OF the three knew into which house
this pipe entered, from which ran con-
Meeting pipes diverting portions of the
water supply to the two other houses. Nor
could this be ascertained without digging
in the frozen ground.
One morning, about a week ago, it sud-
denly and simultaneously happened to the
tenants OF the houses in question that
they could not draw drop of water from
their several faucets. After few min
utes in two of the houses a portion of the
supply returned, but the LIQUID trickled
slowly, and it was a matter of time and
patience to NIL pail. In the third house
no water could be procured at all. On
complaint OF the tenants, the owner of the
latter house went to see the other
owners and proposed that the damage
should be repaired at their joint expense.
But the other two said 'Nay. Our ten
ants have some water and can get along
with it. Go thou and mend the leak at
thine own expense"
The lady to whom this was said turned
away with fOrebOdings of heavy expense
at this unseemly season for delVing in the
earth after pipes of unknown calibre and
location, with rents of uncertain size in
what portions of their circumference
could only be conjectured. But the
thirsty and unwashed occupants of the
dwelling Indignantly and with one accord
declared that as the hart panteth for the
water-brOOks so painted their souls for the
CrOtOn, and that if they did not have it
without delay the Board of Health, the
Department of Public Works, the COrO-
ner's office, the keeper of the mOrgue, and
the undertaken should be summoned to
make short work of the offending laBdlady
and all the property that she held most
dear. Succumbing under this baptism of
ire she sought the mildest-mannered plum
Der that she could find, yielded to his utmost
demand, and told him to go to work. He
did O,and soon to her establishment and de-
light it was discovered that the pipe con-
Meeting with the main was carried directly
to her house before the invigorating rills
that were dripping into the sinks of the
contiguous dwellings were diverted to
them by connecting pipes. This put new
complexion upon the matter. The sup
ply to the other houses was cut off, the
leaks speedily soldered, and the lady's
house had direct and exclusive connec-
tion with the main, while the other
houses were left in the condition in which
hers had been at first. And the lady's
expense was trivial.
Then came the other landlords in sack
cloth and ashes and directed their plumb
ers to dig them graves extending from
one side of the 100-foOt street to the other,
and to bury therein $3.50 apiece in the mar
row leaden collins. And it was done even
as they commanded. And the plumbers
danced upon the new-made graves, and
when they returned to their families the
fatted calf was killed, and they were
nrodigal of their ill-wOtten gains.