The River of Death | Page 6

fresh information.
By this time there was something like method in the conveyance of
water to the affected parts. But after all the New River and Kent
companies could not do everything. At the utmost they could supply no
more than 60,000,000 gallons per day and now they were suddenly
called upon for water for the whole of London. Just enough to drink
and keep body and soul together was all that could be expected.
In some crowded districts where great breweries and the like had been
established much was accomplished by private enterprise. There were
scores of artesian wells in East and South London and these were
generously given over at once to the requirements of the people. Even
private houses known to possess pumps were besieged and strangers of
all classes were accommodated, The situation was dreadful enough but
it wouldd be worse if a real panic broke out.
Presently people began to press in dense masses along the Strand and
the avenues leading to Trafalgar Square where fountains by Nelson's
column were spurting high and clear. There was a continuous rush in
the direction of the Square where placards announced the fact that there
was no suggestion of contamination here. People danced and raved
about the fountain, they fought for the water, they carried it away only
to lose it again in the crush, they bent down and lifted the precious fluid
to their lips in the hollow of their hands.
Still, there was no sign of panic as yet, no more cases of fever reported.
As night fell the streets cleared and something like a normal condition
of things was restored.

IV.
IT seemed indeed as if serious disaster would now be averted. All night
long a willing band of firemen and volunteers were engaged in bringing
the precious fluid to the famine stricken district. But, including private
and other wells, the available supply was little more than 70,000,000
gallons per day and this had to be divided amongst 6,000,000 people

over an area of some thirty square miles.
And this, after all, was only a proper precaution. The New River and
Kent Companies had a face supply of 50,000,000 gallons per diem, but
this was an absolute maximum and far over the average demand.
Moreover, the drought had been a long one, and the reserve reservoirs
had been freely called upon. In a day or two the allowance would have
to be halved.
Again in the hospitals and sick households water for domestic purposes
was absolutely necessary. Meanwhile scores of the main line trains had
been knocked off to make way for trains of tanks bringing water from
the country. The Spring Gardens officials were working with
superhuman efforts.
All night long a stream of people were coming and going between
Trafalgar Square and such other open supplies as were available.
Morning came at length, with the promise of another sweltering day. A
few people turned vaguely to Parliament to do something. Two days
before the House of Commons had looked forward to prorogation on
Saturday, but there was no talk of that any longer.
The streets began to be busy again. There were smartly-dressed men
here and there with grimy chins and features frankly dirty. It seemed
strange to see individuals with good coats and spotless linen grimed
and lined with the dust of yesterday. A steady breeze was blowing so
that in a little time the dust in the streets became intolerable. The air
was full of a fine dry powder that penetrated lungs and throat, and
produced a painful thirst. It was impossible to water the roads, so that
the evil had to be endured.
There was one question on every lip, and that was whether there had
been any further spread of the plague. The authorities were exceedingly
happy to announce that no further cases had been reported. There was
comfort in the knowledge, and London breathed a little easier.
Evidently the prompt measures taken had averted all danger of a
disastrous epidemic. Gradually it became known who the sufferers

were. It was an awful price that London had to pay for the casting away
of the Santa Anna.
But that was only the spark to the powder, after all. Extraordinary
apathy and criminal carelessness were the causes of the disaster. The
knowledge a century hence that London derived its water supply from
an open river into which many towns conveyed its sewage will be
recorded with pitiful amazement. For the present we have the plain
unmitigated fact.
The yellow press made the most of it. The Red Banner pointed to
corruption and apathy on the part of the ruling powers; the Red Banner
also asked if it were not a fact that our bloated legislators had a private
water supply of