Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-26
WITHIN THE TOWN.

The work Of rolling the Crawford
old house to a point about forty feet
back Of where the rear end Of the new
Associate Reformed church building
will stand is nearly completed. Con-
tractor Stearns has been delayed on
account Of various hindrances that he
has been unable to control; but has
been making very nice progress new
ertheless.
Citizens of Yorkville who desire to
vote in the approaching municipal
election; but who have not yet quail
fled themselves by obtaining registra-
tion certificates are again reminded
that the matter should be attended to-.
The requirements prerequisite to ELI
gibility for municipal certificate are
exhibition Of state certificate and
receipts for all due taxes. Those who
have no state registration certificates
are reminded that the county board Of
registration will meet on the first Mon
day in May, and that will be the last
opportunity to secure a certificate be-
fore the coming election. Citizens who
fail to qualify themselves to vote in
this coming general election will be
disqualified from voting in any sabse-
quent municipal election during the
two years following. i
Although there Is no way of saying
whether or not the matter has been
settled, the town Of Yorkville Is to be
congratulated over the action Of the
board of commissioners of public
works in taking steps to acquire for
the town ownership Of the property on
which its water plant stands and also
the water rights connected Herewith.
The Enquirer has not taken the trou-
BILE to examine the records but 1t Is
reasonably certain that when the
pumping station was originally locat-
ed there was no provision of law
whereby land could be condemned for
the purposes Of a municipal corpora
ton and for that reason there was
contract whereby for such land as 1t
used the town would pay a rental of
$25 per annum. Later this contract
was modified under a verbal agreement
that gave to the owner of the land on
which the water plant stood the right
to the free and unrestricted use Of the
public water The value Of such a
right, of course, Is apparent. This ar
rangement obtained during about
seventeen or eighteen years until about
a year ago condemnation proceedings
were instituted, and the case Is now
in process of adjudication, unless in
deed the finding of the jury in the
trial Just ended shall be accepted as
final settlement. But the lesson Of
this particular case Is this. II the town
had undertaken to do so it could have
acquired this property seventeen or
eighteen years ago at a much less
figure than 1t costs now. and If the
thing had been left few years longer
the cost would have been still heavier
This case, however, 1t should be re-
membered, settles only a very small
part of the whole question involved
and the people of Yorkville will do
well to give some consideration to the
fact. However fine the water supply
may be at this time, 1t does not stand
to reason that it can remain so for
long. AS time goes on there will be
more and more building on the water
shed from which the little stream that
yields the public supply Is fed. and
contamination must necessarily grow
worse. The plain truth of the whole
matter is that the location Of the
pumping plant at its present site was
never iustifiable except for fire pur-
poses, and If the town should develop
as many of its citizens hope 1t will,
the time will soon be here when 1t will
be absolutely necessary to look out for
a larger and safer supply of water.