Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-08

A Fine Supply of Water.


To us no subjcc. Is moro interesting than
the prospect Of supplying all cities with an
abundant quantity OF water suitable ior
drinking and cooking purposes. the ho-
mans had famous water-works. therefore,
we translate the well-known saying, +" Sa'as
pop,h supreme est iez," so as to make IL
read. .The health Of the people Is the
highest law--the Just consideration" This
at any rate ought TO be the first considera-
ton with lawmakers.
Much OF the water conducted from rivers
and creeks TO cities Is wasted. Otherwise
city as large as New York could get oil
the water 1t needed from reservoir as
large rs that belonging to this city. There
are perhaps not forty Thousand people In
Richmond who use the city water in their
dwelling-houses, and yet already we can
see that II was great mistake that our new
reservoir was not made 10 hold S0,OoO50O0
gallons OF water instead Of 40,0O0.00O-as
was recommended by Colonel CUrsHAw.
The people here have made up their minds
tina. this city will grow more rapidly in the
future than in the past. Ten years hence
II will surely contain hundred thousand
inhabitants.
We say much Of tho water conducted TO
every city il wasted The quantity used
for cooking and drinking purposes is small
indeed-that Is, comparatively. Thousands
Of gallons OF water are wasted daily in
every city that has culverts, as all cities
ought 10 have, and as Richmond ought to
have from Rockets 10 the new reservoir
and from the river to Bacon's Quar-
ter branch as soon as practicable,
and II possible before the cholera
shall have had gu opportunity 10 visit US.
We say wasted-tbat is unnecessarily
used-permitted 10 flow constantly might
and day. The new reservoir holds forty
millions Of gallons Of water. The old
holds several millions-much more than is
daily used in this city for cooking and
drinking purposes. A daily supply OF
100000 gallons would be more than enough
for those purposes.
What would it not be worth TO city to
have all the time n supply of clear. pure,
fresh water 10 drink and cook with p
water that every doctor would admit TO be
pure and wholesome water that would
sparkle in the goblet. and leave never
deposit in the vessel that held itl-water
that one would drink as WORDSWORTH
drank from
Tie old oaken bucket. the ron-bound bucket,
The mOss-coYered bucEet that hung In the
wcll"Y-
water that would remind one OF the iimpid
streams Of our mountains, the gushing
springs of the valley, and the bubbling
fountains OF Eastern Virginia water that
in few years would make everybody for
get that there had ever been question aS
to the purity Of that fluid in this city.
Well, there is a city in the United States
which enjoys the inestimable blessing we
have Just described. II Is said that many
persons have bought property in Richmond
and moved hitler in order to have the adj
yantages of the public schools. We have
no doubt that the pure water OF Charles
ton-for It is Charleston we are speaking
of-will attract to that city thousands OF
persons. Where else can such water be
found! Read what the last issue Of the
Ne,cs and Courier says ON this subject
CHARLEsTON's WATER SUPPLY.-The Sec
ond ariesian well Of the Charleston |
Water Works Company is finished al |
last, the extreme depth being 1850 feet. |
Eighteen miles Of mains have been laid, |
and the company is now in position to fur
nish a full supply OF water for public and
private purposes. 1t will probably be some
time before the demand overtakes the sup
ply. The average height of the water in the |
stand-pipe, day and night, is eighty feet.
Nevertheless, the huge reservoir is always |
full. and the water usually is running TO |
waste in large quantities.
The successful completion OF second |
aItesian well solves the water problem in |
Charleston. This city is to be congratu- |
lated on obtaining ut triiing cost supply |
of pure water OF inestmable value. II is |
becoming the general opinion that, as
rule, absolutely pure water cannot be OBJ
tanned from rivers, springs, or ordinary |
wells, and even cities which have rivers adj |
jacent and full supply of river water have |
il in contemplation to sink a:tesian wells |
as a security against the diseases which are |
directly traceable TO impure water.
The artesian system, we presume, Will
he extended gradually so as TO cover, in
time, all Charleston. Enough has already
been achieved TO en.itle the Water-Works
Company to be considered blessing as
well as a necessity to the city.
And all this at 4 " triiling cost" A stand
pipe eighty feet high means, we take it,
that there is eighty feet fall.
"A blessing" says our Charleston con-
temporary. Surely 1t is. A blessing above
price.