Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-16

l signed the remonstraEce because was
asked to. I don't care much. hope the
council will stand pat" Many others
actually urge the council! to order pave
ment in front of their property. The
only objection that can Justly be raised
Is the fact that pavement this year must
be bought on a high market. which may
yet induce the council to order only a
small amount. There IS no public inn
provement that adds so materially to
the beauty and value of a city as paw
ling, and many of the citizens most
prominent in their opposition this year
are abundantly able to stand the ex-
lpense without embarrassment.
well-known citizen when asked
what he thought ought 10 be done about
our water supply replied that he was
sure the city ought not to spend any
more money on water system until
competent engineer had been employed
to outline a plan that would prove "A
success. He said that he was tired see
ing $4,000 spent for this counc!lman's
idea and $4,000 for that councilman's
plan, altho he realized that every MEM
Der of past councils had builded the
best that he could. 1t seems that the
present council is about to follow the
same short-sighted methods in asking
a former superintendent of mains 10
prepare plans for a reservoir before any
one knows whether reservoir Will ac-
complish its purpose. The T.-R. believes
that some leading members of the wa
ter committee are making serious
mistake in assuming that our water
system is all right and that the air. the
cows or something else caused the fever.
The citizens and the entire public, with :
in trading distance of this city, Will
never believe that the water was not to
blame. Hundreds of people, who would
otherwise come here to trade today. are
staying away because they are afraid.
To do nothing to improve the water
supply would be neglect of duty and
almost any expense would prove a
profitable investment commercially II II
could allay public SUBSECTION in Mar
shalltown, to say nothing or the bene-
fits of water supply known to be pure.
The manager of one of our largest busl-
ness concerns was asked what ought 10
be done and he replied, Il don't know
enough about the water business to ex-
press an opinion" He knew fully as
much as city councilman could know.
He was again asked, What would you
do if you owned the water works." and
he spoke up Immediately, I'D employ
the best engineer could find from New
York City, the drainage canal or some
where and I'd find out what plan could
succeed, and then I'd follow 1t no mat
ter what it cost" This Is the business
view. Let's be done with experiments
and our chasing after the plans of those
who have no special or expert knowl-.
edge of the city water supply business.
Up until the present time, the T.-R.
believes, the present city council has
been in no wise blamable for the sick
ness that has occurred. If it was the
water that caused the tever we all
thought the water was good and the
present members of the council inner
tied the water system from former
council believing that it was perfect.
The man who will censure this council
head bumped against the wall and the
councilman who thinks he is being
blamed for conditions is borrowing UNI
necessary trouble. but from thiS Gay
on the council and every member on it
is to be blamed and is a inst subject for
censure If it or he fails to do something
to put at rest all fears that our water
supply is not pure. Chemists analyses.
while undoubtedly correct at the time
taken, are not sufficient. We had the
fever and something caused 1t. Let's
reorganize the water system until engf-
neers, psychologists, chemists and the
absence of sickness all guarantee that
the supply is pure.