Suwannee Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 1897-current, 1909-09-10


and the greatest 81 these IS loFe
Nov, there are three things Of prime
importance and necessary to the growth
and veIl-being Of our city They are
a good streets, q good water, and
90 good sewerage.
Asto the frst, We are progressing
as vel IS might be expected with the
paving Of our streets.
As 70 Our water, / have already
written an article, published IN the
Democrat a few weeks ago, expressing
my views On this subject.
] believe, as do most Of our citizens.
that we should have our city supplied
with the wholesome and healthful
water Of SuWannee Springs, water Of
known purity and Of recognized thera-
peltic value.
IL IS not intended by this article on
better water" to infer that our pres
ent supply IS infected. The Suwannee
Springs water is better, and it is sim
ply to urge upon our people to take adj
vantage Of this opportunity to have our
city supplied with a better water.
The writer feels that we should be ab.
solutely protected against infection of
our water, not only at the present, but
during all future time, and the adver-
tisement which our town would re-
eeive from this source would more than
pay for the cost Of putting this water
IN within two years time after it is
done.
As to the last, good sewerage, l
would say as did the Apostle Paul in
classifying the three cardinal virtues.
It is the most important. A good sys-
tenn Of sewerage would not only be of
great benefit and protection against all
possible infection or contamination Of
our city water, but would also insure
our country friends against CONTAINING
ton Of their drinking water, most of
whom have bored wells of about the
same depth as the drainage or sewer
age wells'now in use in our city. We
90 not know where our sewerage goes
after it enters our drainage wells. In
stances might be mentioned of positive
proof as to the dangers and damage
done in other places by the drainage
well system, both to the town in which
the wells were located and in the sur
rounding country, as well as in adioio.
ing towns as far as thirty miles away.
This is one Of the best agricultural
counties in the state. Statistical re-
ports, as filed at the state capital. show
the money value of our crops to exceed
that Of any other county in the state
This fact indicates two things: q. that
we have good land and o., that we
have good men to cultivate it. In an
agricultural way our town is well SUD-
ported, and we are proud of the thrift
and industry of our farmers. It is
largely through their votes and their
money that Live Oak, the capital city
q the county, has such a fine court
house-the handsomest structure that
adornS our city. Dove not feel crate
tul to our friends in the country for
their part in helping US to build this
court house? Certainly we do Then.
let Us express our gratitude in some
material way.
Ihls leads me to say that some of
our friends in the country, especially
to the south of US, who have had much
fever in their families, feel that this
sickness is largely due to pollution or
contamination Of their drinking water
BY our drainage wells. Let US appIv
the golden rule Of love and relieve
them Of this fear if not of an actual
condition. We can do this only BY
putting in a good sewerage system.
furthermore there are certain quar-.
ters IN oar own town that are in an uD-
sanitary condition, and must ever re-
main 50, till we have the proper sewer
age to carry off the filth.
There are but few places as large as
this that do not have a sewerage sys-
tenn. Why should we lag behind?
The next question is: How will We
get this sewerage? (Answer): By
making our wants known to the proper
officials in an earnest and serious man |
ner.
1t will take some money to sewer our
city, and ! don't blame our city cOun-
ell or bond trustees for not going ahead
on their own initiative and having tbis