The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-06-16
THE WATER QUESTION.

The attitude of the News and Observer e
the city water furnished Raleigh is easily summed
up. 1t believes the water from Walnut Gree,
can be furnished clean, pure and Wholesome b..
that this cannot be done by careless and slpsh-5
methods.
The Wake Water Company at tines-manv
times-neither furnished clean water, pure water
or sufficient water, for this city. Hence this
paper called for a change, not for the sake al
change, but that the lives and property Of the
people OF this city should be protected THIS
paper desired pure water and plenty Of it. 365
days a year, and some years 500 DAYS.
Well, the city has put $500 900 into the water
plant. The city can be furnished with pure and
wholesome water every day. But some DAYS ano
this was not the case. This paper, the entire cit.
zenship of Raleigh, saw filthy, muddy water com.
ing out of the spigots. 1t was not fit to drink.
1T was not fit to battle in, it was not fit to wash
clothes in. This paper said so. 1t called for the
reasons why. And as it called, the city phvsi-
cian-mind you, not the News and Observer
officially gave notice that the water was not good.
that it should be boiled before drinking.
City officials got busy because Of conditions and
criticisms, and the water now furnished for some
days has been clear, has been pronounced free a
pollution. The water furnished at the time the
News and Observer made a vigorous protest was
pronounced unfit by the State Laboratory Of
Hygiene, its analysis being that there were colon
bac1ll1 IN 1t, that this came from human excreta.
BY the city physician, by the State Labortorv OF
Hygiene, the News and Observer has been iusti-
hed-more than justified-in every word it has
said in condemnation Of the water at the time it
was unfit. 1t is glad to see it clear now; it IS
gladden. to read the official notice that it is pure,
1t can be kept so. It must be kept so.
There is a persistent attempt in certain quar-.
tiers to mlsrepTesent the News and Observer in
this matter ,As to that it cares not a bawbee.
Its concern is for the health, the life, the property
OF the people of Raleigh, and Of visitors to tins
CITY. Ii conditions are good it will say SO. II
conditions are bad it will not hesitate to speak
out. The people of Raleigh do not want to live,
ostr1ch fashion. with their heads in the sand.
ihey are not afraid Of the truth, and they know
that the truth is not going to hurt Raleigh. They
know that we can have pure, clear, wholesome
water mere, and they propose to have THAT
what they put their money into the water plant
10 get, and they expeCt-nay, they demand
mat water that is fit be furnished for use in
Raleigh.
Mr.. John W. Kurfees and Mr.. William Walker
OF Greensboro, seem agreed upon the conclusion
that there is not much prospect Of the Progress
SlVes and Republicans in this State getting to
gether, Mr.. A. V. Dockery, of Raleigh, appear
to be OF the same mind. The Progressives ar,
showing staylng-out powers that the old1iner
did not anticipate. The three expressions tina
we have referred to seem to be reflective Of IT,,
general sentiment among Progressives.