Fontaines Wallace Fountains

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About Fontaines Wallace Fountains

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Fontaines Wallace - Paris - Wallace Fountains

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En 1872, Sir Richard Wallace, éprouve par les années de guerre franco-allemande, le siège de Paris et la Commune, se révéla un philanthrope pour ses concitoyens parisiens marqués par la misère et le manque d'eau au cours de ces terribles années. Il offrit à la Ville de Paris "50 fontaines à boire", à établir sur les points les plus utiles pour permettre aux passants de se désaltérer ".

Monsieur Belgrand, Directeur du Service des eaux et des égouts, détermina les emplacements et la pose commença des 1875.
La première fontaine fut installée Boulevard de la Villette.

Les parisiens furent vite conquis par cette innovation et la Ville s'empressa d'en installer 30 supplémentaires.
Aujourd'hui, à Paris, on dénombre 108 fontaines WALLACE, alimentées à partir du réseau d'eau potable, et qui fonctionnent comme au premier jour.

Source:
www.paris.fr/portail/Environnement/Portal.lut?page_id=134...
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Source KRoe:

Sir RIchard Wallace may be considered a true philanthropist, in the proper sense of the word, as opposed to certain members of the elite, for whom charitable deeds were only a way of increasing their fame.

Of all his numerous contributions to Parisian heritage, the best-known, as they are still very recognizable and useful today, are the fountains which bear his name.

As a result of the siege of Paris and the Commune episode, many aqueducts had been destroyed, and the price of water, already higher than normal, went up considerably. Because of this, most of the poor found that they were unable to get water without having to pay for it. The temptation to take to liquor was strong among the lower classes, and it was considered a moral duty to keep them from falling into alcoholism. Even today, when water and hygiene are not a problem for the vast majority of Parisians, these fountains are often the only sources of free water for the homeless.

But the poor are not the only beneficiaries of these installations. Even if the aim of the fountains was to allow as many people of modest means as possible to have access to drinking water, they are not the only ones who use them. Indeed, anyone passing by, rich or poor, may quench their thirst, fulfilling this vital need in equal fashion.

Not only did the fountains accomplish Wallace's philosophy of lending a hand to those in need, but they also served to beautify Paris without making a spectacle. That is why the fountains are discreet and pleasing to the eye as well as useful.

http://www.wallacecollection.org/thecollection/historyofthecollection/thecollectors/the4thmarquessofhertford