Mexborough and Swinton Times April 16, 1897
The Water Supply at Conisborough – Editorial Comment
Some years ago, when Conisborough was not so full of “Village Hampdens” as in these later days, the Doncaster Corporation, on the lookout for means to increase its water supply, conceived the idea of draining the greater part of Conisborough’s natural water shed into a reservoir at Thrybergh.
This idea they carried out, meeting with no opposition from the people of Conisborough, was then that the unconscious householder, when the enterprising burglar visits him, asleep.
Now, however, Conisborough badly wants a water supply, and they have gone to Doncaster, and have asked to be served out of Doncaster’s abundance. Doncaster refuses, and when they are reminded that they have robbed Conisborough of their rights, and ought on that account to be guided a little by conscience, as well as by the desire to drive a hard bargain, they laugh at Conisborough’s troubles and reply, “You should have looked after your own when you hadd it.”
From a strictly legal point of view, as it is not an indictable offence to steal the natural right of a community, I suppose there is no compulsion upon the Doncaster Corporation to regard their relationship in the matter of this water supply upon any other bit of purely commercial footing, but there is a moral aspect of the case, which the Doncaster Corporation, like Robin Hood and Dick Turpin, and other gentlemen I mention, appear to have overlooked.
I think a good deal of the outcry against the proposal to supply Conisborough with water from the borehole at Cadeby is raised under a misapprehension. While granting that the water supply to the houses in Denaby and New Conisborough has anything but an inviting appearance, or a pleasant taste, and that Conisborough would be wise to fight to the bitter end against any proposal to give their village such supply, some regard should be paid to the explanation given by Mr Chambers to account for the fact that the sparkling stream of water issue from the rock of Cadeby becomes a dirty, unwholesome looking fluid by the time it reaches Denaby.
Mr Chambers says it is due to old pipes having been laid down to convey the water, and while not pretending to defend the colliery company for such a course nor for permitting its long continuance, the condition of the water Denaby must not be taken to indicate the condition in which it will be received in Conisborough.
I myself have been untasted a sample the Cadeby water. It was Shawn me as 138 samples, taking respectively from the Town Well, the Holywell, and from Cadeby. It was certainly the sweetest and clearest of the three and I should have no hesitation, if accustomed to the consumption of water, to drink a large quantity of it daily. It strikes me Conisborough might go a long way further and fare worse.
At the same time the precaution of waiting until the pipes at Denaby are relayed, and it is seen in what condition the water then reaches Denaby, before deciding to commit to Conisborough is one that every wise man must commend.