Telegram-herald., 1890-02-17
OF THE SANE MIND
Water, Water Everywhere and
Net Drop 70 Drink"
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
oeBtlenea Sf the Coneruon Couneii Ead
Of the Board of Public Nerks
- a. Get Year Ear> SO tEs
Ground and Listen

To the Edlior Of the TstE1sAa. Rss4tR
Beng = subscriber ana constant
reader Of your most valuable paper,
through the columns OF which the city
watef question IS being discussed, and
a. | an taxpayer of the ely and
county. | feel to have a right in com
mon with Others, to express my vier
upon this All important subject Ia
my opinion, the water which .s needed
for every village and city should have
the most careful consideration; ln tna
none VIII disagree. Poets and COM
posers, a. Tar back az we have any nee
ord OF their writings, saw III 10 dwell a.
length upon The Pure and Sparkling
Waters. i" which go TO make up such
great percentage OF our bodies. oar
health and well-being depend as much
upon our supply of pure water, which
) as vitality important a is wholesome
food, light or warmth.
Can we say that the subject OF water
for drinking and culinary purposes of
the second city in the State OF Michl-
gan has had the consideration due a
question of such magnitude? /, Tor
one, say nO-mOst emphatlcally no.
Today paying for a solution which
the city labels and sells for " Pus HGtoF."
some mornings ago my wife exclaimed,
"What Is the matter with our tea ket-
tie; Il smells so2' 4 moments myestl-
CATION revealed the fact that II was all
due to the use of the "pure cjfB roi,r."
Since that time have been obliged TO
carry water from the we'll of a generous
nclghbOr. Tile water furnished 10y
the city of Grand Rapids pure and
wholesome for human beings - ] con
slider it unfit for brutes. To our sister
cities we boast and point with pride to
our churches, schools. factories, magni-
ficIcnt business blocks. elegant streets
%, and, blushng with shame, say
nothing about our water supply. This
one great deficiency alone turns, every
year, hundreds from our city, who
would otherwise locate with us, and
bring in additional industries. To say
nothing OF these, there are those whose
homes have been within our city, have
been removed, and nov dwell within
''The Silent City of the Dead" the use
OF the pure city water being the cause,
directly or indirectly.
Just think of it, 5000. 900 in debt for
water works, and running behind at
the rate of 500 per wear. TO be
imposed upon with such results from
so great an outlay Is simply outrageous.
II the company mentioned i'm the TEIE-
GRAMllERALD, under date of FcbI uary
Is, VIII give us water from not less
than one-half milo out in Lake Nioli-
gan !, for one, viii hold up both hands
and say: "Sell TO them the citv water
works and give us Lake VI chigan
water" this VIII settle for all timc 10
come the perplexlng problem. purity
and quantity, of water for the city of
Grand Rapids. 1t viii also settle an
other point, viz: those who want water
can have II by paying for it Just as
they do now. and those who do not
want IL, or on whose streets there are
no mains, will not be burdened with
taxes TO pay interest on water bonds.
When We look over the city and note
the large portion of II, which has no
water for fire protection or other pur-
poses, but which pays just the same
rate Of tax as that which mas all the
benefit there Is IN the present service,
IS there any wonder that there Is a
kick?
We must not accuse our city fathers
OF any Intentional wrong management
of our city affairs, but term il short
sightedness. When we look about Us
we find il not alone our city officials,
but others also. whom We would expect
from their position, which they have
obtained by the vote OF the masses,
working for the few and against the
many. or If not working against, arc
not working at all. Look at the case
of the post-Otiice appointment, spend
ing days and weeks. IN addition 10
many dollars perhaps their own money
though. IN working and fighting for
appointment Of n lavOrltc - be post
master. ali ol which is insignificant 10
the public, for would We not get our
mail inst the same. be Il Pierce, Clark,
or some one else The same energy
and money expended to promote the
canal scheme would Doe of far more
benefit 10 Grand Rapids than all the
poSt-otiice wars and their results that
have been or ever VIII be visited upon
Us.
Then soil the water works. give usan
abundant supply of pure water from
Lake Michigan.
Declare the p0st-office fight OIL. and
turn brain. muscle and money upon
the ship canal, and Won VIII tini mo I'm
the future attending to my own busl-
ness at the old stand.
Very rrSpegffrtffv YOURS