The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-04-16

The registered voters of the munich
pality of Frederick, pursuant to a notice
issued by the Board of Aldermen few
days ago, voted yesterday and will
again today, upon the projected plan
to connect Fishing Creek, stream of
pure mountain water, with the reser-
voirs, by means of pipe line connect
ing with the main pipe below the new
receiver, in order to furnish this city
with much needed reserve supply in
case of drouth or any other contin-
gency which may develop, not now
anticipated.
Considerable controversy aud spirit
of decided opposition has gradually de.
veloped itself among our citizens to
such an extent that the result of
the voting is shrouded with the grav-
est uncertainty. The city authorities
have made the matter as clear to the
public as is consistent with a necessary
reserve and conservatism that must be
used in all cases where competitive
bidding is contemplated.
Frederick's reputation for having
the best aud purest water in the land
is in serious danger of being disputed,
especially at season when it is most
needed and most lavishly used This
is in the summer time when dry
weather causes the present supply to
fall far short of the consumption, and
strenuous methods are essential to the
maintenance of this, the most neces-
sary of all the elements. Our citizens
remember that almost every summer
the city gives notice by advertisement
of lack of water in the reservoir and
advises the most extreme economy in
its use. This has not only been lately
but at some portion of each year the
| step is necessary.
| Last year was perhaps the most Sc
we're case of drouth that has occurred
lately and the city was put to an enor-
nous expense in keeping up the supply
by means of pumping from wells and
springs. Several years ago it was nec-
essary to employ one of the fire en-
gines several weeks steadily at work
| forcing water into the reservoir, and
| the expense attendant was cOnsidera-
BILE. The authorities say that during
this critical period had large fire
occurred, it is doubtful if the sup
ply would have been sufficient for the
demand. Even last year, with all
the pumps going regularly, the water
could not be kept at point of safety
and several times there was the gray
est danger of absolute depletion.
The present proposition of the alder
men to take in Fishing Creek as an
! auxiliary source of water in cases of
this kind, has only been before the peo-
pie for a short time and it is not alto
gether strange that many have their
misgivings as to its practicabllity. In
order to leOk deeper into the matter
and personally inspect this stream
about which there has been so much
discussion pro and con, representa-
tive of the CITIZEN visited the locality
few days ago in company with sew
eral gentlemen whose knowledge of
| the subject is considerable and whose
reputation and position guarantee the
| highest and most undoubted sincerity.
On the way we stopped at the dis
carded Sanner pumping station on the
Seventh street road, where a small
stream was sucked dry in short time
and the machinery finally removed to
Lakin's Pond for fresh supply. Then
on further to the point where the pro-
posed connection is TO be made with
| the main line Oh the premises of Dan
| lei Young. From there the course is
staked in an air line along the base of
the low lying hills distance of H.
400 feet to point above Weddles'
Saw Mill, where the water is at its
purest and best Everything was left
in readiness by the surveyors and en-
gineers, Messrs. PoWnall and Min
shall, of New York, who completed
their work at very low figure and
! who will supervise the construction at
a very small percentage of the actual
cost. They will have nothing to do
with furnishing material or workmen.
! A short visit was paid to the new re-
ceiver, where the keeper explained the
manner In which the water is collected
| and distributed and told how the pres
ent flush condition of the creek COM
pared with its condition in dry sea-
sops. Here the water was running
through two large iron pipes into the
space below, only a portion being used
for the city. Fishing Creek was our
final destination aud we arrived there
after winding drive through an I'M
dulating and picturesque section of
partly cultivated woodland. The
scenery ell route was much enjoyed,
and only when we came IN sight of
the object of our quest could we APP
preciate the many descriptions we had
heard, but which failed utterly in do
ing justice to the wild. romantic beau
ty of this sequestered mountain re-
treat, where the hand of nature has iu-
delibly stamped its fairest image in
crude rock and boulder, lofty shrub-
berry and rushing torrents. Beside
this the works of man pale into insig-
nific ,nce. This is not pertinent to the
subject in hand, but ones feelings can
not be restrained from expression at
the sight of such wondrous loveliness.
AT a point not far above Weddle's
mill is the place selected for tapping
this stream, and here the water rushes
down the steep incline over projections
of rock with great rapidity, causing it
to foam and splash and spray as it goes
on its way 10 its mother, the mighty
ocean. At this point it is rs feet higher
than the new receiver, which in turn
is 375 feet above the level of the reser-
voir. Thus it can be seen how great
is the force that can be obtained by
gravity alone to bring this new supply