The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-06-22
OUR WATER SUPPLY.

For many years Ely has been
recognized as one OF the best regu-
lated towns In thae northwest.
The efficient fire department and
water supply have on several oc-
casions proven themselves capable
of managing any ordinary frcs and
in consequence INSURANCE. rates
have been adjusted here by re-
liable companies Until today they
are just as reasonable as in any
other wooden built city in the
country. Good and reliable COM
panies have taken a foot-hold here
and the wildcat companies have
been few. All this has followed
the good work accomplished by
the fire department and the water
supply which has always been
recognized as the best. Our
neighboring towns on both this
and the Mesaba ranges haye not
Jared as well in this matter, rates
in some OF the towns being almost
prohibitory, going as high in some
cases as 10 per cent-V Virginia for
instance.
This week there have been in
Ely several special agents of in
surance companies looking over
the situation, presumably with Il
view to raising the rates or pull
ing out of town altogether. 1t is
also presumed that the visit of the
special agents was occasioned by
an editorial which appeared in the
Times last week and which in
very dramatic way depicted the
town afire, women and children
in the streets homeless, etc., and
not water to stay the irey etc
ments. Either the editor of tie
Times was misinformed or pre-
sented the article to his readers
witha view of creating sensa-
ton. Whatever motive prompted
him we are at loss to understand
but us a sensation creator the art
icle was success. The business
men were considerably wrought
up over the affair and in conse-
quence have been covering many
sheets of paper with figures to as
certain the exact conditions as to
the water supply available fol- fire
protection. Figures tell the truth
and while some may distort the
exact statutes to further some
petty spite it nevertheless remains
a fact that there is water sufficient
to stem any fire otherwise than q
confagration such as Virginia ex-
perienced two weeks ago.
Careful figuring has demonstrate
ed that there is available in the
city we'll at the present time some
thing like 131, 1872 gallons, Or
enough to run the pump steady at
its greatest capacity for between
four and five hours. At the Vail
hotel fire over year ago five
streams played for an hour and %
half steady and at that rate at
that time it would have required
over six hours to bring the water
down to where the skeptics aver
it will exhaust itself. Besides the
water in the well it must also be
understood that considerable water
is constantly flowing in. The pre-
sent flow shows just a little more
than enough daily to supply those
connected with the mains.
Considerable wind has been
wasted on the street corners con
corning the city water and from
these gutter orators and from a
certain class of citizens who never
have good word for any home
institution but who saw this, that
and the other ''home old country"
Michigan, Wisconsin or other
places probably the article in the
Times was inspired. Mr.. Barnes
is a stranger here and we would
advise him to pay no attention to
the gossip of interested parties.
The damage such slanderous re-
ports occasion is irreparable.
Again we will say, the water
supply for fire protection is suffi-
cient for any fire this city may
have otherwise than one of those
dry windy CONGREGATIONS which
all the pumping plants this side of
Duluth could not put stop to.
The council is taking measures to
still further augment the supply
however so as to enable all who
wish to secure the same for DOM
este purposes.