The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1911-08-01
CHARLOTTE GETS RELIEF.
Water Trains Put In Use-No
Actual Suffering, But Water
Has Been Very Scarce-Some
Few Hogs in the City-T
Worst of all Droughts.

Worst of all Droughts.
Charlotte has had the sympa
thy OF this section in its water
famine. When people are haul
ing water here and there on til,
farms and many are forced {,
use it with great economy, it i,
not hard to >ympathize with d
city full of people who are suf
fering for water. 1t is. there
fore Il source OF pleasure that
Charlotte has secured relief. How
il came WAS told in Sundays Oh,
server as follows:
Charlotte shall yet be wet. Tn,
daunted by a depleted reservoir
and fast drying streams, leader,
among the militant citizenship
of this city, with the splendid
assistance of the Seaboard Ain
Line Railway, have accomplish,
ed the well-nigh impossible. BE.
fore midnight last night 2S5,0OC
gallons of water from the Cataw-
ba river had been placed in the
settling basins at the city reser-
yoir, and this morning it is av-
ailable for public use. And that
isn't all. Arrangements have
been perfected for the delivery
from this source of 100000 to
1,25o,OO0 gallons a day at once.
The record of yesterday s
work at Mount Holly is a bril-
liant illustration of what re-
sourcefulness, pluck and coneen-
lration of effort can accomplish.
AT , O'Clock yesterday morning
q pump with capacity of 4O0,-
uO0 gallons was repaired and set
10 work. AS Il result 10000 gal
Ions had been hauled to Charlotte
by midday, In the afternoon a
second pump and boiler with a
capacity OF 100000 gallons was
received and mloaded. At 900
. clock last night after herculean
efforts the finishing touch was
put 10 the intricate work of its
adjustment and its mechanism
joined the other in strenuous la
Dor for Charlotte.
Prior TO that time. in addition
to 10000 gallons already deliv-
cred here, ten ear loads contain
ing $4,000 gallons, stood ON the
SIDE track ready for transporta-
ton. This was speedily accom-
plished
The nclusiveness of the drought
10 illustrated by the fact that
many wells are going dry. A
country correspondent of the
Statesyille Landmark stated that
the dryness in his vicinity was
unprecedented in forty years.
while a Newton paper stated that
the Catawba could be waded near
there and wells were going dry.
The same is proving true of wells
III this city which have been the
sole reliance of the poorer classes
who did not have water connec-
tons. Washerwomen are Won
dering what the future holds in
store for them since their home
sources of supply are rapidly fail
.ng. This condition is not sur
prising in view of the fact that
according TO the records of the
local weather station, only 1909
inches of rain have fallen here
since Januray |, whereas the nor
mai amount for this period is
3O.l2 inches. In other words. on
~ 0ne-half as much as is usual
has fallen. This far exceeds the
drgness OF the famous drought
year, 1881, when 23.50 inches had
been recorded by this date. The
drought of that year came prin-
clpally in late summer and early
fall after the crops had matured. |
There have been several com
plants 10 the effect that unscru- !
puloGs people have been using
such water as could be obtained
Tor unnecessary purposes, theI
watering of lawns, the cleans
ing Of porcheS and sides of the |
houses, the spraying of flowers.
Those who observed such conduct |
were naturally incensed at the
wanton disregard for the rights
of Others who had been DENYING
themselves ont of regard for the
common need. A special ordi-
nance was passed at Wednesday
night 5 session of the board of al
dermen, authorizing the water
commission to forbid this. The
commissioners Immediately avail
ed themselves of this by impos-
ing a heavy fine ON persons who
waste water in this way. The no
lice have the names of several
such offenders and fhev will In