The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-12-24
BAPTISTS
May Have Have To Face
Water Famine At Granville
A Bad State Of Affairs In
The Licking County Town
Newark Advocate)

tNewark AdvOcate)
Granville, headquarters of the Bap-
tist denomination in Ohio, is facing
a serious problem, viz, the elimina.
ton of possibilities of water famine.
Can you imagine a Baptist commun-
ity without water?
In conversation with Judge ]. M.
Swartz, who is also mayor of the vii.
| lage of Granville, an Advocate repre-
sentative was this morning informed
that IL the pump now in use should
be damaged In any way, the village
would be without water for either
protection, drinking or baptismal pur.
poses, and the legal advisers of the
village are carefully studying the law
in an effort to find some way by which
$4,000 can be secured, and the awful
possibility overcome.
Granville, as result of what the
Granville officials sarcastically term
! the generosity" of the Budget Com.
missioners, is allowed about 81 mills
on its apportionment, which allows
them less than $4,000 with which to
run their municipal affairs annually.
Out of this great sum must come sal.
aries of all the village officials, which
amounts to over 500. For instance
the mayor gets 500 year for SER
vices which include not only mayor.
ality advice but also extensive legal
direction, and every one Is satisfied
that Judge Swartz is entitled to more
than he Is paid Then comes the vii
lage clerk, who requires another hun
dred per annum. The treasurer, nos
| to be Outdone, gets trifle over 800
In the course OF year, while still
another century note is handed over
to the village health officer.
The village marshal, by gum, gets
800 and large silver plated star
(the salary Is annual, but the star
has been in the department for about
three generations.) Then there are
six councilmen who get 81 each for at
tending the monthly meetings. The
official roster concludes with the
names of three members of the Board
of Public Affairs. who aside from the
glory of their title are allowed $40
each per year. The balance of about
$4,000 is used in the maintenance OF
the electric lights, streets and water
system OF the village.
In spite of all these extensive pay
monts, State Examiner II. II. Archer
recently investigated the city books
and reported that they We're in per.
feet condition, with no finding for re-
covery, illegal payments or irregular.
tiles chargeable against the village
conditions, a condition seldom found
in the smaller municipalities.
Mayor Swartz declares that the old
wells of the village ran dry last sum.
mer and that two new deep wells
have been sunk. about 200 feet into
the rock. These are Offering very
pure water but are too deep for the
| oiu l"oHioiieu pumps w huhuic prop
erly. One pump Is doing partially
efficient service, but has already
broken down under the strain and q
gas pump had to be imported TEN,
porarily few weeks ago IRON He
bron pending improvements. What
is needed is a double pump system,
with reserve capacity for the new
wells and suitable building for the
housing of the apparatus,
The woodpeckers have been espec-
tally active. Ahe mayor complains,
and have drilled holes into the wood
en- reservoir near Denison university,
until II Is more like a sieve than It Is
a village reservoir. The wood has
rotted as result of this condition
until one can now stick knife
through the planks without exerting
any great effort. and so taking all
things into consideration, the wood.
peckers, rotten boards. old pumps,
new wells, etc, will demand an ex,
pcnditure OF $4,000.
But what is $4,000 when compared
with the mental anguish of Il Baptist
community without water.