Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-03
THE WATER BOARD
The Proceedings Of the Regular Meeting
Held Yesserddy-A Discussion Upon

The Proceedings Of the Regular Meeting
Held Yesserddy-4 Discussion Upon
Water Rates.
The regular meeting of the board of
water commissioners was held in the Office
of the mayor yesterday afternoon. Present,
Mayor Ames, Commissioners Morse, Grim
shaw, Merriam, Waters and Supt. Henion.
Tho proprietors of the Hennepin
block. appeared by representation and
entered a formal protest against
the water rents assessed. The protest led
to a lengthy discussion. The representa-
tives of the Hennepin block proprletors
asked if they were liable for rents, in case
they had no taps in upper stories of the
block, and the tenants went off the premi-
ses for water. They were informed that
they were not expected to pay for water
not taken from the water works system.
But if they had taps throughout the block
so that water would in all probabilities be
drawn by all tenants, they would be taxed
whether used or not unless the water was
shut off, and the superintendent duly noti
fed.
Dr. Barnard complained that during the
greater portion of the past ten months the
pressure was not sufficient to carry water
above the second floor. In that case the
mayor was of the opinion
that a rebate should be made
Mr.. Eastman appeared before the board
and stated that water elevator was IN use
in his building. He explained that for six
weeks the elevator could not be operated.
At first the supposition was that lack of
water pressure was the difficulty, but upon
investigation, however, it was learned that
the trouble existed III the fact that the SER
vice pipe was clogged up with little blocks
and chips of wood. They had it cleaned
out, and for thirty-six hours it worked
tolerably well, but it again became
clogged up, and for six months the eleva-
tor had been practically useless. Notwith
standing this fact he had heen assessed for
six months tax.
The board did not feel called upon to
to collect rents upon elevators not used
but believed that it was the duty of the
owners of the elevator to have at once
notified the board.
The superintendent statement and
trial balance from Dec. 1, to January s,
was received and placed on file.
The trial balance showed the amount on
Dec. l, to be S483,96628 and the
amount on hand Jan, 8, $480,215.82,
The bill for removing the safe and fur
niture of the board from the second to the
ground floor of the city hall was referred to
the city council.
Upon the motion of Commissioner Morse
the pay roll and bills for the month were
ordered paid.
The pay roll amounted to $923.93.
The bill of Edgar Folsom for labor and
materials used upon the pump house ex-
tension, showing total of $4,139.08, was
received and placed on file.
After discussion, the board decided that
it was not within their province to take ac-
ton respecting the protests entered by
proprietors of business blocks. It was
the general opinion that in cases
where there was not sufficient pres
sure to force water to the upper stories of
the buildings the fault existed in the build
ing. Ordinarily there is sufficient pres
sure at the pumps, but the multiplicity Of
services and taps in the lower stories so re-
duce the pressure that the water cannot be
forced to a third or fourth story. There is
too much water wasted upon ground floors.
The matter of building the intake crib
was placed ia the hands of the committee
on construction with instructions to pro-
coed at once with the work. the crib to be
14x2O feet.
superintendent Henion reported that he
found that at the expiration Of the term of
Office of Superintendent Johnson there
were 696 delinqUents, aggregating the
round sum of $10,513.49. Adjourned.