The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-10-24
The Water Question-Loeal and Foreign

TO pay him a stipulated sum.
The Water QUestion-Loeal and Foreign.
From the MeyerSdale commercial:
It's sometimes mighty interesting foI
town or city to own its water works
There are two sides to it and Meyersdale
appears to be very well oontented with
matters as they are. For instance, here
Is a sad case for Lancaster. The city res
ervoir collapsed from the pressure of ten
million gallons of water, terribly WASH
ing fields and streets. Ii all goes much
greater damages will result and the city
| i liable. The reservoir was but recently
1 finished. The loss il very heavy one
and shortage of water. at the worst sea-
son of the year, i inevitable. Lancaster
would feel very happy to-day If the plant
| were owned by corporation. Philadel-
/ phia is always in q worry about her water
/ supply, which is often the consistency
| and color Of mud. Besides, il is one of
/ the main pillars of the political machine
| of that city. Frosiburg doe, not seem to
/ be very happy in her ownership OF water
| works. The cost OF pumping. of wearing
out and breaking of machinery is very
I heavy there, where about everybody
1 takes water at pretty stiif rates. And
I that appears to be the cry everywhere.
| We do not condemn the system, but il has
/ il disadvantages, which sometimes be
/ come very serious ones.
Somerset is already feeling some Of
these and that, too, before they know If
/ there l. 70 be any revenue 10 meet the in
eyitablc expenses. The first flush of tri-
umph Is over, and the serious mood l. on.
Now, we don't feel that here in our bor-
ough. The Sand Spring Company is re-
sponsible. We pay them their price and
there it all ends. We have a good com
t--.- ss-s.- H-
have gone 10 a large expense to insure
full supply of pure, sott, sand spring wa
ter, with a pressure for fire protection
seldom equalled anywhere. The con
tractor at Somerset has, we suppose, 10y
this time found and stopped all leaks in
the line and that viii compel the borough
to accept it, He Is not responsible for the
leaking of the reservoir, if il is true a.
told us by what we believe are reliable
parties. that he refused to construct the
reservoir, except according to the specifi=
cations, bat that he would not give bond
TO make il water tight, free from ali
leaks. We are told ne did not believe
that such could bc done. without a much
greater expenditure Of money than the
town could afford. Perhaps il is this con=
dition that has operated n wet blanket
on the enthusiasm Of the County Seat
press, but which ceased 50 suddenly two
weeks ago. But there are other things
beside a leaking reservoir that are TO be
considered. There i the constant ex-
pense of pumping water - supply the
town; the wearing out and breaking Of
expensive machinery; free water 10
those whose wells have been drained by
the deeper wells for the towns supply,
with the friction inevitable between those
who pay and those who do not. or be-
tween the privileged and noa-privileged
classes: the small number of water taxi
ers for the first few years, compelling
heavier rates To keep the debt within
reasonable limits; all these, and more
that could be mentioned. certainly form
considerations of sufficiently grave char
acter 10 take the ''hoorsiy'' out of the class
that does the paying. There Is nothing
we have adverted to that cannot he RENE
died, Except pressure) 10y the large and
liberal expenditure of money. bat II will
require that, and Somerset may as well
make up its mind to bear this cheerfully
now. than at Ear greater expense years
hence.
The Meyersdale plant i gravity syS-
tenn. We herewith give the cost: origi-
nal sand spring plant. sl6.J01, increased
aftarward to SlS.IlG That covered all eN-
penseS. Tinkering nj the reservoir cost
something. but it became evident that
there were too many water users for sand
Spring and the Stamm run extension was
decided upon. which sent the cost of en-
tire. plant up to S2sOo0. The pressure is
I25 pounds To the square inch from Sand
Spring and l20 pounds from Stamm run
difference of only pounds. When the
water i'm the reservoir il low, S;amm run
1
supplies the town. but when the reservoir
receives her power she unceremoniously
reIegates Stamm run to the rear. Stamm
run rarely supplies the town, at the most,
but a few months in the year; il SERVES,
however. to assure Us of constant sup
ply. II i only during drOuth that these
two sources of water supply play fast and
loose with each other in the manner indi-
Gated above, hut we have yet Ia meet the
first citizen who could tell whether he or
she was using Sand Spring or stamm
run. a fact that speaks volumes for the
purity Of the Stamm run supply, Sand
Spring being conceded the purest and
best by all who know what pure water l..
~ we before said, we are well satisfied
with our water system, supply and fire
protection; the worst we wish of our
ueighlpors is that each of them may have
one equally good. with water as pure and
heaIthful. Money r. ever wisely expend-
ed 10 give a community an abundance of
good water. He or they who do this are
pubIic benefactors.