Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-05-04
WATER IS IN DEMAND
Many Hundred Gallons From the
County Sold Daily.
the CITY WATER IS AVOIDED
By Hsnsir~sis ~ Grand RApSsls' 1eest-
d~nss--W alter Sess<i~r~ SAY Thess
Basane.s u GsoWtnx.

llc police arc OsuefflS tle taAirx IN
81 the ross II empty water bottles that
decorafs thu xindos sills u the upper
floors u rearly every down town build
inz. The action reminds tho average
citizen Il the immense increase IN the
number II thee. bottles Ia use. There
- scarcely . more common sight in
Grand Rapids than these half gallon
vessels q aqua purs- They have been
more conspicuous In the downtown
n-lg hborhossis only because IL 10 con-
venient o. set them on tn. window sills
aud eornices- They are Just as numer-
ous IA the residence districts. They
sili % found on the sideboar,is % the
wealthy. in the rcfrigerstors OF the mid
die classes and IL the cellars u many Of
the pour. The empty bottles decorate
the rear entrances - u.ost u the we'll
to-,io residences of the city. and thu
dealers have come % regard IL a. per
uiansat business. The solourner in the
eity u likely 20 discover that Grand
Rapids residents have little confidence
Ia their public water supply. notwith
standing the claims ~ public works di-
rectors. engineers and some physicians
thing n the sort. for thoe. half gallon
bottles are omnipr.s~nt
-Four companies are now engaged in
Bringing water from springs and wells in
Paris and Grand Rapids townships to
the thirsty popalaco az the uniform
price q i've cents "A gallon. Their
wagons make the rouads a. regularly as
mi!k wagons. to say nothing Of the
water from vSlous famous springs sold
N tho cIty.
Hosri- Buv spring Water.
All the leading hotels and large board
In houses now furnish their guesss
gratis with water purchased from tas
local companies The tanks in tas
Michigan Trust companys building also
eunts.a spring water The thirsty in
dividual sho happens into most any of
the public Offices will. II he is not ON
draw draft 81 city water from ths
cooler. Otherwise he will lift the cover
and ind one or two II those same
bottles reclining on the chunks II les
AMI will Ill the cup from their contents.
Ia IN, boarding houses where pure
water isn't furnished gratis many ~ the
guests bring their bottles with them.
The pioneer IN this water business
vtS a-srd oy reporter Tor lHE HERALD
yesterday how much his company was
delivering daily. lie replied; AT least
80 gallons and We started with only
thirty gallons"
-Do you consider your business per
manents"
Ives, | see DO reason why IL shouldn't
b."
suppose a good. permanent supply os
water - obtained by the city,"
Where are you going u obtain IT,"
Docs ~ pay YOU vell,
We'll. that IL a question. IA We in
crease IN consumers IL will pay US bet
Ter
How far 10 you 60 Tor your water"
About four miles tom the center 4
the city. Three firms have springs ard
wells in Pans not very FAR distant from
each other. Others get theirs from
north = The city
r. - estimated that Loo gallons are
ieing distributed daily and the guam
tty = rapidly ga the increase. There -
quito a sharp competition between the
water merchants "a to The degrees ~
purity Il their goods. bat all clan that
city water isnt IN II Nv comparison