The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-21
rErGHrrUL RISKS.

From time to time there has been free
discussion OF the general effect, the appar-
ent cause and the gross cuipabiIity OF the
neglect to improve the water facilities OF
this city. There is general knowledge
that Oh this account the city is being sub
iected to frighttul risks OF a terrible catas-
trophe. for which even the superservice-
able apologists OF the authorities are unable
to offer a reasonable excuse.
But even those who claim that some OF
the delays in this connection have been
unavoidable, and who seek to put the most
charitable construction on the general dila-
toriness of the authorities, will find their
ingenuity taxed to frame an excuse for the
manner in which, night after night, with
out previous notice of any kind, great
blocks and districts are left without the
protection OF even bucketful of water.
This has been the condition Of affairs
many nights--in some localities every
night-for the past week or two here in Sc
attic. Buildings and blocks worth hun
dreds of thousands of dollars, many of
them filed with valuable merchandise or
furniture and a large proportion OF them
filed with slumbering people, left.with the
water completely cut off, in danger OF CON-
plete destruction by fire which. when
first discovered, might be subdued by one
single bGcketful OF water, with not even
that at hand.
This is a state of affairs for which there
can be no imaginable excuse; which is abb
solutely criminal in those who are respon-
sible for it, and for which it would be little,
If any, less than crime to offer an apol-
ogy. There is no milder word that will fit
this case, and if there were such niider
word it would be a shame and an insult 10
an imperiled public to use it. People who
pay for being supplied with water through
certain channels, and who count upon it
and depend upon 1T, are entitled to timely
notice of an intention TO shut them off
from such supply; not merely by notice
posted at the water-company's Office, or
published in one or more newspapers that
may not reach one-tenth Of those inter-
ested or attract the attention of one in an
hundred, but they are entitled to direct
personal notice about which there can be
no mistake or misunderstanding.
1t cannot be claimed that this view is un-
fair or uncharitable to those who have
charge of our water supply. And yet
night after night hundreds of families
have retired to rest with not so much as q
gallon of water at their command in case
of emergency. and never a word OF previ-
Gus notice which would have enabled them
to Gil at least few buckets, tubs or the
like to afford some sort of security. When
1t is reflected that the failure to give such
notice might entail the loss of property
worth millions Of dollars and hundreds of
precious lives, there can be no two opinions
about the failure to give such notice.
Every person who pays for and depends
upon certain source of water supply is
entitled TO timely notice of an intent to cut
off that supply, and failure to give such
notice is objectionable. Within an in
corporated city, no matter whether such
sources Of water supply are public or
private, IL is the clear duty of the authori-
ties TO see that this reasonable requirement,
so essential to the public safety, shall be
rigidly enforced. The fact that water is
scarce, and needs to be carefully husbanded,
does not in the slightest degree initiate
against this position.