by Laurel | April 21st, 2010
April 21, 1904
There was some complaint about the city yesterday that the streets were not being sprinkled, but inquiry at the office of the board of public works disclosed the fact that the wet bulb thermometer showed that if the sprinkling carts were used the water would freeze more or less and be dangerous to travel. The amount of sprinkling done on warmer days has not been of a quantity to flood the streets excessively, and has not prevented a good deal of dust blowing on the paved streets. Usually at the 15th the street car sprinkler is in operation, but the company that controls the situation wants more money this year. Last year it was paid $2850 which the company claims, after paying for the electricity to run the car and the men to operate, does not leave enough to yield a proper return on the investment. It is figured that it runs about 200 days in the year, which would be about $14 a day while in operation. Its contract with the Holyoke street railway company is a private matter, so there are no facts to be ascertained to know whether the company is making a good thing out of the city or not. There is a Studebaker cart, the water being thrown by compressed air, in successful operation at Colorado Springs, but the board is not yet ready to buy one, and it would take six months to get one, if it were ordered build, as they are built only upon order. But there is no doubt that the city will have to have one sooner or later. The present outlook is that the street car sprinkling will be run from May 1.
From The Springfield Republican.
