, 1874-05-17
WATER METERS.
The Extent to Which They Are Used
in Chicago.
Description Of Their Mechanical Con-
struction.
How the Water Is Charged For.

How the Water Is Charged For.
There are two occasions in the year. eo1ne-
where near the idcs OF May and November, when
tenants look at their wives and say: "1ts an
outraee." It is not when ths butcher comes In
propria persona and sa3s he will trust no
longer: not when the ice-man declares that lie
has been giving you twenty pounds day in
stead Of fifteen; not when tho landlord comes in
with q persuasive smile, and says he is afraid he
must raise the rent Of his house, because houses
are very scarce, and he could get s15 more than
he il now getting per month. No. it is not these
things that mako the poor tenant grind his
teeth, slam his hat deep down on his head, near
~ down to his nose, in fact, and say: Its an
outrage !" while his tender wife 1e-echoes: "lt
is an outrage!"
Tho cause Of all the trouble is q harmless
employe Of the Board Of Public Works. ' Be
ware the ides oflaiay" as much as you plsase,
he comes round to the house in Your absence
and presents that little notice that, unless you
., tas Gi,g ht4 " So s. TO asp0 so
advance, he will cut of the water-supply, ana
charge d dollnr for committing this additional
only UPON payment Of another dollar III addition
to all the rest. No wonder the happy family
unite upon the remark ne have chronioled-
It is enough to unite the most discordant couple.
THE USUAL sTsTE1I- -
The ordinary method Of assessment upon DWELL
ing-louses is by the frontage Of the property.
4 schedule runs from 25 feet upwards Ihen
every faucet, one tap in building OF that 'front.'
age costing SO annually; water-closet, bath.
and hydrant ia added to this $40 BY an amount
Of money representing it, until the figure s"ells
out into dropsical dimensions. And it will con
tinue to do 80 in dwelling-housoa untilsoms able
mechanic shall have patented water-meter
blessed with the following virtues: Cheapness,-
say IS and upwards; durab.1ity,-to last ilTe
years; and accuracy. Then every family WILL De
consumes, aud those creatures who live on whls-
ky and fortify their hides with incrusted earth,
will not be forced to pay the same tax as their
nbsurdly- clean and scrupulons neighbors.
METERS IN UHE.
So fnr. no less than 800 meters for the meas
ursment Of water-copsumption have been tried,
advertised and found wanting in one Or two or
nil OF tho three essentials. There is diaphragm
meter, on the principle Of the gas-meter, With
impossible wheels and mystical symbols on
the outside, which enable the gas-lnspecsor from
the Company to assess the consumer 70 cents
more for the month OF June than for December,
and to argue with him that figures never lie, thus
inferrng that ihe question Of verncity is between
the consumer and him. Then there is the single
cylinder piston meter, which comes to = "dead-
stands ike IN IDIOT, letting the water
run through it, aud failing to mark single half
pint in six months. Then thore is the rotary
meter, through which Lake Michigan Laughs
and leaps. and gurges and spntteIs, pa51ng S .
toll on the register for Two months, and Il dead.
beaded for the balance OF the term, By reason OF
the wearing out OF the machinery. Then comes
an ingenious double-cylinder piston meter, 80
doslgned that before one piston can reach the
dead point " the other one pokes its nose u,
and hu1ries it over with push. after which the
first comes to the rescue to save its companion 70
from falling into tho same error. AUD 80 the
game continues for months and years,
each helping the other along IKE
good husband aud wife, looking out - 1or ana -
providing against t;1e others failings. This last
meter is the Washington. There are many VI
rioties Of it, md each variety patented, but
they are all patented on this one, and 30 may be
regarded, despite tho t~oni2e, one and tie
same thing. .
It costs in its early infancy-thati is. its smallest
sige-about $780, and climbs to the Oppressive
manhood Of $500. But such figure as the lat
ter ia very rare, and therefore need not be con-
aidered. ... --.---
THEIR USE IN CHICAGO.
There are very few dwelling houses in which
it would pay to place an expensive meter. fol
the assessment OF one year would barely cover
the expense Of the gauge. But IN large public
buildings, business blocks, tenements known as
distiileries the city has determined that meterf
shall ba used The expense OF the meter
borne by the city, the owner Of the building pay
ing the 81 OF IS which it costs to TX 1t IN POSI-
ton. For mere half-inch or even three-quar'
ter-inch supply, no meter is considered neces-
t,-f tn n II
| necessary.
When meter is put into building, 70,
| markabie thing occurs. The first month the hu
is very high. The owner Of ;a the bu,ladne aasan;
ing to temperament, habit OF circumstances
| ECONOMY" e1clains the clerk "StoP yol'1
waste OF water," says tho clerk. "lou can re-, 9,
| duce it two 1hirds," says the clerk. IN you Wll
taka the trouble" and the owner, be sure, takes
the trouble, and the waste is stopped When
! building has uater-meteE IN it you can't get
| drop on tho ifth-Hoor; and its presence IN the
basement is apparent in the stencil aoout lte
closets. Owners are very careful OF WHICH,
whom they have to pay for It. an
As there are, in round number, ], loo water:
meters in the city, it may safely be assumed IN
At At every employe, tenant, or under
| linz who ventures to wash his hands. II 1t eouie
| be 90 managed that rnilk1nen wero driven 20 Lns
/ C0fGQaS8 y
| dollar ga1lon-for the water they use, every
| body would be healthier, and fatter, and mor'
contented. This by the way.
REGULATING pE1CE8.
Up to the 1st day Of My there WAS fehoou
the amount Of water used during the month
sssehsd ga'l9ps @ Or s.ons |sss the 5se CO.
| raltons or more only 10 cents per Thousand. l
VAS therefore $40 month for zoo, 600 gallons
s4s for 100000, 39G for 9oo, 900, a1d 40 On
Now tho city has decided to equalize 1t by chafg
INK uniformly 10 cents per thousand gallons.
| 4 COMPARISON.
B7 the somewhat complex arrangement OF hs
wear, the revenue from the meters WAS Slo',
and from the s,t Gr4af5 liz r. oe qens
me cr1ne from i, 100 meters. About. doze1
these in p1xate 19 h9a1es zsradutas; bq5 saa
The precise average price to all consumers pe
gallons esnno b e. "a Snss xpta1 It
snmnd by the FIRE Department, etc; but 1t !
certain tint the small purchaser, the man VI wh
pays SO year, is paying more per gallon thal "!
~ establishments NharA flb QEAutlk