Smyrna times., 1885-02-25
Let us have Water Works.

In the month of November last
latter the narrow escape from what at
one time threatened to be a serious
sconhagration) our Town Commissioners
took up the question of fires and our
inadequate means Of meeting them,
an account of whose deliberations was
given in the TINES at the time. After
getting what information they could
about economical methods of water
supply for fires they were about to
adopt the cistern method, but learned
that inalmost evcryplace where tried it
had been abandoned for water works
on the Holly or some such system.
They very naturally concluded that if
unsatisfactory in other places it would
prove so here, and the expenditure in
the trial of several thousand dollars
would be a useless waste of money.
On one thing there is unanimity-
we need water supply for the peril of
fire, and need it badly. We differ
only in method of reaching the result
There is no disposition to spend one
dollar unnecessarily. Those in favor
Of water works seeing the danger and
daily risk we are running in DELAY.
would proceed as soon as possible to
have them constructed, believing that
the expenditure of $4,000 or some such
sum for cisterns would be only tempo
rizing, inadequate and virtually lost to
the town (basing the outcome on the
experience Of other places that have
adopted the same course), and that
after all we will have to come to water
works. The question is, shall we thus
temporize and waste time and means
or proceed at once to the final result.
with the peace of mind and comfort it
will bring i'll relieving us from a con-
tinually impending dread ola conllagra-
ton? The disturbing thing in bring
ing the mind to an approval of the
latter course is the cost-the increase
in taxes. Well, no body likes taxes,
especially when they become burden
some, but there are some things that
must be shOuldered, and the very first
duty of every man is to protect his
home. This isan obligation of good cit
izenship. Where is our protection &?
and in what have we to rely on other
thanin Providence, and what reliance is
that if the old adage be true that
Providence helps only those who
help themselves"
1t cannot be denied that the taxes
will be increased and may be felt (if
the supreme object of safety is lost
sight of, ut times onerous, but will
they not be infinitely more bearable
than to see ourselves as almost an
entire community rendered homeless
because we are unwilling to spend
siX-pence to save pound? The cis-
tern arrangement its friends claim,
will cost $1,000 or $4,000. Everything
in the iron department is now at the
minimum price, and water-works that
several years ago would have cost $25,-
000it is said can now be constructed for
$4,000. Ifthe cistern arrangementw will
have to be abandoned after a trial
(as has been found expedient in other
townsl that money will be virtually
lost while in the meantime it will not
afford us protection in property or Sc
curity in mind. And besides, water
works become less expensive year by
year by the dividends from water
rents, and in most of towns after few
years they become selfsustaining.
The above is only the practical side
of the question there is no appeal to
town pride in remaining dull, dead and
stagnant while our sister towns are
adopting, as much as an advertisement
Of their towns as desirable places of
residences as for safety against fire. all
the modern improvements for business.
comfort and safety. Our first requisite