Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-04
w ANT WATER WORKS
Rockville Moving for AN Important I'm
provefnent.
An Election Todaykb Settle the Ques-
tiOn-Low Water I'm Wells and
Danger From Fire.
Special to The Evening Sur From Staff Core
spondent.

ROCKVILLE, Md, May A. 1896.
The county seat of Montgomery county Is
always an interesting place around election
time. No matter whether the balloting is
to be done for President, a governor or
member of the state senate or officers of
the town itself, the population devotes all
Its spare time and 1t usually has lots Of
1t, to discussing the various chances of the
different candidates and to forming COM
binations to advance the fortunes of this
side or knock the props from under the
support of the other. The people Of Mont
gomery and Rockville have lived SO long
In the neighborhood,a and their families lave
lived SO long there before them, that they
are pretty well s'sot" In their ways as
the homely saying happens to be- The
town is sixteen miles from Washington, and
possesses most beautiful situation. 1t is
we'll shaded: the rolling country would az
FORA splendid drainage il the community
wished to take advantage Of it. There have
been many efforts made to persuade the
people OF rockville to adopt modern man.
ners and methods and to permit the intro
auction of such necessities as water works
electric light plants, and eventually sew
ers. Inc Old and Conservative element,
however, which has succeeded In govern
ing the municipality for a number of years,
mas so lar prevented any possibility of
progress in this direction.
TOdny's Election
There are evidences, however Of an ep-
preaching change in the existing condi-
tons, and it is expected that the first
stride In this direction will be taken today,
when an election is to be held for the pur-
pose of choosing mayor of the town and
members of the town council Heretofore
these officials have been chosen in pur-
suance OF an agreement previously entered
into between the republican and democratic
leaders n hn itx
influences were held in check Today's
election, however, will present novel fea-
lures, lnasmuch as around the ballot boxes
there will be a hot battle between the
progressive element of the town and that
which loves to call itself conservative The
cause of the impending strife Is a uues-
tlon affecting the Introduction of water
works into the town. The progressive ele-
ment is eagerly in favor of having this alb
solutely necessary adjunct to the health
ana Weil-being Of community added to
Rockville without delay. while the con-
servative people, chershng the principle
that what was good enough for their grand
fathers and Observation-Disclosures is good
enough Tor them. are against the PROPOSE
tion, body and soul. The main reason of
their objection to then Gdernizing of Rock
vile may be found, however, n the fact
that few of the larger property owners
VINO exercise much Influence in the corr
hlunity are afraid that the Introduction of
water works would result in increas
their taxes to smah/ amount The fact is
however that the takes as at present as
sessed in Rockville are altogether ona-sde1
ana IN FAVOR of the large owners of prop
erty, persons having built houses in the
last SIX or seven years out here being as
sesseu to the full value of their property
almost, while the owners of the older bni,i-
inss are paying the same small taxes that
they were quarter Of a century ago.
Low Water supply.
The question of the water works say the
supporters of improvements, however. is OF
great deal more Importance to the town
than even reassessmetft Of the property
would be. Rockville. they say, has the
natural right to be the healthiest place in
the vicinity of the capital, but 1t has no
more sanitary safeguards today. with 200
or 1880 inhabitants, than it did half a GEN.
fury ago, when its population numbered
two or three hundred. For the past two
or three years there has been a very small
supply OF water in the wells of the town
ana last summer number of them went
absolutely dry. Many residents were COM
peiled 10 nave water hauled to their dwell
hss from places more or less remote at a
cost OF s. per month. The consequence of
this absolute lack of water in the town has
caused the insurance companies to be chary
about taking risks of any substantial
amounts upon the property of the NOR
chants VINO are doing business in the town
and has initiated against the prosperity of
the community in many other directions |
Last year, after two or three disastrous
fires had occurred in the community a fire |
engine was purchased. AT a recent fire in |
the fair grounds of the Montgomery Agri-
cultural Association this engine went into |
service and did excellently: but had the fire |
been or larger proportions its usefulness |
Would have ceased, because just as the |
names We're under control the water in the |
well which was supplying the engine was |
pumped out. Consequently the progressive |
People OF Rockville are determined to brins. |
about a change If possible in the dangerous |
conditions which now beset them on ac- |
count OF the scarcity of water, and the |
election today will probably be carried by |
q ticket containing the names of a mayor |
and town councilmen who will vote affirma- !
lively on the proposition to introduce sys- |
tenn OF water works into Rockville. A great |
deal OF wire pulling Is going on and every |
cit1zen In the community is deeply interest |
ed in the outcome of the struggle If con- |
l'oence may be taken as favorable prog |
nostication, the water works ticket will he |
elected two to one.