Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1904-07-13
FENCE IN DANGER SPOTS.
Many Lives Lost in Waterbury the
Past Few Years.


Several of the aldermen would like
90 make move towards compelling
owners OF large bodies of water to
protect them by fences or the presence
OF an officer and thus prevent further
loss OF life by drowning accidents,
but for some reason or other none OF
them cares to take the initiative. One
of them told representative of the
Democrat last night that there is not
a man in the city government who
could afford to make a move In that
direction because practically all the
employers of labor in Waterbury own
reservoirs; and men who work in the
factories or do business with them in
other ways could hardly be expected
to make a move In that direction.
Probably this explains why so many
lives have, been sacrificed in Water
bury the past few years without
bringing out any comment as TO the
cause. There is no reason why this
should be so now more than in the
past. It Is but a short time ago since
monster petition was presented TO
the city government asking that the
ScOv1ll Manufacturing Co be requested
10 fence in the ditch" with a view 10
preventing further accidents there
The company went ahead and did III
without any hesitation and 1t is worth
making note of that no accident wae
reported from that spot since the place
was properly protected.
But things are different In Water
bury at the present time. Human life
as looked upon AS of little or no ac-
count, as anybody could see by the
hilarious conduct of people last Sunday
evening while the body of a bright
young man rested at the bottom Of
Belleyiew lake, many singing and MAX
ing merry Within q few yards of the
spot with an abandon which showed
that the thing didn't cost them
thought notwithstanding that q moths
er and father and brothers and sisters
had just been robbed of the compan-
ionship of son and brother whom
they fairly idonzed.
The water in that lake is very valu-
able, but the lives that have been
swallowed up in 1t since 1t was con-
fined there were very precious, too.
Every person who lost his life there
was dear to somebody and his Death
has cast gloom over hearts that will
remain forever 1t seems that some
arrangement could be made whereby
people would be denied the use OF
that pond for bathing purposes with
out infiicting any hardship upon any
body and thus spare the community
from the narrowing scenes enacted
there too frequently since the place be-
came public resort The owners may
say that they do not invite people to
battle there. but even so they hold out
the inducement, and whether the law
covers the matter or not there is q.
moral obligation resting upon them to
see that those who use It do not
do so at too much risk. There are
many too. who believe that the mgl-
nfcipalfty owes 1t to its citizens to
make an effort to guard them from
anything that tends to result in injury
and II this be so it is high time some
thing were done In the premises. It
is doubtful IL the taxpayers would
find fault at having these death traps
protected at the public expense rather
than have them left open to everybody
who may be thoughtless enough TO
risk their lives in them. We hear a
great deal about parks and breathing
places dn different parts of the city,
which are well enough In their way,
but it is a question If a few dollars
would not be well spent In maintain
ing public baths I'm the different sec
lions of the city where young and old
could enjoy a bath under proper re-
skldctions and without the slightest
risk to life or limb It would not cost
much to do this and probably there is
nothing the city government could do
that would be a greater public benefit.
A few such places would accommodates
all and would go long ways toward
putting stop to drowning accidents.
which are occurring so often that no
body can help wondering why steps
have not been taken to mdnfmize dam