The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-05-28
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
HOW NEW ORLEANS ACQUIRED
ITS PRESENT EFFICIENT
SERVICE.
TAs Men at the Head and Their Work
During the Past Year.

The evolution OF the New Orleans
MaserNOr6s Company and the magnl!l-
cen systefa u represents, IS one Of tne
interesting cnapters OF local history
" aich VIA 20 down 10 pOsterlty ~ IL
iustraTiNe OK the energy and stability
VI The men az the head or the corpora
zion. Which now ranks foremost OF rs
Kind ia the Union. IL W.ls ~ lslt, when
Shs lower section Of the city Was sweep
~ = destructive confias,ra ton, that Tine
aaadequacy of che wAter supply was
Gnost d.sastrously manifested. ~ fhat
zine tne wafer supply Was furnishe Z
~ the city WatCrWorks COMPANY.
which had 20 run down thar the ma
chinery wa worn out. the pumps cu
which tie aremeu depended were N
bad repair. The reservoir had caved ~.
and IL fast, a general condition 81 Ii-
lapids-!on prevailed. something had 70
be done Tor better protection against
1lrN-drinl.ng water a. tha- time being
q secondary consideration. rs chief de-
pendenGs being on the cistern supply.
The late Mayor Pilsbury was then AZ
the head Of the municipality and lead
eng the movement toward Improvement
resulting in che formation OF Fhe pres
ent company and the purchase OF the
olu plalN Tor the round sum OF 5000 200.
Practically. the repairs and improve
menfs We're almost equivalent 10 buying
an entire new outfit, but the new COM
pany never lost heart or rstrenched on
any Nof the needed expenditures. Tho
worn-out pumps and other class
OF machinery. which had been
Hnwtsely used for long stretch
new and improved appliances. The wa
ser pressure which heretofore had been
nominal, Was increased. and large
mans laid to reinforce those already in
use. Thus the affairs OF the corpora
zion progressed under the careful man
agemen: of the citizens ii its head. who
WITH few exceptions constitute the
present officers and directors as fol-
lows: Il. = Craig, president; \. Bald
win, Vice-preSident: J.. II. Gardner SUI
perintendent: r. l.. MacmurdO, score
rary md treasurer. Directors: r. +.
Sralg. a. baldwin, \. =. Wheeler. G.
W. Mott, Hon. w. {. Flower Mayor
ex-ofiicio Hon. Geo. e. Penrose, city
treasurer, eX-officio.
Some idea of The vastnPss of ehe
company's service can be formed when
II is stated that lis total distribution
of lis pipes and mains, up to date, il a
Traction less than 12e miles. 5.ei5
deet Of which were added last
year. The pumpage for the past
year ending April ist, 1851. in round
figures was 3.9lS.e00 gallons, an in
crease of 42G. 0o0O,o galcns over that of
ne previous year. besides tne enor-
mous private service the company sup
plies 1850 fire hydrants and wells, and
as the march of improvement leads
into new districts, the hydrants and
wells increases. In this connection. as
one of the many generous acts Of the
company during the prolonged and Sc
we're drouth of last October, the com
pany. opened all fire hy1rants for relief
70 a larger extent than ever before, re-
dusing no reasonable application for
such relief Additionally and contrary
no rules and custom. and under the ex-
traordinary conditions. paying con-
sumers We're permitted to supply Their
suffering neighborS from their private
hydrants This work OF relief was done
by the company OF It's own accord. ana
without the aid from the city which
contract with the city provides for
All in all the people Of New Orleans
nave every reason TO be proud of fheir
water supply and unite in the fun need
of praise TO the enterprising men who
nave brought the service to its present
high state of perfection