Observations on the late Law for
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gulating the Nightly Watch , fixing Lamps , and taking Care of the Pumps,
in the City of PHILADELPHIA — humbly offered to the Confideration of
the Inhabitants of the faid City.
H E R E A S the above Aft’, pafied in the Twenty-ninth Year of the Reign
of his late Majefty, George the Second, King of Great-Britain, &c,
is expired —it may not be amifs to take a View of the Advantages or Dif-
advantages arifing therefrom. It muft be acknowledged, that the regu¬
lating the Nightly Watch, and fixing Lamps within the inhabited Parts
of this City is of general Utility, and has been hitherto fo well conduced, as toanfwer the
Good intended, and redounds much to the Honour of the feveral Officers hitherto appointed
for that Purpofe. The Watch and Lamps are now fo well regulated, as to require but little
Attendance and Trouble to keep them fo. But that Part of the above Law that enaCts the
Wardens to take the Pumps in the Streets, Lanes and Alleys under their Care, has been found,
by Experience, to be prejudicial to the Public in general, and to Individuals in particular ;
for it will appear, by InfpeCtion, that not one Half of the Inhabitants are benefited by the
public Pumps ; and inftead of having a greater Number of Wells dug, and Pumps fixed
and kept in good Repair, that they might be of Service in extinguilhing Fires which might
happen, it will be found, upon Inquiry, that there has not been dug, by the Wardens, but
two Wells in this City fince the above Law was made, notwithftanding there have been raifed,
by an additional Tax, for that Purpofe, near Four Thousand Pounds, which has been
expended in fupporting and repairing the few Pumps they have in Hand ; and it is generally
believed, that if the faid Law had not have palled, this City would, by this Time, have been
fupplied, at lead, with an Hundred Pumps more than there now are, and kept in good Order :
For when the Inhabitants found there was a general Tax laid, and that thole who had Pumps
of their own were not exempted, Numbers of them applied to the Wardens to take their
Pumps that were in the Streets, &e. under their Care, which has been refufed. It is true,
the Owners of Pumps in the Streets, arc entitled to receive of the Wardens Six Shillings per
Annum for everv fuch Pumo, if kept in Ep.naic. which is* onor Comnenfaric'" * Wrfon
laying out 1 turfy Pounds (and tew Wells with Pumps in them can be fixed for lefs) and then
every fuch Pump will coll the Owner, upon an Average, Twenty Shillings per Annum to
keep it in Repair; and after all, the Trouble of getting a Certificate from the Neighbours
that fuch Pump was kept in good Order, and then collecting the Six Shillings, is more than
it is worth. Would it not be more equitable to drop the Pumps entirely, and let them revere
to their former Owners ; and to induce them to keep their Pumps in Order, to fuffer them
to receive a Confideration from fmall Families that make ufeof them, and from Carters, Ta¬
vern-Keepers, and fuch who keep Livery-Stables, in Proportion ?
If fuch a Plan Ihould be thought expedient, there will be little for the Wardens to do :
"Whether then it would not be a great Saving to the City, to add the Nightly Watch to the Law
for paving the Streets, as it would come more under the Commi^fioners, Notice, and occafion
them very little more Trouble than they now have, and would, moreover, be a Saving of the
Wages of fix Wardens, their Clerk, a Man to attend on them, Fire and Canale, the
making but one Tax-Book inftead of two, occafion lefs Fines for not collecting, and pay
the Collector better for his Trouble, and the Service would be as compleatly done, and pro¬
bably give greater Satisfaction to the Inhabitants— For we prefume the greater the Num¬
ber of Officers there are, the greater Expence muft accrue. We would not be underftood
to fpeak flight) ngly or difrefpeCtfully of any who have held the Office of Warden ; on the
contrary, we efteem them, as Men who have aCted with all the Prudence the Nature and Cir-
cumftances of the Office would admit ; but as the Law, and confequently the Office, is
extinCt, we hope we need make no further Apology.
N. B. There are but four Pumps, kept at the public Charge, in that rich and populous
Part of the City called Water-Street; and but Thirty-four public Pumps to the Weft-
ward of Third-Street inclufive ; but private Perfons, within the fame Space, maintain, at
their own Charge, no lefs than One Hundred and Seventy-two Wells and Pumps, though
they are obliged to pay a Tax for the Repair of the others.
Philadelphia, January io, 1771.
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