Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-02
The Drought and the Water

The drought which has been upon the
land for months had It's parallel in the pro-
lOnged dry season Of 1881. In that year VIC
were very busy hero in Richmond making
ready TO celebrate the centennial ami
versary OF the surrender of CoRywAL1Is to
WASHINGTON ut Yorktown. and 10 unveil
the monument erected at that place by
order of Congress.
II was arranged that some of the pre-
lminary ceremonies should take place here
in Richmond. and that most Of the troops
who were to take part in the pageantry al
Yorktown should congregate here, ana
after parading our streets and attending
public speaking upon the Capitol Square
should go hence to Yorktown.
All of this programme was fully carried
out; but in the midst Of our preparations
our city water supply began TO fail. we
had not then built the new water-works.
Our chief reliance was upon the old pump
house. and the rlver had gotten so low
that az some hours there was not enough
water in the mill-race TO turn the wheels
A good deal of water was in the canal
and was going to the mills upon It's banks
while the supply at the old pump-house
continued to dwindle and dwindle.
In this dilemma, when cries for " water"
water" were heard from nearly every
section of the CITY. and when. indeed, the
people were content To allow fre-engines
10 pump water from tho basin into the
city supply pipes. Mavor CAREINGToN took
the bold step Of forcibly opening some OF
the sluice- gates OF the canal west of Holly
wood, so that the water might pour out OF
the canal into the river and be caught up
nj the city's dam. His heroic remedy.
however. was of little avail. The city con-
tinued upon short supply of water, and
great fears were entertained as to the
health of the population and also as to the
safety of property in case of FIRE.
The upshot Of the long continued
wranghng and excitement was that the
City Council was forced by public opinion
to buy the Worthington steam-pump at a
cost of $4,000.
That pump had been on exhibition at
the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in
1876. and was ready for use. All that had
to be done was to bring it here, build the
foundation for it. and make the pipe con-
nections. This tho owners of the pump
contracted TO do in few weeks and this
they did (bv October 10TH, and the pump
was in working order and was filling the
reservoirs long before the drought termi-
mated. After this the steam pump which
was in use near Hollywood cemetery was
abandoned.
With the old pump-house, the new
pump-house. and the Warrington steam
pump (Which. by the way, was an excel
lent investment, it was believed in those
days that RIchmond's needs with respect
to water supply were anticipated tor
quarter of century; but here we are IN
lS92-atter eleven years with the same old
danger confronting US. The situation. how
ever. IS not now so alarming. We have, in
deed, an abundance of water, but we waste
1t. Our $1,000 people make away with l5,-
900 900 gallons day; yes, 100000 in ad-
dition to all the water that they get from
the wells and springs which are still in use
here.
Elmer Iub HguTts Oh Juo super iuNpht-
ent of the Water-Works are at fault
though We have never heard them ques-
tioned-or we are a very wasteful people.
1t is a shame that we should be SO lndlf-
ferent TO our interests. In the end we
may have to pay dearly for it. Unless we
economic we shall have TO increase our
rate of taxation to buy more water
wheels and pumps.
There is, however, one great comfort in
drought, and that is that it gives Rich
mond clear water. For months we have
had no muddy water, aud there are thou
sands Of people here who would prefer
short supply of the clear, beautiful, whole
some water which we are now having TO
the most coplous quantity possible Of the
thick. tawny stuff which we shall have as
soon as the tall and winter rains begin.
But this Is case where we must take
what we can get, and be thankful for it,
too.