Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-16
A Senator Discusses Water.

RICHMOND, VA, July IA, 1893.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
Reading your editorials, and in view Of the
fact that had to wait fifteen minutes this morn
ing before l could get enough muddy water to
wash my face In the second story OF my resi-
dence (which Is no unusual occurronce), have
been induced 20 carry out a long -intended pur-
pose OF writing n word 70 your paper 10 ask you
to come to the relief of the citizens Of our Sec
tion Of the city, my residence being 1907 east
Clay.
For years we have endured this hardship OF
being without O supply Of water for ordinary
purposes. We get but meagre supply In the
second story, and Il the water Is running on the
ground floor We get none al all We have petit
toned to the Council; VIC have used oyery
means Ia oar power, and all we get In return Is
tax about meters from the Superintendent, he
Committee on Water, aud an occasional edlto-
ria; in the DISPATCH.
How will meters hrlp us when the pipes in tho
street are too small 10 give us q suficiont sup
ply, such as can be had in other portions OF the
city? In the fourth story OF the Masonic Temple
we have good supply OF water. and yet we are
told that us cannot get it In the second story be-
cause we have no meters. We notice that our
bills are presented with great regularity with
IL
tlrely from the poor supply we now have. Other
portions OF the city can have bathrooms on the
third floors of their dwellings, while We cannot
gef supply even In the second story.
have recently visited the city Of Minneapolis.
had a room on the sixth foo- OF the hotsL. yet
the supply was abundant Tor all purposes, and
80 IL Is In many other cities that have visite1.
In the name OF the suffering citizens In the
northern portion Of the city from Seventh 70
Twelfth streets at least, ask you to use your
powerful influence. not in talking about meters
which will cost great DEAL and which can now
be us I'd by any one desiring them, but 10 urging
the City Council TO increase the supply pipes in
this section OF the city.
Yours very respectfully,
WILLIAM LovEssTEuN.
Two wears ago petition from the resi-
dents Of Clay, Marshall, and Leigh streets
was presented to the City Council for bet
ter water supply and was referred to the
Committee on Water for a report. The
petition was carefully examined by the
committee and Superintendent BoLLIsG,
who made full report and recommends
ton In October. 1891. but they were laid on
the table by the Council.
there were two ways of afordng relief
by laying larger mains to the reservoir and
larger supply mains, or by putting in me-
tiers.
II would be idle simply to lay large
pipe in the street in front of the senator's
house. A 4-foot pipe might be put
there. and there would be no greater
pressure than now. unless there was q
larger pipe to bnng the water from the
reservoir. There is now 10-inch pipe on
Clay street between Tenth and Twelfth
streets, which is nearly four times as large
as the usual supply pipe.
The pipe supplying Masonic Temple on
Broad street is only SIX inches, but the
temple has pumps to lift the water to
tank on the top of the building. which
tank supplies the floors In all large cities,
the hotels. and other tall buildings have
special pumps In their Easements with
which they lift water TO tanks on their
tops.
There is hardly O house in Richmond
that can get water on the upper stories
when any faucet or closet Is lett running
on the lower floor. One of two things our
Council has to do to give citizens plenty
of waterway large main to the reser-
voir and put in larger service-mains and
additional pumps or meter the city. Either
will give plenty Of water.
And we must add that to enlarge our
watsr-works will inevitably require an In
crease of taxation. In short, the choice is
between issuing more bonds and increasing
taxation and adopting the meter system.
The estimated cost of charging the
pumps. laying pew mains &c. is about
$500, 900. We need scarcely add that the
prospect of any such great outlay at this
time would have very depressing effect
upon the city's credit.