Telegram-herald., 1886-12-05
WATER RATS RATS


tae e'il1efs. Nonmol ieonal. Board ~
Pubae NofEs. Mayo and CITY Attorney
nsler Committee held another important
session .asi week. Tie meeting was ef tbs
star ehauloer oIdel and reporters. tax lSY-
ers and citizens generally. were carefully
excluded lsi the TrfrsRAN- Hf.ALp.
with is. usual enterprise Is able 90 present
S fsuiy good report of the remarks Of fAe
principal speakers who participated a. the
debates.
pom calling the committee % order
Chairmsn gilbert 1esired g. make an
Important explanation. While ia
tie report o. the Common Council
which lie signed a. Chairman, re ha1
strongly advocated the policy of the CRY
managing the water business he wanted il
distinctly understood fhA' his Arguments ~
that direction dit not in any manner. or hy
amy possibility. apply 20 "a. The people
must aiNaNs take care 20 draw the line lee
tween these two leading articles 0f daily
consumption. There is great and grow
ing difference between water ard gas.
Webster defines 10 fully. Water runs down
hiN, While gas has i tendency 10 ascend.
Oas has an unpleasant smell. while some
water has not me COnsumers Of
our city water may not be very
familiar with this last distinction,
therefore | Will present another Wsier
viii not burn while Grand Rapids gas does
to a certain eKteni-when the bills are
regulsrly paid AZ the companys office, No.
lU5 Ottaw. -. where 20 per cent. discount Il
allowed Tor prompt payment. trust that
this explanation OF my pOsit ion vii be
sufficient and Tint the harmon Of our pro
ceedlngs viii not be- again disturbed by the
mention Of KS ia tins connection.
Mr. Gllber, added that he had been dis
appointed tha. Alderman De GRAF aided
and abeited by vicious press, had been
asking what was 20 b. done with the 500. p
o)l. ifit was voted 20 the Board Of Public
Works. such inquiries al TINS point
are wrong and must be suppressed.
The woes Of mankind are
LARGELY attributed 70 Mother Ewes
indiscreei desire Tor more knowledge such
enquiries by Alderman DsGraaf are an
fortunate 10 say the less, and liable % make
trouble for this committee. He must have
known that We propose 10 pat down but
twenty-five miles OF additional water pipe.
making iif.y miles ia all. lie also knows
that tins city has lsl miles Of street. 50 that
only about one-third Of tie blocks in the
city Will be supplied by the enlarged sys-
tenn proposed Now we must natural lv
leave mo wOrtmen's home. in the outside
their votes 10 carry our scheme. and ID an
nOuuce the streets on which we intend %
lay pipe would surely defea; - At The poll.
when this question /. voted on. Now
want 10 assure our friend. IN the outside
districts, whose vote, We desire. that not
one u them il Ignored 0r neglected by our
scheme II it carries they viii
have the privilege Of paying
an annual tar for interest
on the half million dollars OF bonds
which we propose 10 issue and also on the
s3N2Oto already out"
The President # the Board OF Public
Work. said he endorsed The position ;aken
by Mr.. Gilbert Such leading questions as
had been aske! by Alderman De Grssf were
not only indiscreet and inimiCsl % the
present plans Of this committee, bat "a
vorod OF malice, and he regretted that the
City Attorney could not dispose Of the dis
turbers eiter by injunction or capias.
The persistent demands Of the people for
more water and for better water are annoy
ing TO the Board. Why do they want
more Has il not been .ofiicialiy declared
that the water is unwhOlesOme 10 drink
Then the season Of snow IS az hand
and there is no better drinking water than
melted snow. This settles the question for
several months. They also clamOrodsly call
for better water. Now filters were never
cheaper than today The solid matter
obtained from the water by using them is
valuable as q fertilizer and will pay for the
filter in n .ingie year. In many repects our
city waters challenge comparison with any
in the known world. I will not except
even those COlognes OF which the poet Cole
ridge says
Il counted vo-and seventy sfcnchcs,
All wei defined end sevcrai siinks"
In conclusion ! desire 20 Say that al
though our Board is unfortunate. IL i.
honest. II is -l.o sympathetic
and deeply dcplores that the
t.x-gatherer so often calls upon our
citizens in It's behalf. We are not idle and
have only lately obtained a photograph Of
our pit. up the river, and purchased fresh
supply of postage stamps. with which We
are sending letters 10 various parts OF the
country for information"
After a renewed vote Of confidence in the
Water Board and the Ga Company, the
committee silently adjourned for one week
Born to he shot.