The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-04

If it were not for the Inconvenience
and discomfort of the thing the plight
in which London finds itself with its
water supply frozen would be comical
to practical Yankee. The water pipes
are frozen simply because the Briton has
never profted by his experience of his
native winters. Year after year they
have freezing weather in London, and
year after year London's water pipes
freeze, burst, and there cometh water
famine.
The Londoners' water pipes freeze not
because the weather is intensely cold, but
because the pipes are insuffciently pro-
tected. Too often they are left exposed
to all the winds that blow.
Entire districts in London, square
miles, districts as large as many good
sized American cities, had their water
/ supply entirely stopped one winter. I'm
a0ine the inconvenience, even the dis
! tress and danger, attending such a con-
dition of thingsl But the fault has been
with the Londoner, and not with the
weather. l passed through district
thus afflicted one dismal day, and saw
the workmen digging up the road to get
at the pipes.
In the street where these operations
were going on the supply pipes for all
the houses (the pipes running in from
the water mains) were all laid within a
foot of the surface Of the ground. The
water was frozen in all the pipes. Eight
Ill IL.
had not penetrated. But the English
man deliberately puts his supply pipes
within reach of the frost.
A PRIMITIVE SYSTEM
The pipes would never freeze if they
were put few feet under ground, for
the frost in London rarely penetrates the
earth more than a foot or two. But the
Londoner does worse than this-he often
runs the water pipe up the outside wall
Of his dwelling, without protection of
any sort. He has another cheerful habit,
which is fast becoming the fashion, and
which is now put in practice in all the
better class houses.
The drain pipes, at any rate those from
the sinks and bathtubs, are carried down
the outside walls, with break at every
story, where another inlet or outlet is
made into a small open trough, from
which another pipe leads down another
story, and SO on to the bottom, where
the water flows into gutter and thence
into the sewer. The system fully ac-
cOmplishes its Object-Sewer ventilation,
but this could be equally well secured by
a less primitive arrangement, and with
one that would not freeze in the winter
and cover the side OF your houses with
dirty ice.
When l said that the Londoner is not
prepared for the annual freezing of his
water pipes l did not adhere strictly to
the truth. For the good gentleman is
prepared in certain way, or perhaps l
should say that the water com banies are
prepared. And the preparation is pecu-
liarly British, as you will see When
your street freezes up-that is to say,
when it freezes down a dozen inches be- !
low the surface and blocks all the supply !
pipes, an official from tie water COM |
pany puts III an appearance, after day |
or two, and has an apparatus fixed into
a little hydrant close by the curbstOne.
The apparatus consists either of a
wooden or an iron pipe, as the case may |
be, which stands upright above the |
ground, and which has an inch faucet .
affixed to 1t. To this fount the entire |
neighborhood must come, with pals and .
pans and cans and jugs and mugs, and |
carry away the precious fluid
WHY THE BRIToN BEARS 1T.
The water companies keep these prim-
tive plugs in stock. some thousands of .
them, but it never occurs to anybody to
place the supply pipes deeper III the
ground and thus prevent freezing. This,
then, Is the way the Londoner, or his
water company, prepares for the annual
visit of Jack Frost. But the preparation
IS effective only when the water mains
are laid well below the surface. When
they are not there is water famine
throughout extensive districts, as at
BriXton, at Hampstead aud other places
in London town.
Why not lay the water pipes deep
enough?
If you had ever lived among these
1roll people You would not ask that ques-
ton. The pipes have never been laid
deep enough, and therefore never viii
this side of the millennium.
The water supply of London is bad
enough at its best. At its worst. in the
winter, it is too bad for words. Nobody
put these dron people would submit,
'ear after year, TO the ridiculous system
If supply and the outrageous charges
5ut the Briton is patient soul. He be-
leveS that whatever he has is the best Of
Is KIND, and he reSents any suggestion
o the contrary. A water supply that
vas good enough for his grandfather is
,ood enough for him; moreover, it is
,ood enough for you. There's the rub
II the argument Its good enough for
'ou.' Why, in the name of Justice,
hould you, foreigner, complain: Out
ipon you for an ungrateful alien.
Nevertheless, one has TO suffer from
his drollery. When he does not suffer
lie can smile. But that is the almost he
an do. You cannot change the habits
+ nation. And you cannot induce {
100000 people TO put their water pipes
we feet under ground if they think FIVE
inches sufficient. and if they have had
hem five inches under ground for gen.
rationS.-Boston Herald.
Maid, Wife or Widow"
he-Non't you be mine, l would give
ny life for you. !
She-fou may take NEON those terms
1 49, - - Ia--A-t- vE--L.-