Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-20
The Dr0uth.

The drought, which so seriously al
fected our crops Of corn ana tobacco
xtiJl continues. Nor is 1t confined 10 VIZ
v,nia. Maryland. pennsylvania, west
Virginia. Ohio, North Carolina. Tennes-
see Kentucky. and many other states
are sifrering from it as much. IL not more
than we are
In fact the need Of rain is felt in all
vections Of this country east OF the Rocky
mountains. Many towns are almost WIN
out water on some railroad lines
water Is so scarce that supplies oil II LOT
the locomotives have 10 be hauled scores
of miles and emptied into tanks AT the
s,stions where needed. ON the upper
mart of the Ohio river navigation - sus-
pended. and hundreds OF coal-barges'
loaded ready to be started down Inc
stream. are lying more or less emoeddeo
I'm mud. The mine-owners, seeing TO
immediate prospect OF marketing theh
coal, and having accumulated an uhusuai
sunnlv of il. have closed their mines,
and their norkmen are now without en-
ployment Worse still, in some OF the
towns where ihe water-supply Is great
IN Inadequate, there has been much SICK
ness. from fevers especially.
Here in Richmond we have not, as
Net. been seriously affected by the low
stage OF the James; though at several
places near our city it is no difficult
matter for an active man TO cross the
river dry-shod. but to do so he must
lump from rock 10 rock across many
pools.
Sofar as the city's supply OF drinking
water Is concerned, if not larger, it is
more satisfactory than usual The river
Is now as clear and sparkling as Swiss
iAke. One may see the bottom OF pool
ten feet deep. The quality of the
water IS also excellent; It is volume only
that is lacking. The eity's dam (Bosher $
damn catches the greater part or the
volume Of water coming down the river
and leaves Belle Island and Manchester
but a scant supply. Below the city,
where the tide makes in, the river is, OF
course, but little diminished in size.
The James seems TO be now nearly as
low as 1t was in 1881. the year OF the
Yorktown centennial; the year that we
bought the big steam-pump. But, If our
recollection serves US, this drought has
been rather more prolonged than that.
Richmond got into dreadful condition
from the drought of 1881. Our new
&ater-works were not then completed.
and our main reliance was upon the
old pump-house and a steam-pump. which
was located on the edge of Hollywood.
What made matters worse. much OF the
volume Of water coming down the river
was drawn into the canal Of the Three
Mile Locks. with the result that the old
pump. house could barely get enough wa
ter to turn It's wheels, Meanwhile. the
cries for water coming from residents
of elevated sections OF the city grew so
loud and insistent that Mayor Caring
ton took a force OF workmen up the
canal TO a point little west OF Holly
wood and there without the consent OF
the canal authorities) opened sluice-gate
and emptied large part OF the stream
of the canal into the river. so as 10
furnish power for the wheels at the old
pump-house Later on. the City Coun-
Gil was aroused to action, and bought
the big steam-pump. which was put into
place and gotten to work before the
drought ended; and well il served us then
and well II has served w since.
Richmond's high-point water-supply Is
not yet all that It should be. but We are
blessed beyond most cities at this time
Sun, in common with millions Of ouI
countrymen, we would like to see the
autumnal rains set in. Richmond needs
them. II for nothing else. to wash OF
her streets and alleys. We have a SUI
perabundance OF dust here, and now
that the winds are getting high 1t is be-
coming a great nuisance.