THE ET CETERA CHRONICLES - A MONUMENTAL TOWER

A MONUMENTAL TOWER - In 1896, the City of Dublin was just beginning two decades of continuous prosperity.  A bond issue was passed to establish a light and water plant.  The following year $12,000 was appropriated for the construction of a water tower and sewer and water lines.  The nearly two hundred - foot tall tower dominated the western skyline of Dublin as viewed from the downtown area.  In its last years,  the sixty-three thousand gallon, forty foot long tank stored water for emergency use.   The tower, which had a circumference of eighty-two  feet at its base and thirty-two  inch thick walls,  was located just to the rear of the old C.W. Brantley home, which was located on the current site of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store.  

  In the early 1940s,  a bitter dispute arose between the city and an adjoining landowner.  The owner  forbade the city workers from going to the tower to repair the aging structure.  The situation grew worse, forcing the city to station police officers at the site to protect the workers.  Some compared the tower to the Washington Monument.  While it was not technically a monument, it did stand as a monument to those men and women who led Dublin throughout the golden age when our city came alive.  Alas, in later years the water tower became more of a "Leaning Tower of Pisa."   After a year of delays,  workman were sent to bring the old landmark down.  Some doubted it could be brought down.  But with one little tug in September of 1963 in the name of progress, it was gone.

Comments