The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-08-08
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM NANTUCKET, MASS.
A Citizen of Towsontown Takes Things
Easy-How Town is Supplied With
Water-Beautiful Views-Person-
al Matters, Etc. Etc. Etc
NANTUCKET. Auoust I'd. 1885,

NANTUCKET, August Sd, 1885.
Messrs. Longnecker Bros:-Once more we are
On this girt island the most restful of restful
Races dipping in the salt water from time to time
ahaling the pure air of the place, drinking in the
uone with each breath, recruiting our weary
hains and bodies, gathering, we trust, strength
FIR the labors and toll and trials of the coming
eeven months. am not so run down as was
when came here last year, but find the relaxa-
ton from business cares and pursuits very pleas
sant, and it gives me pleasure simply to rest and
to feel when l wake up that am not obliged to
do anything; that my time just now is Of no par
ticuar value; that am not compelled to work
that can, if it please God, do just what choose
for few weeks, and enjoy this dolce far niente,
the Italians call it, sweet idleness as we may
paraphrase it into the English language
On Friday, the 31st ut., we rode out to the
water works which supply many of the houses in
the town of Nantucket with water The works
are about one mile or little more from the town,
and the water from Wannacomet Pond is pumped
by steam engine to a large reservoir or water
tank, raised thirty or forty feet from the ground
and capable of holding about 900 barrels. This
tank or reservoir is raised to this height so as to
force the water into any part of the houses in the
town. The pond is about three acres in size and
upwards of thirty feet in the deepest places. 1t
is supplied by springs; no stream runs into it,
The engine can, if necessary, pump up about 1000
gallons per hour. telegraph or telephone con-
meets the water works with the town, so that in
case of fire the engineer who resides at the water
works may at once set the engine to work to it's
full capacity SO as to supply all the water that may
be required to put out the fire. Had these works
been constructed forty years ago the great fire of
1846, which destroyed large part of the village
and caused great loss and permanently injured
the town, might easily have been checked by the
efficient fire department of the place.
The view from the water works is very pretty.
To the left is Vineyard Sound, of beautiful deep
blue color, while in front to the right is the town
of Nantucket, and to the left "The Cliffs, ;" with
fine cottages built on it, conspicuous among which
is the house built by the late Charles O'Conner,
large, handsome building, the roof of which is
painted red, which really adds very much to its
appearance, contrasting as it does strongly with
its surroundings. To the right of the water works
is the monument erected in 1881 to the memory of
the first settlers of the island by their descendants,
and close by il erected to Robert Ratlift, who
was a petty officer on board the British ship
Northumberland, which conveyed Napolean Bona
parte to st. Helena in 1915. Ratlift lived in Nan
tucket for many years and was much respected for
honesty and integrity. He died in 1881 or 1882.
Among the Marylanders now or lately staying
here are President Gilman, of Johns Hopkins
University Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel d. Schumacher,
who are stopping at the Nantucket Hotel, ON Brant
Point Hon. John B. Wentz, T. ]. Lanahan, ESQ.,,
Mr.. William Plummer, Miss Lille Bateman, Miss
Sallie Sherwood, Mr.. and Mrs. William S. Keech,
Mr.. De Bullet, daughter and sons, Mrs. Bailey,
Messrs. II. J. Beacham, M. H. Perkins, Jr., Chas.
G. Smith, Owen a. Gill and Miss Gill;
The Office of postmaster of this place is quite an
important one and it pays good salary. have
not heard the name of any mentioned as the
successor of the present efficient officer, Mr.. J. F.
Murphy, and some persons think he will be re-
appointed. This ia hardly likely, and am in
clined to think that when the term for which he
was appointed expires some Democrat will get the
place. just he will lose it in his turn if the Re-
prblicans elect their candidate for the Presidency
in 1888.
There is a custom house in this place, and the
position at one time may have been quite an i'm
portant and lucrative one. Now think it must
be nearly sinecure, and presume the emoluments
attached to the place are not enough to make the
office very lucrative.
Politics do not seem to interest or disturb the
good people of this place much ct present; at
least have not heard word on the subject since
/ have been here.
We will probably get to Towsontown on the
afternoon of August oath.
Yours truly, VIAToR.