Fairhaven’s Race for Clean Water
Construction begins on the city's new water main to Lake Padden as the race to build infrastructure across the 'Bay Cities' intensifies.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A water main from the city to Lake Padden will be laid at once. Mr. O'Connell, in charge of construction of the water system, said yesterday: 'We will commence Monday to lay the main to the lake, and as soon as that is done those in the city who have connections from the main to their property can have an abundance of water for domestic and fire purposes.' This part of the work will be completed before the contract time on the water system, and the water will be turned into the mains in order that those who are ready can be accommodated. Another change in the regular plan will be the supplying of Bellingham. We will commence at once to lay mains in that direction and will be prepared to furnish them with water almost as soon as Fairhaven.
“We will commence Monday to lay the main to the lake, and as soon as that is done those in the city who have connections... can have an abundance of water for domestic and fire purposes.”
In 1890, the race for water infrastructure was the defining struggle of a boomtown; today, Bellingham and Fairhaven are fully unified, yet regional water access remains a primary pillar of our civic and environmental discourse.
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