Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-29
A LOOK AROUND.

Do you know 'gChe Little Devil of the
Crossingf" No! Well think you do, even
If you do not know him by that name. He
has number of abiding places, but his
favorite haunt is under the loose part Of a
street car rail at much used crossing.
Sometimes lie rides on the wheel OF an ice
or iron wagon or chuckles from the hub OF
the rattling wheel of the hurryinS sewing
machine mans light vehicle. His business
Is to be disagreeable, and he IS complete
success. He waits at the bottom OF nice
brown puddle of liquid mud-mud like tur-
key gravy with 'tgiblets" therein-and with a
fine eye he selects time to shoot forth long
splashes ana little brown drops like maple
sugar lozenges. He does not waste time or
material on tramps or untidy people, not he
He bides his time, and when two ladies in
light dresses and man with q high hat and
immaculate get-up stand waiting for a
chance to cross, he lets go with oil the am
mnnftion at his command.
SAW him in such q mood yesterday
morning at the corner of Wood street and
Fifth avenue. He was in great luck. He
placed a fine embroidery of mud, cart grease
and slush over the fronts of two light
dresses, brown tailor-made gown and three
mon of unpretentious mien and une1pe cted
strength of language. Sometimes oppor-
tunlties like this for a full, free and frank
expression of thought are wasted through
inexperience or lack of fuency, but on this
occasion there was an old river captain and
Chicago drummer to the front, and nothing
was overlooked by them. AS for the ladies,
they fingered for q few moments to look,
what the two men said.
THIS same sprite is busy with brick pave
re OF In tha frin ntc
You go out in virgin linen and smartly shin
ing shoes. You tread on loose brick and
something chucSs you under the chin and
you find you are wearing polkadot shirt
and beard which has shot up from the
pavement.
SPEAKING of mud, reminds me of drink
ing water. Like many another Pittsburger,
L have been familiar with the TACT that
Pittsburg uses an enormous amount of
water compared with other cities but it was
not until yesterday that I fully compre-
hended how large this usage was. heard
one of the clerks in the Water Assessors
office say in answer to some inquiry: 1.-THE
most water pumped on any one day was 49,
10000 gallons. We are now using about
100000 gallons day." A look into the re-
port OF Chief Bigelow of 1891, showed that
the daily average last year was 3S762, 900
gallons as against 10000, 900 gallons in 1888.
In July, 1891, the daily average was Il, 800 600
gallons. Taking 40, O00, 00) as basis. it means
that counting the population at 250,0oO,
every man, woman and child uses 16o gal
Ions day.
PHEw! What made these figures so
startling to me was the fact that had just
finished reading a pamphlet on the water
supply of London by j. L. Lobley, Professor
OF Physiosraphy of the City of London Col
lese. His pamphlet was published about
three months ago to show how London
could increase her supply. He says that in
1891 the daily use in London amounted to
1S5, LOO 900 gallons fora population of 5,657,27l.
He estimated that $50. Oa0. 900 would be neces-
sary in a comparatively short time when
the population reached 5000, 900, allowing
little over 81 gallons per capita.
THESE figures, absurd as it seems, mean
tnat if Pittsburg keeps up her ratio of
water supply when she is as big as London
is now she will use 300, 600, 900 of gallons a
day. which is twice as much as the entire
flow of the River Thames during the sum-
mer and half as much as its flow at flood tide
averages in winter. Verify it does seem as
though we are uncommonly cleanl7 people
or very westeful ones. 1t is about time to
look for leaks.
IF city politics grow much warmer they
will melt the City Hall elevator shafts and
the people will have to climb the stairs
again. What a muddle there is just now.
"How is fall trade?" asked a " holesale
grocer. "Tip-top. Orders large, prices lair
and collections good" was the prompt reply.
every good so far" replied drygoods mer-
chant to the same query. "Capital outlook
for the holidays" replied jeweler, while
"Dull but hopeful" was the summary Of |
general iron and steel manufacturer.
"How does Ohio feel now that she has |
astonished the country by her Presidential
voter" said to a Columbus railroad man,
who's Democrat. "She is still astonished," |
he replied. sit isn't safe to go out in the |
roads and cry out that you are q |
Democrat. If you do the sheep chase you." |
THERE was report afoat yesterday that |
Controller Morrow had agreed to accept q |
position in a large commercial establishment |
ut o good sized salary. He was q much |
sought after man yesterday, but had little |
or nothing to say about his own affairs.
The big greenhouse at the entrance to |
park begins to take something like |
definite shape. IL attracts large crowds on |
pleasant Sundays. WALTER.