Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-09
RIPE FOR REBELLION.
Sewickleyans Protesting Against
Their Water Supply.
A PUBLIC. MEETING TO.-BE held.
Suits May Be Instituted Against the
Commissioners.
THE TROUBLE AbREADY INTHE COURTS

Sewickley is ripe for rebellion. The was
ter supply is the cause aud the Water Com
missioners are the object. For six months
past Sewickley, which, in the tongue of the
Indians who once inhabited its groves,
means 'Sweet Waters" has been forced to
bathe in, cook with, and drink liquid that
has been anything but sweet
The drought which extended through the
greater part of the summer and almost till
the present time practically rendered use
less the ordinary sources of Sewickley's wa
ter supply, namely, the springfield reservoirs
above the village. When these reservoirs
gave out wells drilled at the river bank
near the pumping station were resorted to.
They gave water which was clean enough
in the ordinary sense, but strongly saline
and very hard 1t was disagreeable to
wash with, and Sewickleyans early in the
day preferred not to use it for cooking or
drinking. So loud did the objection to
this we'll v ater become that it was de-
termined to use the river water. pumped
direct from the Ohio. This water was
snalyzed and found to be fairly pure, fit for
washing and other household uses, and, if
boiled, safe to drink. AS a matter of fact,
the continued dry westher and the
large increase of the population of
Sewickley put too great a strain
upon the machinery of the water
purchased ground for new pumping sta
tion at the Osborne end of the borough,
where next year an improved water works
adequate to Sewickley's needs will be
erected.
Officials Acting Very Slowly.
While SewIckleyans are willing to wait
for the permanent improvements in the
water system which are promised, large
majority of them are disgusted with the in
ability or unwillingness of the Water Com
missioners to make the best use of present
facilities About week ago it was noticed
that the water had become salt again, and
inquiry yesterday developed the fact that
the Water Commissioners had at meeting
last week decided to cease pumping
water from the river and revert to
the wells on the river bank. The commits
sion is composed of the following gentle
men: Edward Kramer, William Dixon,
Albert Moore, John NJ Tate and E. B.
Taylor It is understood that all but Mr.
TAYLOR at the last meeting voted against the
use of the river water and for the resump-
tIon of pumping water from the wells. The
reasons which induced the majority to favor
this change are said to be chiefly based upon
the belief that the river water is unwhole-
some. being impregnated with the sewage
of Pittsburg and Allegheny and the inter-
vening river boroughs and villages. Those
who still believe that the river water with
all its impurities is preferable to salt hard |
water also contend that the wells from
which Sewickley now gets its water supply
are contaminated by the sewage of the Park
Place Hotel, which adioins the pumping
station. The. feeling between those who
favor the wells and those who swear by the
river is very warm, and the controversy is
with the political fight over
the improvements, in the shape of pave
ments and sewers, which are being intro
duced in the borough.
Nobody Drinks the Water.
Nobody thinks of drinking the water,
and once more Seuickleyans may be seen
trooping to the springs and raiDwater els
terms with buckets and jugs, as they did in
midsummer. The Ohio river in the mean
time is higher than 1t has been for months. |
But Sewickley will not be silent much |
longer. There is talk of public meeting |
to stir up the water CommlSSlonerS, ana !
private suits against the commission are |
seriously contemplated The Water Com
missioners themselves are apparently salts |
fed that they are acting for the
best. All are men of good standing |
and responsibility. They are said to deny |
the right of the borough, through its bur-
CESS or Councils, to control them, and a |
suit is at present in Judge Porter's hands,
in which the borough seeks to establish its
right to use the water for public purposes.
Another thing which makes the water
question of interest to Sewickleyans is that
next May the reiundmg of the water bonds
will come before the voters of the borough.
The Water Commissioners are elected by
the voters of Sewickley for term of five
wears. The water taxes in Sewickley are as
high as if the service was first class and the
amount raised is said to equal the whole of
the borough's tax. levy. These facts, to-
gether with big river flowing under their
noses on one side, and reservoirs filing
from heavy rains on the other, make Sc
vicklevans high and low hot under the
collar when they are asked to accept salt
fluid full of strange chemicals as substi-
fnvo