The record-union., 1898-11-08
WHICH SHALL IT BE?
rs SACRAMENTO TO GROW OR
is TT TO DECAY?
Are We to Have Protection From
Fire, and IL Public Health
to be Conserved?

Three or four millions of dollars
worth Of property on which taxes are
paid into the City Treasury was men,
aced with destruction by fire on Mon
day morning. and as it was there was a
very heavy loss. This property gives
employment to several thousand men
who are residents and taxpayers IN
Sacramento. A fire broke out In one
Of the railroad shops, and buildings ana
machinery were destroyed necessitat-
ing the throwing of several hundred
citizens out Of employment
The fire would have been early check
ed, in ell probability, but for three rea-
sons, namely, our pipes carrying water
to the works were choked with mud.
are too small and there was not suffi-
cient fire plugs located by the city In
and about the works. The remedy FOR
all this is the placement Of sufficient NY
drants and the enlargement OF the pipe
line to the works, and above all the
sending of water through such pipes
that is clear and will not choke he
mains and hydrants with river mud.
The railroad works are outftted with
a fire protection system by means OF
small pumping plant of their own. This
is supposed to be supplemented by a
supply of water from the city works in
dependently conveyed to the grounds.
Monday morning, because the city en-
gines took water from the railroad sys-
tem-not sufficient nor nearby city ny
drants being located at the shops-the
pressure was lowered and the streams
We're greatly weakened, the fire gained
exceeding headway, and thus the city
system failed to. really supplement the
shops system.
Besides all this, the. main leading
from the City Water Works to the rail-
road shops was choked with mud. The
remedy then is, we repeat, an enlarged
pipe line of the city system to the rail
road works, and plenty of we'll distribut-
ed city hydrants at the shops, that the
city fire department and the railroad
department may work Independently of
each other and yet effectively for
common purpose. But through such
enlarged pipe line, and through such
city hydrants only clear water should
how
In every considerable fire we have
had in recent years the difficulty Of
getting a full, strong flow Of water at
the outset has been encountered, be-
cause the pipes were half-filled with
river detritus. About the time the
confiagration is over this nasty, clayey
stuff is washed out, and water comes
plentifully, just when it is least needed.
What this city needs, what it must
have before it can boast of real title
to the name; what it must have before
property will be secure and public
health be conserved, is clear, pure
water.
Water so supplied is at hand. The
Chamber of Commerce has demonstrat-
ed that just east of the city there is
plentiful supply. 1t is clear, pure,
wholesome water. It is a subterranean
flow which has supplied the whole Sec
ton east Of the city for thirty-f1ve
years with all the water it needs. 1t
is at great depth, 1t underlies the vail
ley basin and discharges it's limpid
stream in the midst Of the muddy wa
ters of the river and bay not far from
Benicia.
or course the city should own it's
water works system, have complete and
sole control of them. OF course a new
large main is needed on the south side
and up to the eastern limit, and must
be laid The Mayor says we will need
another 100000 gallon pump when
that line is put in. Conceding that for
arugment's sake, it remains that il
should not be purchased and laid dow n
Tor the pumping in of muddy, unwhole-
some and pipe clogging water.
1t VIII cost no more, not SO much,
10 place the pumping works on the east
end and send clear water through the
mains from the small end of the pipe
lines. For our pipe system is wrong
end-to" as now related to the pump
ing works-we are constantly pumping
against cushion Of powerful resist
ance, and. hence, the east end people
nave insufficient protection from fire.
Aside from these considerations of
protection, the health Of the people is
to be considered. They are now nav
Ing in the way of filter cost and water
haul more than the interest upon the
capital needed to give us a clear wa
ter supply. The river water is NOT
wholesome. All the sophistry of all the
old-umers who have "got along" will
not disabuse the we'll informed mind
on that point. The Board of Health has
repeatedly condemned the river water
DAe ilo Noice mas always been unheed-
ed. The time has now come when the
city stands confronted with this fact
1t is. CLEAR WATER IN PLENTY.
OK MUNICIPAL RETROGRESSION
DECLINE OF INVESTMENT AND
RAISE OF INSURANCE RATES.
There is no sense in clinging to the
river system The persistence with
which officials, and some of our people
adhere to it, suggests either ignorance
OF the real conditions, or Interior pur-
poses. This latter we are indisposed
to credit. It has come, then, to a sim
pie question of economy; of city expan-
sion or city decay. Which shall we
have?