The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-25
CLING TO OLD WELLS
Citizens Prepare to Make APP
peal to Congress.
CONDEMN CLOSING OF PUMPS
Speakers at Mass Meeting DenOunce
Commissioners, District Health De-
rine Hospital Service, Press, and
Others-POtOmac Water Inferior.

With the intention of presenting to
Congress and If necessary, TO the Presi-
dent, an appeal from the order Of the
Commissioners closing the public shall
low wells Of the District, a permanent or
ganization of protesting citizens was
formed at a mass meeting at 7l9 Sixth
street last night.
Resolutions cOndemnatory Of the Com
missioners' action were adopted. and a
committee, consisting Of b. NJ. Mum
dell NJ T. Davis, \. g. Webb, and Sam
De Nedrey, was appointed TO arrange for
a monster mass meeting, at which further
steps will be taken for the restoration Of
the wells Caustic criticism was made Of
the Commissioners, the District Health
Department, and the public health and
Marine Hospital service, as well Of the
local press. to which several Of the speak
ers devoted their special powers of ora
tory.
Press Gets Playing.
THE callous condition Of the press, by
some attributed to graft, and by some to
the utter disregard for the feelings and
health Of our citizens dependent on these
wells. is simply inexpncable," is the Ian
guage Of a proclamation calling attention
to the meeting of last night Varied
criticisms Of this phase OF the situation
were made also by J. Fraise Richard,
chairman of the meeting, and F. Edward
Mitchell ana J. W. Nye.
In announcing the purpose OF the meet
ing. Mr.. J. F. Richard denounced as an
act OF Official vandalism" the order of
the Commissioners closing the wells
1t has resulted in universal and wide
spread suffering. which shown to ordi-
nary brutes would result in the arrest
and punishment Of the perpetrators,
said Mr.. Richard
Residents Of the neighborhood In
which these wells were located have been
using the water for forty and fifty years
without harmful effect. and because the
officials cannot place the responsibility
for the prevalence Of typhoid fever and
other diseases, they ruthlessly issue an
order depriviug the people Of the great
est necessity Of life-pure drinking
water"
All Cut and Dried.
True, the Commissioners gave us a
hearing, but it was evident from the
manner in which the proceedings were
conducted that their minds were already
made up as to their verdict They ac-
knowledged that the well water was pre-
ferable to Potomac water; that many had
used it for years, seemingly without inju-
Vii IL -.
desire Of the community that the wells
be retained, and yet they announced that
they would adhere TO their original deter
mination 10 close them. They allowed no
criticism of the Potomac water, declaring
1t was not on trial. These are arbitrary
proceedings. and our protests against
such usurpatIon OF power viii continue
Until either the pumps are restored OF the
Commissioners are down and out"
F. Edward Mitchell, an attorney de-
claTed that when the pumps were estab-
lished, an assessment for benefits was
made on the owners Of the surrounding
property, and that. therefore il was with
out the province Of the Commissioners 20
remove them.
Dominated Over by Cars.
We poor unfortunates OF the District
Of Columbia are living under an autocratic
form Of government dominated over by a
triumvirate Of ears. and the only appeal
from their decision is the appeal 70 the
spirit Of public citizenship in mass meet
ings such as this said Mr.. Mitchell De
priving the citizens OF drinking water is an
encouragement to them to resort to the
saloons, and the temperance advocates of
this city might well enter this fight for
the restoration of the wells
If the question were placed to a vote
the advocates Of the well would roll up
an immense majority. and we would again
be given pure drinking water, but under