The Portland daily press., 1867-07-11
tga.ers
10 the Editor Of the Press:

10 the Editor Of the Press:
supply OF pure water, is the first necessity
to the individual, and to the community. In
country places and in small towns, the natural
supply is so great that individuals easily sup
ply their own needs. As towns grow into cit
les, works on larger scale than those ordinarl-
ly required to supply individual needs, are call
ed for, and towns sometimes allow private cor
porstions to supply water charging an agreed
rent Arrangements of this sort sometimes an
swer for few years, but in short time the
public necessities require the purchase OF the
rights of private corporations, and general
supply by works owned and managed by the
cities private parties continuing to amass for
tunes out of their expenditures, before selling
out
Where works are undertaken for individual
profit, they are chiefly built, and sold to the
public at price greatly above their value. The
only safe and economical way is, for cities to
bulid water works for cash, and in thorough
manner, charging water takers at the lowest
possible rates, receiving an income sufficient
to pay the interest on the investment and ex-
pense OF management City water debts are
never counted an incumbrance, because they
must become self-sustaining the charges for
water being so graduated, as to meet all posi-
Bile expenses.
If Portland is to be supplied with pure wa
ter, it should be done in the manner proposed.
Sebago lake is $50 feet above tide water, afford
ing the finest opportunity ever known for an
abundant supply. Boston would give $4,000,
900 in a moment for such a reservoir SO near
to her city, Portland should move in her cor
porate capacity for supply Of water from Sc
bago, as soon as the people evince willingness
to pay for it. There should never be dollar
of taxation on property for the erection of wa
ter works. but the expense should be represent
ed by water fund, and interest met by the
water-takers, in proportion to its use.
If we allow private spectators to build
these works in the belief til at this is the
cheapest mode of supplying consumers, it will
all prove delusion. Private spectators who
unite in a corporation must raise money at as
high rates if not higher than need be paid by
the city. They will contract the works out, o.
to one of their number, at 100 per cent. profit
| or in other words make the works cost twice
the necessary cost to the city When the city
claims the right of purchase, as she must here
after, she must pay the contract price.
Such has been the experience Of all the cit
les OF the country, who have allowed private
spectators to step in and build water works
Let Portland continue to decline all offers O.
private Spectators, as she has done hereto.
fore, and enter upon the construction of he,
water works, when the time shall call fol
them, untramelled by any contracts in ad
| vance.
body OF corporators, in possession OF ou
streets, holding a supply Of water, can atfort
to hire the services of all our popular attor
neys and control the elections of city officers
for years. It has generally cost cities who al
lowed spectators to build their works nearly
three times the expense of building them them
selves.
1t is no more than fair to say that the act o
February %, 1856 and the amendatory act o
1867, were obtained through the exertions O
outside parties, and the respectable gentleme,
who are named as corporators, permitted tn
use OF their names at the request OF other
moving in the matter.
Two previous attempts have been made t.
secure charters without success. Let the cit
government be cautious of all private enter.
prlses OF this sort. EXPERIENCE.