The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-29
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
Statement by Chief liussey Of the Fire De-
parlment
REGARDING THE PRESENT WATER SYSTEM
Facts Regarding the Contract BE-
tween the City and the
water Company.

..The one question that is paramount to
all others with the people Of Houston just
at this time is that of the water supply,
said Chief Hussey Of the fire department
10 q Post reporter yesterday. 1T is para
mount in as much as both the safety OF
property and health OF the citizens are
dependent upon the effectiveness OF this
system as a means of lighting IRE and for
the wholesomeness OF the water supplied.
THE water works company of Houston
has contract with the city whereby It
obligates itself to furnish a certain pres
sure OF water to the fire department when
occasions demand it. and which reads as
follows: That said works shall be capa
BILE at any time in case OF FIRE of throwing
six streams OF water at one time one hun
drcd feet high through fifty feet Of two
and one half inch hose. aud one and one
eighth inch nozzles.' This contract the
company has never yet been able to full
I'LL. as has been demonstrated time and
again when the department has had 10
fight fires with a pressure that was not
sufficient to throw water even to the first
story OF buildings Take, for example,
she fire on Main 81 Aet on May 20, when
] had a stream on the aeriel ladder which
would hardly reach the cornice Of the
buildings az the same level and not more
than twenty feet distant. This, as In
other instances. can be verified by hum
dreds OF people who were witnesses and
who made tests at the expense Of tho wa
ter company.
During che summer months the wells
from which the water Is taken get very
low. and when a fire of any consequence
occurs that denands a large quantity o.
~. L. - f,a
bayou 10 get it, thus FOR several days
aiferward the people are forced to drink
impure water
The fault however, OF the ineficiency
of the supply Is not soleyly due the lack
OF the volume Of water 20 be obtained by
the water company but is for want OF
mains large enough to carry the water
in sufficient quantity "a give the pressure
required. Leading down Preston street
there Is one twenty-inch main. leading
from this ar, Others OF ten and twelve
inches which run on the principal streets.
Through these smaller mains sufficient
water can not be had to throw even one
or two streams one. half the heighth stp
ulatcd in the contract as above quoted,
and when steamers are put on in order TO
raise the water high enough and TO give
st the force required to eXtinguish the
flames, they take the water faster
than n can be supplied, consequently after
they are forced to ease down in speed In
order for the mains to be again hlled. At
no time can the water company put on
sufficient direct pressure to throw stream
TO a height OF 100 feet, as called for In
the contract.
Houston has outgrown the present wa
ter system fifteen years, and what we now
need aud what the people should demand
is a water supply that will be adequate
for the protection of their property ant
the daily consumption OF the people
"My idea Is, that the city Itself built
plant and get tho water from McCor
mack and Silver Lakes in the San Jaeinu
river bottom While on a line the dis
lance Is about eighteen miles, yet II is no
BIZ several miles as far az the place iron
where Galveston gets nor water Thu
supply from these lakes would be mex
haustible aud Of the Surest and best wa
Ter. being fed by springs that run III
wear round The cost Of piping this dis
tance would not be any greater than 70
the sinking Of sufficient artesian wells L
supply tho amount OF water needed an
whlct are liable during the, summes
months to give out and leave the peonl
without protection from fires as Is nov
the case Unless the present system !
greatly improved and that In short time
The reople OF Houston should rise up an
demand that they he given better pro
lection for their property In case OF nre'
This Is but what they are entitled 10 an
they shonli have r. So long as the III
department IS hampered with Unite
water supply it can not be expected 10 a
affective worn in the saving OF proper.
and should not be held responsiole II
lnsses that occur