The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-31
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Editor Morning Nes0s: In recent issue
OF your paper I notice an article headed as
above. In which a solution of the whole
difficulty was found in the passage of an
ordinance forbidding the use Of pan or
valve closets. Now, desire to call atten-
ton to few Of the causes of waste, or,
may say, one of the principal causes, in
which the poor pan and valve closets take
no more part than the tank closet, the
kitchen and pantry and yard hydrant, or
any other arrangement for permitting the
use OF water. l allude to the carelessness
of landlords, tenants. and owners of prop
erty.
In the article referred TO l notice the fol-
lowing: A member of the water committee
OF council found on examining his premises
that he had pan closet that had been run
ming for six months, and had used during
that time nearly half a million gallons Of
water. The alderman doubtless had that
waste stopped at once.
Here you have the whole thing in a nut
shell-careleSsness 1t was not the fault of
the closet. All closets, faucets and every
thing else will get out of order if they are
neglected.
have a pan closet that has been in use
over thirty years and has never wasted
water. Why! Because l keep it in order.
l have valve closets that never waste water,
Tor the same reason.
had new tank closet that was running
al the time. 1t would ill up and discharge,
MI and discharge, etc. It was out of order
SIMPLY. did not condemn tank closets,
but had it repaired.
How often the kitchen and pantry faucets
run all day and all night. What is the
troubled Do we demand that an ordinance
be passed forbidding the use Of faucetsl By
no means. We examine it, find that the
washer is worn out, have new washer
put on, and it is all right Some
careless people would let it run
SIX months and then complain of the
water supply. have had considerable ex-
perience with water works and tenants, but
L find that with care aud attention the pan
and valve closets waste no more water than
others. All must must have care and at
| tentloD, and if the owners and occupants of
houses will not give that care and attention,
| let the city authorities appoint an inspector,
ana II tie finds closet or faucet out of
order let him report the occupant for fine,
| etc. AS for passing an ordinance to have
| good closets removed, that is impossible. The
| city authorities cannot make it remove A
good closet that works well and does not
waste water because b has one of similar
| pattern that does
1t has been said that pan closets should
| not be used because persons put sticks
under the handle to keep them running
This is childish. Why not prohibit tank
| closets because some persons fasten the
chain so that the valve cannot closet
Why not prohibit all faucets, bath tubs,
ETC., because people leave the water run
| ming?
1t has been suggested that self-clos-
ing faucets be used universally, SO that
| persons could not leave the water running.
| Do the persons who make this suggestion
| suppose that the spring on these sslf-cosing
| faucets never wears out? for if they do they
are mistaken. When the spring wears out
| they will remain open and running until it
| is fixed
No, as long as we have closets and faucets
| and bath tubs. street washers, yard n.y.
| drantS, etc., there is bound to be waste,
until people are taught, by fine, to be care
| full. One closet may be better than another,
but all are good enough if they have atten-
| tion. Don't condemn the closet; condemn
| the man who permits it to run six months
| without fixing it. Some people will let
| their roofs leak that long without attending
| to them, if they are in rented houses
DIR. Falligant's idea is good one. Let
| the city go out of the water business,
Appoint an inspector by all means and
force people to be careful in the use of
water. II a closet wastes water and cannot
| be repaired, order it removed, but it APP
pears to me that it would be rather arbi-
| trary for council to dictate to a man what
kind of vent he should use for his water,
| provided it did not waste the water; and as
| for expecting the citizens to throw away
| good closets that do not waste any water and
\ are always kept in order-well, I am afraid
the citizens would politely decline.
| CARE