The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1915
Stronghurst Graphic, August 12, 1915
WATER SYSTEM COMPLETE: Aug.7, 1914 the village council passed a resolution calling for the ordinance committee to prepare an ordinance providing for a bond issue to meet part of the cost of the construction of a system of water works for the village.
Last Saturday, just one year to the day a system was finished embracing a well over 1000 feet deep and capable of furnishing in inexhaustible supply of water; nearly 3 1/2 miles of eight, six and four inch mains extending to ever part of the village with 34 hydrants furnishing ample fire protection to all property, a 100ft. steel tower with tank holding 50,000 gallons of water and a substantial brick water works building housing a 12 horse power gasoline engine and a Downie deep well pump, had been completed and was ready for test and acceptance by the village.
On Monday the big tank was partially filled with water, the hydrants opened and tested and the mains subjected to a hydrostatic pressure of 130 lbs per square inch continuously for a period of one hour. The test was satisfactory to the supervising engineer and the whole system will in all probability be accepted by the council next Monday evening.
Thus, the great need of the village which was evident last summer when nearly all of the water supply sources in the village failed and when the breaking out of a fire would have found it almost completely at the mercy of the devouring element, has been met and in addition an unfailing and abundant supply of water of an excellent quality made available for every premise within the village.
Already a number of applications for water have been filed with the superintendent of the water works and the work of installing the service pipes will be started at once. It is perhaps not out of place to present a few figures showing the cost of the improvement and also to state how the cost is to be met. The drilling of the well cost $2,743.33; the mains, hydrants, valves and boxes complete and ready for service cost $10, 548.60; the steel tower and tank, $3,000; the water works building, $2,108.05; the pumping machinery, $1,750.15; the charge for engineering service was $1,201.20 and $75 attorney fees have been paid. The total amount of these items is $21,426.55.
To meet the cost of the system, the village issued bonds in the amount of $12,000 bearing an interest rate of 6% and mature at the rate of $1000 a year ending on March 1st 1929. The balance of the cost will be met by the issuance of local improvement bonds to be paid by special assessment against the property benefitted by the system.
Those who have had experience in such matters of this kind say that the Stronghurst job, considering the extent and quality of the work and equipment, has been done reasonably and there is no question that when all the benefits which will accrue to the village including the lower rates of insurance are taken into the account, the investment will be shown to have been a wise one.
PETER VOORHEES DEAD: Peter J. Voorhees, one of the oldest and best known citizens of Raritan Township, died at the Macomb hospital last Sunday afternoon. On July 26th, Mr. Voorhees underwent an operation in which his leg was amputated above the knee in the hope of arresting the spread of gangrene which had attacked his foot. The patient, who was 82 years of age, failed to survived the effects of the operation and his death occurred. The remains were brought to Raritan and funeral services were conducted there.
The deceased is survived by three sons, Frank, William and Gilbert, all of the Raritan neighborhood, and by one daughter, Mrs. Wayman Livermore of the same place.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: James Prescott Brown is the name of a young stranger who arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Brown in this village. The happy parents are receiving congratulations of their friends. Mrs. E. R. Hutchings went to Chicago to look over the fall millinery offerings.(This was an important piece of news to all ladies reading the paper. One's hat told one's social position and having the latest style was of upmost importance. The more ribbon, stuffed birds, or lace positioned atop the hat the more money the husband probably had in the bank.) S. P. Gristy is home from teaching in the Chicago public school; he took a manual training course there too.
Mrs. Thomas White, who has been afflicted with chronic appendicitis, underwent an operation at the Galesburg Hospital. (For the number of operations for appendicitis performed on local people, one would think the condition catching.) 8 carloads of cattle were shipped to Chicago: Dean Cortleyou-2; Frank Gustafson-4; and Chas. Lind-2. Chas. E. Pendarvis and Miss Anna McKeown, both of Biggsville Township, were married Aug. 5th by Rev. Andrew Renwick at his home near Gladstone.
John T. Clark of LaHarpe lost his big auto truck oil delivery wagon and a lot of hay, harness and other stuff in a barn fire. He carried $1,850 insurance on the property. Several days of fair weather have given the farmers the opportunity to thresh both wheat and oats. In most cases although yields are heavy, the grain will be marked down due to the damage caused by late heavy rains.