Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-02
EX-WATER RE1ISTRAR CRANE ON
THE WATER QUESTION.
2es NEW JERSEY AVENUE Sc,

Sc -
WASHINGTON, August 1, 1879.
Hon. S. l.. Phelps, President of rhe Board of COM
nissfoners for the District Of Columbia:
SIR: Ihave carefully read and considered your
statement to the water takers Of Washington
and Georgetown. and although this matter Is
getting rather stale and hackney ed, there is yet
much that may be said upon the subject
You have arrived at certain conclusions con-
corning the water rates OF this District by a
process Of reasoning which is no doubt salts
factory to you, but It seems s to me your state
cism. ] beg leave to differ with you both as to
your statement OF facts and the conclusions
you draw therefrom. / know it is easy to find
fault with those engaged in Official duties,
much easier than to perform those duties, be-
sides you are just now the objects OF so much
opposition and denunciation from all quarters
ministration Of the affairs OF this district were
such as to merit approval.
You say: "FOr several years past the depart
ment has not been self-sustaining, as contem-
plated In the law, Congress not having given
authority to establish such rates as would pro-
duce sufficient revenue" l respectfully take
the water rents of this District have always
been amply sufficient to not only pay the cost
OF collecting said rents, but to pay all other
penses that could properly be chargable to
water rents, and leave handsome surplus eacn
year to the credit OF the water fund. The
present trouble is caused, not because the rates
have not been high enough, but because the
funds derived therefrOm, have been illegally
and extravagantiy expended or squandered.
Money received from water rents has been
aiken to pay water main taxes, build stand
pipes for the benefit Of the few against the
many, and for other Illegal purposes. Your
statement proves this: You say "the unpaid
water main taxes amounting to Sill ,04S 65,
represent advances from water rents" You
give tnlS as reason Tor increasing water rates.
why not call upon water takers to pay all de-
fnqnent taxes? You might with as much pro-
priety.. 1t seems from your reasoning that the
property owner who has already paid his water
W - oh
10 own any property to be taxed for, must be
made to pay in the shape of water rents, taxes
due from delinquent property owners for lay
looks like robbing Peter to get money to pay
taxes due from Paul.
You state that the taxes due for laying water
mains Is Sill O4S.65 and the amount required for
laying distributtve mains the coming year
$4,000, making total for water taxes up to
June 80, 1850, of $l23,o4365. You put the
same time at only s21 200, showing that there
Will then be outstanding for laying water mains
sl02, o4S 65. In what way do you arrive at this?
How 90 you know that $4,000 is just the sum
that will be paid in for water taxes the coming
year? This looks like guess work.
You estimate the requirements for the COM
ing year as follows:
For interest and sinking fund on bonds
For interest and sinking fund on bonds
for 1886. ................... 1850
For laying distributing mains. ......... 10000
For Improvement Of water supply to
nigh grounds. Observation-Disclosures. $4,000
Total. including interest and sinking
fund for two years. $40, 800
You give the estimated receipts for the COM
ing year as follows:
From water rents Of private resi-
dences. Observation-Disclosures. .sl06 $40 90
From water rents OF special business
places. Observation-Disclosures. 10000 90
from water taps and permits. ........ 1869 25
from wafer main taxes. 81 900 %
$l61, $50 %
dellnquents. Observation-Disclosures. 1861 90