The record-union., 1898-11-17
THE MAYOR FOR CLEAR, PURE
WATER.


trict Medical Association held in this
city Tuesday evening, Mayor Land
came out, in response to a toast,
squarely in favor of clear, pure water
for this city. He wisely put aside all
questions concerning the potability of
the river water, and the fact that we
have used it forty-fve years and can
use it forty-five more, and all such
twaddle, and. devoted himself to the
one undeniable fact that the river
water is dirty, fit neither for the inside
nor the outside of man, woman or
child, to the one fact that it is dirty,
uncleanly, offensive to sight and to a.
sense of personal cleanliness.
This unsightliness, said the Mayor,
gives the city a black eye, and from
London to San Francisco, and from
st. Petersburg to Chicago, the offensive
water Sacramentans use is talked of
by every person who has ever visited
US. He believed city prosperity and
growth depends upon abandonment Of
the river water, and that to adopt g.
clear, pure water system will double
our population in ten years.
Therein the Mayor is mistaken, be-
cause there is every reason to believe
we would increase in population,
wealth and material industries 80 per
cent in the first five years after
clear water Introduction, and double
the increase in the next five years.
That is no fanciful statement or mere
conjecture. It is based on sound rea-
sons and human experience, and what
decent water supply systems have done
for other places.
OF course the physicians from all
over Northern California and this city
applauded the Mayors remarks. One
said, CLEAR pure water means to cut
off my practice in the city % per cent,
and when a good system Of disposing
of city sewage is adopted T will lose
another % per cent Of my practice,
Both the Mayor and the physicians ad-
vised, in face OF the fact that we can
not get a gravity SYSTEM, that the
east side subterranean supply be
availed Of. There are two unanswer-
able reasons for this: First, the sup
ply is sufficient, clear and pure; Sec
ond, it is at the right end Of our pipe
system, and will by saving Of power
for that reason economize the cost of
pumping greatly.
o1r
pared their proclamation calling for an
election to be held presently to secure
authorization from the people for ex-
penditure on the basis Of city credit
of a large sum Of money for the pur-
chase of new pumping plant. Neither
in that important document, nor in the
ordinance authorizing it, is there word
directing or promising that such pump
ing plant shall be used to pump in
clear, pure water. It will be therefore
the old scheme of more dirty river
water.
Unless there is now, and while yet
there is time, incorporated by due
amendment a clause providing that the
new plant shall be used for the sup
plying Of the city with clear, pure
water from the east side. the people
will vote down the proposition They
viii be fully justified in this action.
The time has gone by when the II oney
Of the people can be used for the
greater pumping in Of the objection
able river water, until it has been
demonstrated beyond all manner of
doubt that a clear pure water supply
eanot be as well obtained That sup
ply can be had. It lies at our doors.
1t should be utilized. and not another
dollars worth of machinery purchased
to bring in the pipe-clogging, unwhole-
some. Offensive current of the drainway
Of the valley.