The daily gazette., 1880-05-01

IHE w ATER NIGHTS DISCUSSION.-
Harry Sharpley, Esq, President of the
City Council presented several facts
with regard TO water rights in his speech
against the purchase of the four rights,
which Mr.. johnson, Of Baltimore,
through his lawyers, wants the city to
purchase at an enormous price, that de.
serves attention. He said well and
truly we believe that the water rights
which by a "trick Of the profession"
was sought to be foist upon the city,
e'would not pay for themselves In 20
years." There is no use in diguising the
fact, Mr. .Sharpley understands what he 10
talking about. His retort upon Mr..
Chandler, who clamored for the expen-
diture of $4,000 now, for water rights
that cannot be used more than nine
months in the year, and al the same
time urged the removal Of the works to
Rockland, exposed the shallowness of
such logic. Mr.. Sharpley sees what is
obvious, that water rights are no longer
held of great value in this section.
There are now several water rights on
the Brandywine that were used some
years ago, that were abandoned, and
never rebuilt. There are also we are
told number of water rights on Mill
Greek that have been idle for 20 years.
among them Connelly's mill, or Rose
vile factory; and on White Clay Greek
there are five idle, among them the Har-
mony mills are mentioned; showing
that steam Is now relied on. But in ad-
dition to this we would point to the fact
that Messrs. Pusey who have been en-
gagged III running factories all their lives,
and their father had been engaged in
the milling business also. But when
they extended their business they did
not seek water power; nor did the pro-
jectors and builders and improvers of
the Arlington mills. Water powers are
not now used so largely, and arc
therefore not so valuable, and the city
should not be allowed to be "squeezed,"
as Mr.. Sharpley well terms it, into pay
ing an exhorbitant price for thing il
does not need, to enable the owners to
stimulate professional tricks" or
"trcksters." 1t is said the owners of
these four water rights bought them
with the two mills and machinery, steam
engine and all in perfect running order
for $4,000, subject to a mortgage of
$1,000. This would make thewhole pro-
perty as it was ready for grinding
perhaps 800 bushels per day, cost e33,-
600. Now, 1t is said the owner was
paid $l5, 900 for insurance, and that he
values the mill sites, the ground at $5,-
600, making $4,000. This would leave
the water rights stand him only $13, 900,
and yet he is trying through couple of
lawyers to speculate on the city to the
tune of $4,000. Now, the city does
not need these water rights, and it is
supposed will not need them for ten or
twenty years, If they ever do. There
is no use in buying more than two Of
the rights as the other two are consider
ed worthless. The two that might be
used possibly at some time were offered
TO the city with the John II. Price mill
for $4,000. Now, the city ought not 10
buy them at all; but if it does buy ought
not to pay one cent more than $1,000
for what it wants of the rights and land.
But the purchase in any event will be a
bad bargain, because their owners are
now at The cost Of keeping up tie race
bank; and if this city buys the rights it
will be at that additional cost yearly,
which sometimes il heavy