Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-10-14
Lewisburg Water Works.

vote of the people next Saturday.
We have been rudely awakened from
our long sleep of careless security
and, while some are disposed t.
mutter and turn over and go to sleeJ
again, the more enterprising anC
thoughtful people of the town clearly
recognize that action on this matter
can no longer be safely delayed.
have heard it said during the pas
week that ait is the part of pru
dence 10 go slow" 1 was not aware
that we had been moving any toe
fast during the last hundred years
nor am / inclined to admit that it is
the "part of prudence to go Slow
when going slow has already brought
one great disaster upon us, and 9th
ers still greater are impending
Certainly the memory of our grea,
fire is yet too fresh and vivid, and
during the protracted drouth the
terrible possibilities Of q still greater
calamity have been too dreadful and
menacing to be lightly set aside. If
such a fire can evoke nothing more
than chorus of protests against
moving too fast, then let the city
fathers resume the work of inter
ment they began a few weeks ago.
1t will be eminently proper. Gather
the ashes on the streets and give the
town decent burial. l do not be-
lieve, however, that this dilatory,
do-nothing policy expresses the will
of many of the people. So far as
can learn. large majority of the
citizens favor immediate action
They are unanimous in their opinion
concerning the desirability of water
works, and differ in their judgments
only concerning the practicability of
such a scheme.
Certainly if the plan is impracti-
cable there is no use in voting on it..
But how is its practicability to be
determined? only 6y an appeal to
the actual facts. In the absence of
reliable and necessary data some
have been content to settle the whole
question satisfactorily to them
selves at least,-by a few brilliant
guesses. The brilliancy of these al.
tempts is reflected In the estimates
that have beer made, ranging any
where from five thousand to twenty
thousand dollars as the probable cost
or such plant. In this unsettled
state of chaotic opinion / wo,ld re-
peat and emphasize the statement
just made that the only way in which
the practicability of such a scheme
can be determined is by an appeal to
the actual facts.
We need first to ascertain the ac-
tual cost of plant Of sufficient
power to furnish an adequate sup
ly of water for the town. When
this is known we can easily deter
mine whether or not a town of the
size and resources Of Lewisburg can
safely and successfully assume the
initial expense and maintenance of
such a plant. For reliable informa-
ton concerning the actual cost of
such a plant would call attention
to the Investigations Of the special
committee appointed by the council
for this purpose. They recommend
the river as the only source of safe
and unfailing supply without an en-
CINE, and estimate the cost of con-
veying the water to Lewisburg at
Sl3, 500. This amount represents the
complete equipment-including the
water-power and machinery for ap.
plying the same, all necessary pip
ing and right Of way from Caldwell
to Lewisburg, tanks and ground for
the erection of the same, pipe
through the main street and princi-
pal side streets of the town, and a
sufficient number Of fire plugs to
easily reach and protect all parts of
the town. The estimate Of the COM
mittee il not the result of guess work.
1t is based not upon fancies, but
upon facts. In their investigations
they had associated with them a
skilled and expert civil engineer,
MIR. M. w. Venable, of Charleston,
and the whole ground was carefully
and searchingly traversed. Not
only did they ascertain in detail the
cost of all necessary material and
work, but they secured and now
hold options on the water power at
Howard's creek, the right of way to
Lewisburg, and ground for the cree
ton of the tanks on Lynch's hill
We find then, according to the esti-
mate Of this committeeman their
conclusions can be fully accepted
that the actual cost Of a plant fur
nishing sixty thousand gallons of
water a day will be thirteen thou
sand five hundred dollars.
Does this appear to be excessive ?
Certainly no one who knows any
thing at all of hydronamics could
reasonably expect to do IL for any.
thing less.
Now, with the actual cost of such
a plant in hand, let us measure the