Evening journal., 1891-05-23
MERCHANTS WANT WATER.
A Recent Rule OF the Water Commts
sioners Cautes Great Inconvenience.

Recent Rule OF the Water Commits
sioners rAutes Great Inconvenience.
The Market street merchants are loud
in their complaints against the action OF
the Water Department In forbiddiDg the
sprinkling of water in front OF their
stores between the hours Of o'clock a
m. and D. m. Since the advent OF the
hot weather. dust has been blown into
their stores, covering not only the GOODS
placed on exhibition in front of the doors
but those inside, damak king much valuable
stock and causing loss to the merchants.
Formerly a sprinkling cart was put on
Market street at the expense of the
merchants, but the Water Department.
they say cut off the supply of water, and
the use Of the cart had to be stepped
The only reason given, merchants say,
| for this action of the Water
Department is that they cenformsd
| to the wishes of the WilmiBgton
City Railway Company, which mad
been protesting against the sprink
| ling, because 1t made the street car tracks
slippery, and endangered the lives of the
| passengers. When the spriRkling cart
had to stop for want of water the mer-
chants were compelled to use the hose
for sprinkling purposes. but here the
| street railway company came in again
with their objection, and few weeks
| ago resolution was passed by the water
commissioners and a rule made prohibit
| ing the sprinkling Of water between Z a
N. and 8 .. m and permitting only it,
moderate use outside the prescribed
| hours
None Of the merchants open their
\ stores until Z clock a. m and many 0i
| them close st 6 p m so that the use Of
water for sprinkling purposes Is abse.
| lutely denied them, to their loss and
\ inconvenience
| rhe merchants who were interviewed
TO day. including Edward Il. Brennan
and others, asserted that 1t was no reason
why they should be compelled to suffal
because the street car company objected
In other cities street car companies used
sand carts to prevent accidents from
slippery tracks This could be dono la
this city and would be sufficient protec
tion from accidents, but at present the
merchants have no protection against the
evils which they must suffer.
1t is contemplated to prepare petition
/ for presentation to the Water Depart
ment, by the merchapt',- n citing forth
their grleyanees and asking for q remedy
a member of the Water Department
says that water is not granted for street
sprlnkling during the day because nc
water rent is paid for such purposes II
is concession, not duty, of the cow
missioners in granting it at all. M
water has ever been denied for use in
spriDkling cart though they are not pre-
pared to say that water for such pur.
poses would be granted If petition was
presented The rule forbidding the
washing of streets was made for severs
reasons, one of which is that In their
opinion the practice is not con.
duciye to the health of the com
munity. 1t was also considered Il
be nuisance by many aud is forbidden
in Philadelphia and other cities TIL
Wilmington City Railway Company ha,
nothing TO do with the matter Sectiel
% Of the Laws Rules and Regulation
Of the Water Department. says. Wash
paves are exclusively for washing tn
foot psvements Of the premises charged
with the wash pave, and should thei
use be permitted for sprinkling tn
street or sideway it is a concession by tn
Water Department, not a privilege 0
| The owner