Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-11
THE CRY aorrRNmENr.
The Council Argues the Water supply
QuestIon-A Recommendation to In
crease the Fire Department by Two

The Council Argues the Water supply
QuestIon-A Recommendation to In
crease the Fire Department by Two
Men
The Mayor and eight Aldermen COM
posed the City Council last night. With
the opening of the business season and
the return of business men to the city the
aldermanlc chairs, which have been va
cant during the summer months, are
gradually again being filed and held
down BIZ the solid members. The ses-
sion last night was brief one, and what
ever business came up for consideration
was quickly disposed Of.
The well water question was brought
up by the report of the Committee on
Pumps recommending the sinking of a
pump at the corner Of Anderson and
Cemetery streets, to supply the people in
that vicinity with water.
Alderman Thomas opposed the adoption
Of the report, and moved that 1T be tabled.
He read from a Macon paper an
Of water in wells adjacent
TO cemeteries. even at distance Of
1000 yards. He referred to the recon-
mendation Of the city physicians in the
conference before the Council some time
ago. in which the water in nearly every
well i'm the city was shown to be cOntami-
mated with organic matter, and particu-
larly the wells in the locality where 1t
was proposed to sink the pump recon-
mended by the committee. He was
in favor of pure water. and be-
lIeved that it should be supplied
to the city IN some way. How. was a
question for the city itself to decide. The
Committee on Pumps, he said, had been
instructed to ascertain the cost of SINK
ing an artesian well. Certain property
owners had displayed a willingness to
unite.with the city in securing good water
for the neighborhood referred to from an
artesian or driven well. "The Commit
tee on Water Works. he continued,
lis experimenting with filters. Under
the circumstances think we
would better do our duty in
preserving and promoting the health
Of our people by laying this report on the
table for the present. Certainly those
who have already been without immediate
supply of water for more than year can
wait a few weeks longer for reports of the
committees named. To adopt this re-
port and supply impure water will, in
my opinion, be both cruel and criminal.
six weeks ago the physicians met us by
invitation and explained how unit for
drinking the pump water of this city was.
A detailed statement of an examination
Of the water of various wells showed that
that the water from the pump at the cor
ner of Cemetery street and Gwinnett
street lane commenced to lose color IN ten
minutes. and in one hour all the color was
gone. What reason have we to believe
that the pump water at the corner of An
derson and Cemetery streets will be any
better?
u favor an abundant supply of the best
water to be had at public cost. 1t has
always been furnished free and always
will be. notwithstanding the adverse
| ideas Of some Aldermen. If education,
lights. medicine and disinfectants are
furnished at public cost, certainly water,
and best quality, should be furnished
| also"
Alderman Hanley, while he was not
in favor OF pumps, wanted some plan
suggested by which a pure water supply
could be obtained.
Alderman Nell thought that inasmuch
as the locality in which it was proposed
10 locate the pump was on a higher eleya-
tion than the cemetery, there could be no
contamination of the water from that direc-
ton. If they could lay mains in the locality
it would further the interests of the city,
but that could not be done at present. The
sinking of pump would necessitate an
outlay not exceeding from 500 to Sl25,
and he believed the people should be pro-
Vided with it.
After some further discussion a vote
was taken on the motion to table the re-
port. A tie was reached, the Mayor vot-
ing against it. The report authorizing
the location Of the pump was then passed
by the same vote.
The Committee on Fire and Finance
reported an ordinance providing for an
increase of the Fire Department by the
appointment of two men at salary of
$50 per month, to perform such duties as
may be required of them by the Chief
Fireman.
Alderman Thomas asked unanimous
consent that the ordinance be read a
second time and put upon its passage.
Alderman 0'ConnOr objected, and 1t was
laid over under the rules.
A resolution by Alderman Green, pro-
vidIng for the purchase of two new shut
of and spray nOZzles for each engine CON-
pany in the Fire Department, was adopted.
A resolution by Alderman Hanley, au-
thOriZing the Committee on Pumps to adj
vertise FOR bids to bore an artesian well,
was adopted after some discussion. The
committee has been at work in pur-
suance of the instructions of the Council
investigating with reference to the cost
Of sinking a well, and had estimates OF
the matter. but in order to arrive at some
definite conclusion advised formal ad-
yertisement for bids.
After the transaction of some other rou-
tine business, and the passing Of bills
against the city amounting to S6,94I -,
the Council adjourned.