Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-09-04
Water System Needs Improvement.

- ~'~~~~ @@%~kt NtNAsNaNs
The citizens of Berryyille have
had for the past two weeks some
convincing proof of what the CoU-
RIER has been telling them for the
past five years, namely, that a
reservoir should be constructed on
one Of the hills west of town, in
stead of depending upon a thin
line of communication with the
reservoir on the mountain.
The thin line of supply has
broken in the Shenandoah river on
more than one occasion. We have
repeatedly said, and believe, that
IT will continue 70 break there un-
til It is properly installed. We
have said and we believe that it
has never been propN. ly installed
through the River. Past perfor-
mances convince us Of the correct
ness of that belief.
We have had nothing to say
about the broken water system
during the past two weeks, as we
did not want 20 raise any great
huc and cry over it and keep thou
sands of Visitors away during the
Horse Show; but it is now high
time that something radical was
done.
The present Town Council seems
To enjoy the job of letting well
enough alone" but ii certainly
ss ems 10 us that such policy is
poor beyond compare.
The 80, 900 and more that will
have been spent before the new
reservoir on the mountain is com
pleted will do absolutely no good
ON earth when the thin line breaks
In the Shenandoah river, and it is
just as certain 10 break as the sun
is 10 shine. No power on earth
can prevent break in the river
until the pipes are properly laid.
And we will take time here 10 re-
mark that enough money has been
spent in repairing breaks in the
river to properly lay a double line
of pipe across that stream.
The last time a break occurred
in the thin line of supply, Golfer
dam was constructed in order that
the river might be kept out long
enough TO allow the break To be
repaired. " After the break was
repaired, the coffer-dam was either
thrown away, was washed away.
or somebody carried it away
neither of which could have hap
pened under anything like business
management. When the present
break occurred. the first thing
necessary to the starting of work
w@s the purchase of timber and
the construction of n coffer-dam
Whose fault is il! We confess that
we do not know. If we did, We
would say so. But it is probably
/ the fault of those who think thai
everybody's business is nobody:
business.
The price of coffer-dam construc
tion amounts to considerabl,
money, as any citizen will discover
10y attending the Council Meeting
when the bill is rendered for ma
terial and labor.
How many more times are tn,
citizens TO pay for having tn,
breaks repaired!
How many more Golfer dams ar,
we to build at public expence!
How long will it be before tn,
citizens and taxpayers do a littl,
thinking on their own hook
and decide upon vigorous treatmen
of this most vital water question:
| Now, dearly beloved Fellow
| Citizens and Taxpayers, sneak of
by yourself some quiet night; com
mune with yourself on this waite
question, suggest to yourself som,
reasonable solution for the troublou
timef that are upon us; then, afte
mature thought, talk it over witt
: your neighbor, and make him tall
it over with his neighbor: and w,
will wager that very soon the way
of understanding and realization
will percolate through your noddle
and you will be genuinely surprise,
at the ease with which improve
ments can be made.