The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-16

valve in several instances, when conflagration
threatened tho surrounding property, and af-
forded, in such times OF extreme peril to pro-
perty in that locality, an unfailing supply to
contend with ard sublue the flames. (Sce the
testimony of NJ. 81. Nathan, Chief of the Fire
Department, and. r. N. Alexander, Board Of
Firemasters.]
IA. It would be detrimental to the public
welfare to shut of the water and destroy the
connection. [See the letter Of the Chief Of the
Fire Department.
15 Why is it proposed to charge the hotel
now, when 1T has not been done heretofore
Is the public to be benefited by the charge?
or are the burdens Of taxation to be lessened
thereby?
49, The charge recommended is not tax, it
is penalty. Ii is proposed to charge the pro-
prietors of the hotel $500 per annum for q sup
ply of water which, if not taken up by them,
would flow into the common sewers and empty
itself into the rivers on either side OF our city:
If tho water should be shut off from the hotel
it would be public detriment, subjecting the
hotel to some inconvenience without any cause
or public advantage. -,
IL. Admitting the right to charge. and the
Justice of levying some contribution from the
hotel, the rate proposed is eXorbitant and cx-
cessive, The city has been put TO no outlay
to supply the hotel. The supply is not source
OF gain to the users, but public advantage,
and it's atoppage would be detrlment to the
public welfare.
known in any city in the United States, aud
perhaps in tho whole world, where the most
extravagnnt outlays are made, and the most
expensive aqueducts constructed to supply the
creat public necessity for water. In the city
OF Augusta, oil adjacent corporation, they have
incurred large expense in carrying the water
of the Savannah to every quarter OF the city,
and in that city the Planters Hotel, hrst-
class and one Of the largest houses OF public
entertainment, is only charged seventy-six
dollars (S76) per annum for its supply.
49, MIR. White entered into no contract with
the city to pay $500 per annum for the use OF
the water, and proposition mado on one
side and not accepted on the other is not
binding. The City Council may have ordered
the pipes to be cut which lead to the motel,
which even admits OF some legal doubt; but
mere publication OF charge for the use OF q
thing, without respect to its real value, could
not IN any any sense, either OF law or justice,
bind party without his consent to its pay
ment. For instance. the Gas Company, cor
poration cannot bind person to the payment
OF their charge, by nero advertisement. With
out his consent, but they may shut OF their gas.
90. II Council deems it just that MIR. White
should be charged for the use OF the water, lo
should only bo charged what the Water was
worth, or what, under all the circumstances,
tho city deserved for tho supply.
Finally. The Charleston Hotel, when built,
was started as public enterprise, and has
been recently bought and is kept in the samo
spirit that actlated its founders. It is not
Compatible with the dignity OF the city, nor is
the subject worthy, nor ls this the time that
this discriminating duty should be laid. TO
Impose the charge cannot benefit the city; to
stop the supply of water would be privale i'll
convenience and o public detriment.
In presenting these views, with al deferecce
to those who differ with me, am not
swaycd by the opponent interest may have as
q representative of MIR. White, but nctuated
chiefly by sense of my duty to the COMMUNE
ty at large.
Respectfully submitted.
JOHN F. ONEILL
One OF Committee on Artesian Well.