The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-24
The water Supply and water Rates.


and SO little seems to be known by the public gen.
orally as to the merits of the question, that plain
statement of facts aud figures drawn from otheial
records, will best enable US to arrive at just and
fair conclusion.
In the month Of July last, the present city gov.
eminent found itself, by the operation OF law and
the act of its predecessors, in full and legal pos
session of the water works, constructed by the old
Commercial Bank. The rents had been collected
in advance by the old company for the whole year,
20 that the supply had TO be continued at an ex
pense of $1,000 per month, without revenue and
without supplies.
TIE city at once adopted the plan, long tried
and approved in other cities owning such works,
and appointed aboard of commissioners" TO
take the entire charge and administration. Had
the present city government been allowed any
discretion it would certainly, in its then emoar'
raised financial condition. have declined 10
increase the city debt by the purchase Oh these
works, 10 the extent Of one and half million OF
dollars bearing interest TO be met semi-annually.
But there was no alternative and the situation was
| accepted.
Coming into possession, the " Board of Commits.
| sionersn promptly made the best arrangement
possible for the economical administration of the
works on a very reduced scale, until its revenues
| should commence, and then diligently applied
| themselves to the preparation OF system OF ad'
ministation and schedule OF water rates for me
future. Consulting the Official reports Of works
conducted on the same basis as onrs--the delivery
| Of water by the intervention Of steam power
| they found the expense of administration in st.
Louis about 500 coo, in Cincinnati aboTt $9s 200
I RfsJffse water than New Orleans. But the cost OF
/ material and lebor being that much higher here
placed us nearly on an equality with them. After
! lorg and patient inquiry, the board organized us
administration on a Dasis TO cost from S65,0OO TO
! $4,000 per anIum.
The works were found on examination in great
! disrepair, requiring heavy expenditure, as the
old company, expecting to sell, had for several
! years done little more than deliver the current
supply of water The annual cost Of this item
was placed at the low figure of $4,000, with the
| intention of limiting the expenditures to the
smallest possible amount consistent with the eff
cheney of the works.
The interest to be psid on the bonds issued by
the city for the purchase Of the works, amounting
| TO $4,000 annually, not having been otherwise
! provided for, had also TO be met by their income.
The Board of Commissioners thus found it nee.
| essary 10 provide an annual revenue 70 meet the
! following items:
Expense of administration ........ SO 600
repairs, etc -......... ...-........ ZU,CO0
Interest. ....-.... Observation-Disclosures. 10000
Total. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. sl65 900
This, it will be seen, makes no provision for q
"sinking fund" tor the eventual payment OF the
| bonds, which in prudence should be estimate at
not less than $4,000 year.
The total revenue for last year was in round
numbers $l5700O
With these data and preliminarisE they entered
upon the subject of
WATER RATES.
Entering upon its duties the Board of Commits
sioDers found no record of any established system
of water rates. The books, of the Office showed
the charge made against each individual ard tue
officers Of the old company stated that tiey
assessed certain classes Of establishments under
verbal instructions, on general basis, which a.
lowed great latitude and discretion and that
these assessments were liable to great change,
and were frequently changed, as appeared from
the records Of the Office, on the personal applica.
ton of the parties interested.
This condition rendered il necessary for the
board TO establish an entire and complete system
of water rates. They had but limited time in
which TO do this, as the period was near when the
assessments for the new year should commence.
They entered upon this labor of detail, guided
only by such lights as the reports of other and
similar works supplied, and aided by the old off.
GERS and records OF the former company.
II was obligatory on them to raise q certain
amount of revenue and they determined II should
be done by distributing the burden according to
the benefit received by each consumer. They
found at the outset that ii would be impossible to
accomplish this by o schedule OF rates appearing
low as those in most other cities, because they
were required TO raise By these rates an amount
of revenue fifty per cent. of the whole) to meet
interest payable In other cities by . direct tax,
collected BY q different officer and under Q differ
ent name. But, nevertheless, it is water tax.
In Boston, New York, Cincinnati, st. Louis,
Louisville and other cities Of the United States
the water companies are relieved from this bur-
den, and when New Orleans 10 placed On sn