Daily Republican., 1880-09-04
That TnrDin Q wheel.


That Turbine wheel.
The Gszette has at last been c'm'
PEELED to make an open apology through
its columns for the mistakes and the
reckless extravaganza Of its party in
the attemp. to substitute the old water
wheel at the City Mills with turbine
wheel, bat il is only willing to admit
the cost Of the wheel and putting 1t in
was $4,000 instead of nearly $780,
900 as we stated, and have still good
authority for standing by our state
msnt. However we congratulate our
neighbor for a disposition to acknowl
edge even half the truth. But then,
the contract price for putting in the
wheel is only $4,000, says our cotempo
rary and the balance OF the money was
spent amongst our own machinists and
laborers. Well that is some consola
tion for the loss OF SO much money, but
even this is a poor return for the labor
and the risk Of the city being without
water II something should happen TO
the solitary W"rthington pump that
supplies it. There is no attempt to
deny that the putting in of turbine
wheel was a great mistake by the Wa
ter Committee as wooden wheel cost
ing 81, 900 or 1000 would have been
sufficient. II will not do to lay the
blame on Chairman Paynter of the
Water Committee, and to charge him
with the failure simply because he was
afraid Of the cry Of "old fogy." Mr..
Paynter i, gentleman ofindependence
as has been shown by his past actions
ia Council and he has made no mistake
in the choice Of a turbine wheel. If
put in right it would lift sufficient
water to rest the WorthiDgton pump
nearly half the time it now runs and il
would have removed the danger of the
city being without water almost at any
moment. The great fault lay in the
great want Of mechanical skill in put
ting in the turbine wheel. None from
the Chief Engineer OF the Water Works
to the contractor himself, Mr.. Geyelin,
seemed to know what was wanted.
The advice OF such men as Amor Har
vey, John ". Hawkins and J. M. Pnsey
,wLo did know something, about hy-
.draul philosophy was spurned simply we
suppose cause they we're Republicans
and now the city has to pay the cost
which the Gazette itself says Is $40, 900,
but which is really from $4,000 to
$4,000. However, according to the
course of argument Of our neighbOr,
this trifling loss don't amount to any
thing, at any rate the machinists and
laborers employed had good time OF
it and got q large share of the money,
look at the decreased tax rate from 81.
20 down 70 sl.l0. No attempt is made
to show that the original tax rate
agreed upon was $l.l5. and that the
reduction was only made because the
City Council discovered that the Board
of Education had a balance of over
$40, 900 in the Treasury which the City
Council tcok and p aced to the current
expenses OF the city. The reduction
was not male on account Of any good
management or economy by he City
Council but siaply by using money
they a most accidently discovered in
the hands Of the Treasurer oft Board
of Education and to which they had a
very doubtful claim. the r,st of he
r,ductfon was made by s'opping public
improvements which should have been
made. For instance, the avenue o the
river and the opening of streets have
been abandone |, aud now when there
is prospect OF a wharf being erected
and a steamboat landing established at
the mouth Of tn, creek, there Is no
way Of reaching it except by plunging
through morasses, swamp' and inlets
which should have been bridged over
or filed up |ong ago. The REPUBLICAN
has no desire what.ve 10 conceal the
truth or mislead the people in refer.
enoe TO what great things be Dem ,cra
oy has done for the city. IT, o. ly de
sire is to let. tn # cts be known as they
exist and es Tue ieoAe pass al intslli'
. .ent verlict.