Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1910-05-12
Nc AGREEMENT WAS REACHED
AT MEETING FOR WATERWORKS
In Absence of Information as to Cost
of System, No Bond Issue Was
Suggested.


A meeting of the citizens of
this community was held in the
town hall Monday evening, the
purpose of the meeting being to
consider the advisability of pc
titioning the town council to
order an election for a sufficient
amount of municipal bonds to
erect a waterworks system for
Fort Mill. The attendance at
the meeting was not as large as
had been hoped for by those who
are behind the movement, there
being only about 40 persons pres
ent, but, as someone remarked,
three-fourths of the property in
terests of the town were repre-
sented, and what the meeting
lacked in numbers was offset by
the presence of the men who
will necessarily have to bear the
greater part of the expense of
erecting the plant. Without a
dissenting voice the agreement
was reached that Fort Mill is
greatly in need of a waterworks
system, but there developed
differences of opinion as to the
probable cost of the plant and as
to the advisability of extending
the system to the residential sec
tons of the town. If the con-
flicting views of those who
expressed an opinion on this
point are not reconciled, it is
certain that the admitted neces-
sity for this public utility will be
deferred longer than would seem
a reasonable time to those who
are anxious that steps be taken
as soon as possible to afford the
town fire protection.
Mr.. j. w. Ardrey was elected
chairman of the meeting and
upon his invitation Col. Leroy
Springs, of Lancaster, president
of the Fort Mill Mfg. Co. and
the Millfort Mill, was the first
speaker of the evening. Col.
Springs thought that water
works system for fire protection
was needed in Fort Mill, but
expressed the opinion that the
undertaking would prove burden
some upon the property owners
II the system were extended to
the residences of the town.
Recently Lancaster has installed
waterworks and the experience
of that town is that not more
than one in five of the home
owners has had water put in his
residence. There was nothing
upon which to base the hope that
a greater percentage of the
homes of Fort Mill could be
depended upon to install water.
Lancaster is otherwise pleased
with the system and the town
would not now be without it.
The Fort Mill enterprises of
which Col. Springs is the head
would be pleased to see a water
works system installed in Fort
Mill, but he thought that the
town should make modest start
by providing fire protection only
to the business section of the
town and the mills. During the
course of Col. Springs remarks
the fact was brought out that
Lancaster was forced to install
an expensive filtering plant in
connection with the waterworks.
Following Col. Springs re-
marks the opinion was expressed
that it would be useless to ask
the taxpayers of Fort Mill to
provide fire protection only for
Main street and the cotton mills.
Any such proposal would be
voted down. 1t is too much to
ask the voters living in the resi-
dental sections to agree to tax
themselves unless they are to
receive some benefits from the
tax Fort Mill is greatly in need
OF water and is as able to afford
1t as many other South Carolina
towns which have issued bonds
for the purpose. No expensive
fiitering plant would be necessary
IN this town and the system
could be built without entailing
a hardship on any property
owner. The town does not owe
a dollar. But the undertaking
was certain 10 be defeated, and
not mreasonably, if the matter
were submitted to an election
with the provision that only
certain sections of the town be
provided with the system. This
view of the matter seemed to
exnreSS the conSanci1c nf or,in;o..