Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-07-30
Hardly Il Fair Critic.

In solving the water problem in
Cumberland. 7. l.. Patterson, civil
engineer and citizen of high repute,
has seen fit to belittle the average
councilmau's otf-hand mensuration of
water volume, and the JOURNAL agrees
with him, but not ironically.
The great paper, however, siren
uously antagonizes any argument
which holds up this towns new water
works experience as an example to be
avoided, and its new system as a
failure. 1t objects all the more be-
cause the history of the rise and fall
of that system is vt to be written, es-
pecially Of the fall.
To make this matter better under
stood we will quote from Mr.. Patterson
himself:
The object lesson presented by the miser
able failure which has subjected the taxpay-
ers of our sister city, Frostburg, to a heavy
assessment should be a sufficient warning to
councilmen, who are doubtless perfectly
honest but apt to be duly impressed with the
importance of their position and the heavy
responsibility resting upon them.
In contemplating the term, "miser
able failure" it will be we'll for the
"perfectly honest councilmen' in their
own behalf to inquire whether Mr..
Patterson is writing as civil en-.
gineer or an officer or eX-ot1icer of a
company directly and implacably OPP
posed to our new system from its
embryo to all eternity.
Because, if Mr.. Patterson writes as
a civil engineer we would like to know
what he thinks of his own great system
of supply for this town that has many
times failed to furnish enough water
to navigate tadpolee
But we promised to quote from Mr..
Patterson
The parson, doctor and miner who con-
stituted the Water Board at Frostburg knew
it ALL decided that there was no necessity for
the employment of an engineer or anyone
who knew more than they did about water
works ; boosted loudly about the mum Der of
springs they had brought to their reservoir
by method of their own which excluded all
surface water; built a reservoir in the worst
possible place for the purpose which would
not hold water; spent forty-sx thousand
dollars for the expenditure of which no salts
factory account has ever been rendered and
the water is not there
Mr.. Patterson is really too severe.
The JOURNAL fears that he forgot for the
time being that he was writing in the
automatically correct language of a
civil engineer. Indeed, the JOURNAL
fears, more than all, that the civil en-
cheering derelictions of his own com
pany are the prime cause of the fright
full panorama of calamlties which he
depicts.
Hence, let US see what we mi ght
have had had civil engineer been
employed to lay the plant of our new
works:
|, Two rills flowing overground a
half mile each, reinforced by three
artesian holes.
,, A reservoir at or about the site of
the old water company's box; one
which would not leak but would over
flow if it ever got full enough.
3, A system whose value has skipped
among the big and little thousands like
the Irishman's flea, and whose income
is riddle about 10 years old which
no man could ever solve.
/, And one unblessed by parson,
unattended by doctor and unsup-
ported by miner.
In conclusion, we want to caution
| Cumberland councilmen-the "per-
fectly honest ones, that so far as our
parson and doctor are concerned that 9,
sooner or later, ''wisdom will be justi-
fed of her children and Frostburg
will, in our Judgment, early See the
| day when the value of its own system
will be regarded as Unreasonable by
commercial terms.
And as to the miner-well, the
people took him up and said-''well
done, good and faithful servant" etc,
we will now send you to the Legisla-
ture by a majority that is safe.
i 4