The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-04-27
AS OTHERS SEE Us.
A Cairo Editor Visits our
City.
And is Delighted to Find the Cape a
Great and Growing Cfty-He
Thinks Well of us and Talks
Nicely.

Great and Growing City-He
Thinks Well of US and Talks
Nicely.
The invitation kindly rendered by
Mr.. Thes. W. Cannon to the city
council and a Telegram representative
to be present at the test of the new
water-works at Cape Girardeau, Thurs
day, was accepted on the part of the
Telegram, but the members of the city
council were not in a humor to test
anything-least of all, water-and did
not put in appearance. 1t is to be
regretted that they did not, as they
missed an opportunity of better be-
coming acquainted with the enterpris-
ing citizens of the Cape, who have just
taken a step forward in the line of
progressiveness which will rebound to
their credit both at home and abroad.
It has never been our privilege to
visitCape Girardeau before, although,
| like hundreds of thousands of others,
we have passed and repassed the little
city on the big Mississippi river steam
boats for years and years, and have
wondered, as we viewed it from the
docks, if what we saw was all there
was of the town.
We were, therefore, pleasantly sur
prised when we came upon the real
city. Spread over good area, it is
composed throughout of finely gravel
ed streets, stone curbs, brick side
walks, and, for the most part, brick
houses, which, with the yards, fences
and other surroundings, all in first
class order, denote a thrifty and in
dustrious people.
A volunteer fire department, similar
to that existing in Cairo, is in opera
ton, and has been recently supplied
with new hose carts, hose, etc., the
apparatus being located in four diff
ferent parts of the city.
The test of the pressure of the water,
consisting of throwing four streams of
water, simultaneously, at different
parts of town, and at different ele-
vations, the lowest being on the main
business street, down near the river,
and the highest, nearly hundred feet
above the river. The streams thrown
were very powerful, and easily reach
ed twenty and thirty feet above the re-
quirements, at one point stream be-
ing thrown far above the steeple of
church estimated to be at least one
hundred feet high.
The citizens were enthusiastic, and
they may we'll be proud of water
works SO thoroughly constructed, and
capable of serving its purpose so
we'll.
After the test, which occupied all of
the afternoon, Mayor W. n. Coerver
and 'Messrs. Theo. Lind, Graham
Dempsey, Aug. Bierwirth, C. B.
Galusha, Ben H. Adams, H. Vogel-
sang, E. F. Blomeyer and Aug. Shivel-
bine, members of the city council, held
speedy meeting and voted unani-
mously in favor of accepting the
plant.
The Cape Girardeau Water and
Electric company is incorporated with
a capital stock of 100000, under the
following officers-all Cairo men: T.
w. Cannon, president: Patrick Fitz-
gerald, vice-president: Frank Fitzger-
aid, secretary and treasurer, and
Richard Cannon, superintendent and
manager.
The construction of the plant was
commenced last June, and would have
been completed ere this but for una
voidable delays oecasioned by the
great railroad strike which prevented
them from securing material, and bad
weather which made work impossible.
The company has franchise from
the city for an electric light plant and
a telephone service, and have a
splendid electric light and power
house in connection with the water
works. The electric system used is
Vic rOEb " dy hCs
To attempt thorough description
would require page of The Tele-
gram. The water plant is similar to
that at Cairo with the exception that
it has the advantage of a reservoir in
stead of a stand pipe. The reservoir
is situated about three quarters of a
mile from the power house upon the
highest elevation that could be found,
about two hundred and fifty feet above
the river, and giving pressure in
every part of the city equal to any de-
mand which can be made on it. They
have seventy-five plugs, seven and
one-hah miles of Waterman, and only
two dead ends in the city.-Cairo
Daily Telegram.