The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1890-11-06

Because THE GLOBE saw fit to make
mention of the wretched service of the
water company, some people have vigor-
ously aired their views concerning THE
GLOBE. All this is cheerful. 1t is
gratifying to THE GLOBE to know that
its honest criticisms of existing wrongs
evoke comment from men who read.
The GLOBE only regrets that some men
who read do not think before they give
expression to their views and let us rea-
son just a moment.
IL 1t be true that with a complete sys-
tenn of water works insurance was low
cred, then it becomes apparent that the
insurance companies believed we had a
good service. By keeping still we only
rob he insurance company; get some
thing for nothing, and perhaps make a
chant or the private citizen, no matter
who, if he pays his insurance premium,
believes that he is protected. Suppose
this water company continues to get
WIS hctCdL vi DClLCI, as no" SttIlS 10
be the general tendency? If a man is in
sured he expects his money if he burns
out. But what will hinder insurance
companies to get into litigation with
him. They are rich and powerful, and
no individual can afford to go through
the courts with them. If we are receiv-
ing a lower rate Of insurance under false
pretense; if We represent one thing and
have another, then it is time to expose
the whole business. According to the
say of the town commissioners the water
company is not living up to its contract
in any particular. The water is not pure
and wholesome the quantity is MOI suffi-
cient to reach the stipulations of the con-
tract and the pressure is not what it
should be. If this is true it then plainly
becomes the duty of the proper officers,
those who are the guardians of the city's
interests, to call a meeting and in four min
utes formulate some plan and inform the
This would be business and it would bring
the corporation to time.
The Boston corporation will not take
steps as long as they can draw from the
city $500 a year and what it can from the
private consumers. 1t would be folly for
them to improve their plant unless it
would pay them to do it. Ifthis city would
refuse to pay them money until they full
filled their contract, then they would
either come to time or quit.
THE GLOBE pays insurance and it pays
the water company over a hundred dol
lars a year. The service given this office
is little better han no service at all.
If the electric light company, which is
a Durham enterprise, lets one of it's street
lamps go out, it is charged up very
promptly. But here the water works
continue to get their money, nothing has
been done, and the contract has been
openly violated for more than a year. 1t
is time that some one took steps in this
matter, and it is time for some newspaper
to expose the way the water company
has of doing business. There are many
men who do not carry insurance but they
pay taxes to support the water company,
in the belief that their property might be
saved in case of fire. But if the pressure is
not what it should be, a speedy meet
ing of the board would be the proper
thing. Durham business men do not
want to beat insurance companies, and
honest men generally will agree with
Tie GLOBE in this pronositiOn.