The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-03

privilege OF supplying Memphis witt
water. FoTeible arguments were ad
duced on both sides, but the commit
tee finally reached a unanimous con
clusion, and embodied their decision
in a resolution, which was adopted
April l6, 1886. az follows at ia the sens.
Of this COMMITTEES that, in view OF the
increasing population Of the city, the
construction Il system OF psrmsneni
water works should be undertaken
and carried out sc soon as the neces
sary Legislation can be secured by the
Taxing District; and thst, considering
the paramount necessity for the per
servatien of the public health, the Sc.
cu'ity and future enlargement of the
structures, and the economy in the
management, the works should be
constructed, owned and operated by
the city"
Inasmuch as the Fire Department,
the sewer system and the Sanitary
Department. OF our city are ex-
olusivsly under control Of the City
Government, and ss these depart.
ments are intimately related to the
water works system, and ara depend
ent upon 1t for their success and eff.
cheney, 1t was thought to DC eminently
proper, and indeed es ential to the
highest efficiency Of all these depart
msnts, that the water supply, as well
as the other departments, should be
under the full and exclusive control
OF the city authorities. This commit.
tee have an abiding faith that under
our present compact and economical
form of government there would be
no Increased danger OF peCulation, dis
honesty or mismanagement by con-
ferring on our municipal officers the
duties growing out OF
public water system. 1t must be con-
coded by sill that sny private corpora
ton that would contract to supply the
city with water would do.eo only for
the measure of profit that such con-
tract might promise. Such measure
involves the expense for president, Of
hcsrs and employees, besides profit to
stockholders. Under city Ownership,
most OF this expense would be saved
TO the people. For many years past
Memphis has received her water sop.
ply through such a corporation, and
the expense has been far from salts
factory. The experience and example Of
sll large cltiesin this country and others
prove the advautage-yes, the necessity
of city ownership. We may cite New
York, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn,
Jhicsgo st. Louis, Cincinnati, Louis.
Vile, Cleveland, Washington, al d 500
more of the chief cities and towns of
his country. Many of these have ex-
perimented with the system of private
ownership, and have discarded it. 1t
g wise to profit by the experiences oil
others. In European cities such a
hing as private ownership in connec-
ion with the public water supply is
not tolerated at all, Memphis has be-
,ome great commercial center, and
q a groDin0 city. A well devised sys-
.em OF water works, supplying clear,
pure, soft water in abundance can
low bs established on q self support.
ng basis. Every year is adding largely
o our population and increasing the
water consumption. 1t isno visionary
dea to see before Us the time, at no
very distant day, when our water
works will become Rn important
IouIce Of net revenue, and potential
actor in the extinguishment Of our
,ity debt.
In looking for the proper solrce of
upply, the committee has had under
perhaps every source
md every plan which has ever been
'efore our people. The shallow we'll
ystem, like that on Long Island, N,
T., aud at Jackson, Tenn, was re-
ected as impraCticsble for local
easons. The artssian we'll system
vas elected because OF its uncertainty
md unrelisbiliy. Ooldwster river,
Mississippi, Tennessee river, Spring
liver, Arkansas, and Tuscumbia
spring, Alabama, were deemed inn
practicable as sources OF supply be.
ause OF the great expense involved in
ach of these plans, which was far
'eyond any sum that Memphis can
ford to expend in this object. The
oregoing al being rejected, the com
nittee wss narroTed down to Wolf
liver, South Horn Lake, and the Mis-
issippi river, and to these three it has
devoted close and elaborate investiga-
ion. Ia order TO render p acticable
nd acceptable any point from which
o draw supply of water for this
,reat city three conditions were essen
ial. The water must be sufficiently
'ure to be wholesome for all domestic
lses; it must be abundant in quantity,
nd it must be obtsinable at cost not
exceeding 81, 100000, that being the
init at which the system can
10 made certainly sell support.
ng, with our present population, euti-
mated at 10000. The committee has
therefore, sought definite and reliable
on these points in their
citation to the three sources OF supply
asst mentioned, viz: Wolf river,
Horn lake and the Mississippi river.
samples Of watnr from each, taken in
various stages and conditions, were
Ient to expert chemists for analysis.
The Mississippi water was pronounced
very bad and altogether unfit for do
nestle use; Horn lake, less obiec-
ionable but not ca isfactory; Wolf
liver water, taken at the crossing OF
he Louisville and Nashville Railroad,
VAS found to be comparatively pure,
md, after sedimentstion and Offering,
was highly approved as suitable for
I'll domestic uses, and for use in boil
,rs. The analytical tables accom-
,snying this report, prepared by the
Drs, Elliott, of the Western Military
institute, near Dayton, O., and DR..
Jhss. Smart, United States Army, OF
he Surgeon Generals office, Wash
nGton, d. o., will be found interest
ng in this connection. This result
will be surprise to many, but when
t is remembered that the Mississippi
liver and it's tributaries drain an i'm.
nense territory, extending 1000 miles
rom north to south and 1000
rom east to west, populated
by 100000 Of people, with its
lundred great cities, thousands Of
owns and villages, and countless
Of all descriptions, for
which this mighty river performs the
lnty Of common sewer, no farther
i - .t.n.ga.. "a nnsloi a. -. G.