Early in the “eighties，” progress was made in regard to theintroduction of two great public utilities， water and electricity.
Waterworks， 1883.
For many years the principal source of water supply had been theWhangpoo River or the Soochow Creek. The water from wells wasbrackish and unfit for drinking purposes， and the water carried fromriver or creek in buckets to the various houses was muddy and subjectto contamination from sewers or refuse. It was poured into large kongsor jars and settled by the use of alum. Then it was boiled， but even sothere was considerable danger connected with using it for drinkingpurposes. Probably it was the cause， in many cases， of typhoid feverand cholera.
The first proposal for the introduction of a system of waterworkswas brought forward at an early date by Dr. M.T. Yates， but largelyowing to financial reasons it received no Support.
The subject was repeatedly discussed but nothing definite wasdone about it until 188 0. The Shanghai Municipal Council thenentered into terms with a company， known as Drysdale， Ringer andcompany， and the work of laying pipes was begun. A water tower waserected in Kiangse Road and the pumping of water began in April，1883 。 The Viceroy， Li Hung-chang， who happened to be on a visitto Shanghai， accepted an invitation to take part， in the ceremony ofturning on the water.
A year later the system was extended so as to meet the needsof the Chinese. The object was not philanthropic but based on theground that disease among the Chinese might spread to the foreigncommunity， and that better native health meant greater safety for thewhole population.
At first there was no great eagerness on the part of the Chineseto avail themselves of this new source of supply. Their reluctance wasdue not only to there being a small tax on those who used the water，but to prejudice founded on ignorance. There were rumours that thewater was poisonous， or spoiled by lightning， or that people had beendrowned in the water tower， and the Mixed Court Magistrate wasobliged to issue a reassuring proclamation.
In the beginning there were complaints that the companyovercharged for its supply， and this caused dissatisfaction. Although in1888 it was proposed that the Council should buy out the company，and take the matter of water supply into its own hands， as is generallythe case in other cities of the size of Shanghai， it was found to be tooexpensive a project. The waterworks have remained a private companyknown as the Shanghai Waterworks company up to the present day，although negotiations have recently been completed for bringing thecompany under the control of the Municipality.
The waterworks were of great value not only for the health of thecommunity but also in increasing the facilities for extinguishing fires，the firemen previously being dependent entirely on the fire wells sunkin various localities.
Street Lighting
The lighting of the streets by gas had never given completesatisfaction， and in 1882 proposals were made for the introduction ofelectricity. Mr. R. W. Little secured permission to use the Council"spoles， and to erect others for a trial of the Brush system， promising thatit would prove cheaper than gas. In June a sample light was exhibitedon the Band Stand in the Public Gardens， and was greatly admired.
The company formed by Mr. Little was allowed to put up wiresfor some Chinese houses， and the Shanghai Club， and for someresidences in the French Concession.
Electric lighting， like all other modern improvements， met withserious obstacles.
In the first place， the Taotai objected on the ground that it wasnot safe， inasmuch as the current could kill a man， burn up a house ordestroy a whole city. In his letter to the Council he stated， “This electricdisaster will happen， if you do not put an end to electricity.“In the second place， the Gas company opposed its introduction，fearing it would supplant the use of gas for street and residentiallighting. The struggle between the two companies began in 1882 andwas long drawn out. In the end Electricity triumphed， but the Gascompany was able to survive by providing gas for other purposes than1ighting.
At first electric light did not prove as satisfactory as anticipated. Itwas more expensive than gas and less dependable， and the machineryfrequently broke down.
The company entered into a contract with the Council in 1883
for the lighting of The Bund， Nanking Road， and Broadway.
In 1884 the company asked the Council to buy up its plant， butto this proposal the Ratepayers would not listen. Matters began toimprove in 1888 when a new company was formed and importantchanges were introduced.
A new era began in 1893 when the company"s entire plant andbusiness was taken over by the Council at a cost of Tls. 66 ，100， andthe present efficient service began to be developed. At the present dayShanghai has one of the largest electric plants in the world， supplyingpower and heat as well as light. A very large amount of capital has beeninvested in the enterprise， and it has proved a source of revenue to theMunicipality.
Revision of Land RegulationsTowards the close of 187 9 a committee was appointed by theShanghai Municipal Council to revise the existing Land Regulations，and at the Ratepayers‘ meeting held in 188 0 a report was presented.
One of the objects in view was to enlarge the body of voters， and toincrease the number of those eligible to serve as Councillors. At thattime only 112 residents were eligible as Councillors under the existingqualifications. Another object was to extend the power of the Councilso as to give it the right to impose new taxation， and to compel thesurrender of property for roads.
The authority of the police was to be arbitrary， including the rightto enter a private domicile without a warrant.