The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-08-11
wNwoans
the msposs Of syos c,swda' 20 the
CitJAl o"ncii

Imf MfVWas w E"t"'
OnyA c"ncn'
Tho followir 4 1k~sho report made by
Ma, or Crowdus 10 The city council on bic
ret,,rn from q tour through Missouri,
inii.na, Illinois, Kentucky and Tol>
nes.ss. whittier no went TO study
and inyestipate tho water works OF thr
different points no visited, with the view OF
isying before tho council bis opinion rs 10
whsther or not tho city Of Dallas thoul
own her own works AID to givo that
body some idea Of what they cost;
Gentlemen of the city councl;-lp
obediepce TO your resolution OF July oh, dr.
reclioe me TO visit various cities for the pur>
nose OF exami.ing their water WORKS, pave
Visited the cities of Kansas City, 81. Joseph
and Hannibal, Missouri; Q lincy, Jsckson-
vile. Springfield, Bloomington and Ds>
cstur Illinois; Torre Hsute aud Evansville,
Indiana; Hendrra and Bowling Green, Ken
tucky. and Nashville, Tennessee. and have
carefully examined the water works ut each
place, making a separate statement OF oil
The information could get whiloin each city
which have filed in my office for The in
foImation Of the council. l have noticed.
on visiting the water works of each city, the
system upon which they were built, the
source OF water supply, .ize and number OF
miles of water pipe, number OF ny drants,
the engints and water pumps USED ana
their capacity, the capacity Of reservoirs, the
capacity of stsnd pipes, where used, the COST
of the various works, ana In most instances
the cot of the separate parts, the annual,
expenses Of operating the works
and the annual receipts from
private consumers. / have on file the water
rates of private consumers in every city
visited. whether tho works were owned 6y
the CITY or private corporations Also Inc
rental for fire hydrants in cities in which the
works are owned by private corporations.
The water rates to private consumers are es-
tsblished by ordinances, 10 every city nave
visited.
NV attention was particularly directed to
a comparison of the works owned BY private
CORPORATIONS with those owned by cities.
The water works in five of the cities:
Kansas City, St. Joseph and Hannibal,
Missouri; Quincy, Illinois, and
Terre Haute, Indiana, are owned
by private corporations, the rates
charged private consumers are reasonable
and as far as could learn, satisfactory to
the consumers. The supply of water for all
private purposes was also satisfactory; but
two of the Eve companies we're having
trouble with the city as to water supply for
FIRE purposes and also as 10 raes charged for
hydrauts; with this exception everything WAS
quite satisfactory.
The water works in eight of the cities,
jacksonville, Springfield, Bloomington and
Decatur, Illinois Evansville, Indiana, Hen
derson aud Bowling Green, Kentucky, and
Nashville, Tennessee, are owned by the
cities. The rates charged private individuals
are reasonable, about the same charged BY
the other:cities named above. The works
In most instances have cost more than they
are worth and the income from water rent
just about covers running expenses. =.
The officials in all the cities
owning their own works express themselves
as we'll satisfied with their investments, and
tbirk it best for cities to own their water
works.
If we could have reas enable rates and
abundant supply for public and private uses.
such as they have in Hannibal, Missouri. and
Terre Haute, Iudians,I would be well satisfied
to have the works in our city operated by
private corporation, and think 1t would De
we'll enough for the city in our present
condition, as we need 80 many more I'M
provements.
but unless we can 6ntbr lutO o OohNuSs
with the present Water Supply company,
on a basis Of a reasonable price for water for
public use and fire purposes, an established
price, at reasonable rates, to private con-
iumers, and plentiful supply of pure water,
We shodld certainly build water works At
once.
From the information have, Think We
can build q system OF water works with
water pipes extending throughout the
thickly populated portion Of the city, With
Two hundred fire hydrapts, which would
give fire protection to all portions OF the
city, at cost of one hundred and twenty
Eve thousand dollars, and with the receipts
from water rents, could furnish private cit |
liens with an abundant supply of water at
rate OF 33} per cent lower than the present
water supply company charges. On this esti- |
mate land think a liberal estimate the
cost of the two hundred by drants would be
The interest on one hundred and Twenty-Five
thousand dollars at, say six per cent, which |
would be seven thousand five hundred dol
lars. besides giving the citizens water at
saving of 33 8 per cent. i
In every city visited those in chsrge OF
water works cheerfully gave me any infor-
nation l desired. For further information
refer you to the different reports which are
"a ne ia any oMSe, which give detailed
account ofconstruction, system, operation, etc.
Respectfully,
j. w. CRowDUs, Mayor.