Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-15
A MAMMOTH PROJECT
To Supply the Whole Southside Dis
trict With Filtered Water.
CITIZENS ORGANIZE FOB ACTION.
Hard Blow Aimed at the Prestige Of the
Water Companies.
A cOUNCILMANIc ISSUE NEXT YEAR

There is now big project on foot to sup.
ply the Southside, as well as the Hill dis
tricts in and out of tie city. with pure
filtered water. The supply will be drawn
from point above Beok's run, and then
put through a process which will eliminate
all deleterious matter and disease germs.
The projectors are none other than livestock
holders of the South View Water Company,
chartered early this week, ostensibly to sup
ply residents of the new suburb called
South View, and adjacent territory with
water. This is as much of the plans of the
company as the public have been allowed to
know.
Now 1t has been ascertained that the goal
OF the company is to supply the whole
Southside with water and that direct blow
is aimed at the prestige Of the Monongahela
Water Company, induced by the demand oil
the public for better supply.
NOW LOOKING UP SYSTEM.
At meeting of the Board of Directors Of
the company, plans and specifications oil
were looked over. The directors have de-
cided on one thing-that under present cir
cumstances it is an impossiblIity to obtain
a sufficient supply from any other
source than the Monongahela river.
That being the case, their only resource
is system of liberation that will make the
water pure. The Pasteur-Semen's system,
which has been tried by many cities, is the
means the company looks to to bring about
the desired result.
The agent of the new system of liberation
was at the meeting OF the Board OF Direc-
tors. All of those present, who had pre-
viously been studying the subject, were very
tavorably impressed with the system, and
there is talk of its being adopted. This
much is sure, the company will use some
system Of liberation, and the first question
at issue now is, which is the best one?
PLENTY OF FINANCIAL BACKING.
The company has the financial backing to
undertake any project it wish. The stock
holders are mostly citizens of the Southslde,
who have had practical illustrations of the
condition of the water supplied by the
Monongahela Water Company, and need no
chemical analysis to tell them whether it is
palatable or pure.
AS stated at first the company was osten-
sibly formed to supply South View with
water, either by connection with the Monon-
gahela Company's lines or by lines to the
river at Beck's run, with standpipe at
the latter point. 1t seems that the company
has all the while been looking further. The
new company's charter calls for operations
in Baldwin township. The Monongahela
Company's charter calls for the city-but the
the new company has had attorneys looking
up the matter aud believe that the water
company act of 1887 does not make the
rights of territory to any company exclu-
sive.
Ii this be tbs case then the Monongahela
Water Company is not the only one that
can enter the business.
LEGISLATION IN THEIR FAVOR.
If the people do not like the water and
another company sees fit to supply the same,
the Legislature can give the necessary char
ter, If needs be, and the company can COM
mence operations at once. Or, it may be
possible that it will not be necessary to OBJ
tain charter other than the one already in
the hands of the company's secretary.
The Southside has just elected Emmet
Cotton to the Legislature and will have rep
resentatlon in that body when it meets again.
1t is not thought that any difficulty will be
incurred in that direction.
The Councils of the city, when a charter
as obtained, does not have to issue an ordin-
ance. All that body has to do is to give the
company license to tear up the streets to
put down their mains and pipes.
The plans of the company are
the direct outgrowth of the agita-
tion on the Southside for pure
water. 1t is not simply a money-makine
scheme, but question that comes home to
each of the stockholders, and regarding
which each one is interested for the sake of
his health and that of his wife and children.
A DIRECTOR SPEAKS OUT.
Said one of the directors Yesterday, when
asked if he thought there would be any op-
position in Councils: "How in the name
of common sense and justice could there be
opposition. The demand for better water is
not spasmodic or confined to one district
The cry is going up from the whole South
side. When matter of health is at stake,
and the demand of whole section is for
thing, Councils could not refuse.
''I tell you the people are awake on this
water question and we must and will have
better water.
of opposition is encountered it will be a
Councilmanic issue at the next election and
the people Will demand representatives in
Council that will stand like solid phalanx
before every bit of legislation, until the
Southside is given justice.
NoFEAR OF OPPOSITION.
81 do not think there will be opposition.
IF the people band together to furnish them
selves with pure supply and no
appropriation is asked-nothing but the
assent of Councils, who can say nay.
"There is no opposition to:the powers rul-
ing; instead we are most OF us friends of the
men in power, and do not think of else save
a better supply. 1t is common cause, not
political at all, and one that thinking men
can join with earnestness, whether they live
on the Southside and have to drink the
water or not.
1.-THE company propose to filter the water
BY process that will take from it its iniu-
rious qualities. and you may be assured the
company will leave no stone unturned to
give the Southside water supply sufficient
and of the best quality consistent with
modern science and engineering. Our plans
are as yet in their infancy, but we mean
business from the word CO."
HOWARD FIELDING in THE DISPATCH
Tomorrow will tell how a friepd of his