Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-14
THE WATER SUPPLY
Warmly Discussed at a Public Meet.
ing Held in Berkeley's Hall.
CLAIMS OF AN INsUFFICIEEcY.
Different Persons Tell How it Has Greatly
Bothered Them.
TIE COMPANY SAYS THERE IS PLENTY

The question of an insufficient water sup
PLY on the Southside, which has been
smouldering away with only an occasional
outbreak, seems to be bursting into blaze,
and on its squirt promises to rival the bridge
question in the interests of Southsiders. The
t1rst complaint made before meeting was
at the Tax Payers Protective Association
last Tuesday evening. After the speeches
on organization, etc., had been listened to,
the question box "a new wrinkle introduced)
was opened and out popped the very inter-
esting question, ''Have we sufficient water
supply?"
f. G. Beinhauer, who led the crusade
against the Monongahela Water Company
two years ago, was prepared for the question
and, producing big volume containing a
report of the investigation, he showed up"
the water company in way that must have
made their ears tingle.
WATER AT THE FIRES.
The speaker called attention to the Oliver
IRE, and quoted the remarks of Mr.. Oliver,
that if there had been more water at first the
hre could have been handled better and with
less loss. All the recent fires on the South
CANO HSEC bdhSu JUG ny Ouc anu GuS u6bCI
company handled with hard gloves. He
said there was a cry going up all
over the Southside, and something
must be done, either by the determination
OF the company, or in the line of action by
Councils to compel the corporation now
supplying the Southslde to live up to their
contract.
Mr.. Beinhauer sat down, but had hardly
gained his seat before J. Yocum, butcher
on Carson street, jumped up. He said he
had a slaughter house on Twenty-frst
street, and when he wanted to kill anything
for his market, he had to stay up nights and
wait for the private consumption to lessen.
He said that he was charged $32 more on
his insurance because the water supply was
short. This. he thought, shouldn't go on
long, and he didn't care how it was done,
but would like to see it stopped.
FURTHER EXAMPLES GIVEN.
This speech ended the meeting, but not
the agitation for better water supply,
which only needed someone to start the
ball rolling. Reinhart Klinzing, who has
meat market on Bradford street, between
Tenth and Eleventh streets, said that he
went up to his slaughter house last Wednes-
day to kill five hogs, but had to give it up
because there wasn't water enough. In the
evening he went up again, but could get
only enough water to kill one hog.
Mr. Doyle. of 908 Bingham street, said he
could not get sufficient water for house pur-
poses and was greatly Inconvenience at
times. 1t has alWas been his custom to take
a bath Saturdays and recently he went up
to the bathroom for the purpose. He turned
the spigots and sat down and watched
the water triekle for three-quarters
of an hour It was then only two inches
deep in thd tub. and he had to go to bed
without hit bath.
WEST END COMPLAINT.
The trotble in the West End is familiar
to readersof the papers. A late issue said
that when Mr.. Stengle, Superintendent of
the Mon0ngahela Water Company, was seen
in regard to the West End trouble, he ad-
mitted that there was insufficient supply on
the Southside, especially at fires, and that
the .puhping machinery was not strong
enough.
when Mr.. Stengle was seen by DIS
PATCH reporter, he first said he would not
talk and snapped his fingers. Finally he
warmed up and said it was all
wrong; that it was all malice;
that the whole Southside was we'll supplied
with water, except about 25 families in the
intended to do something for these families,
and he said they had no plans made to that
effect The few families were in section
not building up fast, The fire question had
not bothered him, he said, as nothing had
been proven at any time to show that the
water was short.
THE COMPANY'S END.
'Why don't the citizens over there cry
NO water?'" said Mr.. Stengle, pointing
out Of the window to the Soho district.
'They complain of short water, and why
isn't howl sent up?"
He was asked why q corporation could
make such good thing out of the water
business when the city, until the present
year, has failed to have surplus
in that line. In reply he asked
why private corporations could buy
castings for So when they cost cities $32
He said that all other cities did have i'm
mense revenues from their water works.
Nothing would suit him better than very
small percentage of the surplus from the
water of some of the large cities ike New
York.
At the next meeting Of the Tax Payers
Protective Association the question will be
again discussed and some lively develop
ments are promised.