HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY                      121
  Wards—                            Yes.    No.
First..............................  43     8
Second.............................  32     8
Third..............................  60     4
Fourth.............................  44     4
Fifth..............................  98     19
                                    ----------
                                    277     43


    The first division of Brazil into wards after the adoption of city
government made the boundaries of the three wards as follows: The first
contained all the incorporated territory east of Lambert street; the sec-
ond was all the territory between Lambert and Meridian streets; and
the third was the territory between Meridian and the west side of the
corporation.
    The demand for fire protection led to the establishment of a water-
works system. When the city council held their meeting on November
5, 1874, regular business was suspended in order to give the citizens an
opportunity to express their opinions relative to the establishment of
adequate fire protection. The discussion led to the appointment of a
committee to visit other cities and inquire about the merits of the dif-
ferent methods of fighting fires and the kinds of apparatus in use. A part
of the council and some citizens were in favor of purchasing a chemical
engine, but the motion when presented to the council was voted down.
This was followed by the appointment of a committee to obtain the con-
sensus of opinion among citizens and business men as to the kind of
apparatus, whether a pumping engine or chemical extinguisher, which
was needed. The result of the canvass revealed that the great majority
of the citizens were in favor of the establishment of a system of water
works. This report was made in December, 1874. At the final meeting
of the year a petition from 280 citizens, requesting that the council take
appropriate measures toward the establishment of water works, was fol-
lowed by the adoption of a resolution for the construction of the plant.
    The water works ordinance (ordinance No. 79), which went into
effect January 29, 1875, gave to the common council “power to enter
upon and condemn lands and materials within and without the city limits
for the purpose of building and constructing a reservoir and engine house,
laying and fitting pipes and digging wells and pools, and for all other
purposes connected with the construction and establishment of water
works to supply the city of Brazil with wholesome water.”
    By the ordinance (No. 89) of May 20, 1875, provisions were made
for a bond issue, the proceeds to become the ‘‘water works fund.’’ This
issue was to be fifty bonds of $500 denomination, interest payable semi-
annually at nine per cent, the first ten bonds maturing 16 years from
date, and the same number to mature annually thereafter until all were
cancelled. The ordinance also constituted the members of the council,
ex-officio, a water works board, to contract for and purchase all the real
estate, machinery and materials and labor needed in the construction and
maintenance of the water works.
    The site for the reservoir was purchased on the land adjacent to
the creek just west of the cemetery. By the construction of a dam a
large volume of water was hemmed in by the rising ground on all sides,
and yet the flood area was not so large that the reservoir was exposed