Daily Republican., 1884-08-16

~ = A~oA4A0ut-OOhN n. AO0ARs
COUNTY TICKET.
UAwiDEERANK G. SrIDHAM.
Coroner OHARLEs e. SPARTA
Caey Couocia and the Wsser CoD.
missies.
Very naturally the people do not care
very much what straits & he Water De-
partment IL reduced to, as it is a de-
partment not Of their creation, nor of
their asking, but we have it new, the
courts say it is constitutional, aud as
the people do not seem prepared yet to
resist this infringement upon their
rights by force we must put up with it
and do the best we can with it. 1t is
evident that the Commission has no
money with which to carry on the
department, and such a department
cannot be carried on very long without
money. In the haste of disgraceful
partisan Legislature to put the Water
Commission act through it seems not to
have been forseen that from the 18th
day Of April, 1883, until the end of that
year there could be no funds in the
City Treasury properly applicable to the
Water Department when made a sepa-
rate department from the other heads of
city government.
The water rents are not due, and
not payable until the LIST of January
each year, and consequently the Water
Commission could claim no funds until
chat time. 1t il true by the provisions
of the act the city is required to pay
$20, 600 annually to the Commission for
the use of fire plugs, but i'll the pay
ment of this amount the city could not
be viewed In any other light than that
of an individual water renter, not
bound to pay the rent until the 1st of
January, the time specified in the char
ter for the payment OF water rents
This $40, 900 water rent has to be paid
by the city, and to relieve the Water
Commission it might as well be paid
now as at any other time.
Much the better plan would be for
the Water Commission, for the present
year, to permit the water rents to be
paid into the City Treasury as usual,
rs the City Council has made every pro-
vision for carrying on the Water de-
partment in the old way aud let the
City Council pay the bills in the old
way, and then when the time comes
for making the appropriations for 1896
86 there need be hone made for the
Water Department. Tue Water Com
.saas Ion, al
rents payable in January, 1885, and GO
right straight ahead in The performance
of its duties without any entangling
difficulties with tho City Council. In
this case the Water Commission OF
course would have 80 get along this
year without making any improve
ments except the necessary extension
of water pipes, and to keep the pumps
and other machinery in order.
As the case now stands the water
rents for 1884 have been collected with
but few exceptions, and have and arr
being expended in the current expense;
of the city. 1t cannot be expected thai
the city can pay over the whole of thest
col ections made into the hands of thu
Water Commission. Seven months
have elapsed since the water rents were
due,an in thirty days after the most
of them were paid into the city treasury
and We're paid from the city treasury u
meet the expense of the department. II
is a question even whether the city /,
bound to pay the $4,000 water rent ex
acted for the present year, though there
is no doubt il would be next year
Clearly the payment of $50, 900 this yea
is paying something for which no pro
vision was made when the appropria
tiOns were made on the first of Juue,
and for which every member of the o.C
City Council voted. Ii it is paid it vii
be nothing more nor less than floating
debt that will have to be met by in
creased taxation next year. All this ii
making no allowances for the $1,000
interest on water bonds, which TIL
Water Commission is bound TO pay t.
the city. The City Council, having
made provision for the payment of tina
interest, it would seem superf1uous TO
the Council to pay that amount over t.
the Water Commission only TO be pail
by 1t back again. Under these perplex
the Water Commission can do bette
than to permit the City Council thi
year to pay the running expenses of tn
Water Department, provided these ex
psnses do not exceed the amount apprc
priated by the City Council for that pun
pose. 1t Is complication, at any rate
that will require wise and close finan
ciering to get through.
Really, the only claim the Waite
Commission has upon the City Council
Is for the unexpended balance of tn
appropriation for carrying on the Waite
Department and even this balanc
would have to be offset by the amour
of water rents for 1884 still uncollectetl
If it Is really necessary that ther
should be another pump and nes
boilers this year if it is a fact that GU
supply OF water is endangered /; ifther
Is reasonable probability that our SUP
ply Of water for manufacturing AM
household purposes will fail from an,
cause, then it is proper that the Git
Council should pass the ordinance a
ready offered providing for an extraol
dinafy loan.
Before passing that ordinance, how
over, the majority in the city shout
ha 'e the maguanimity to eliminat
xiom the preamble all partisan rehet
Mons, as they are very much out *
place in a matter of so much momer
AMI importance.
The very same complications woul
have followed had the Commission hay
gone into effect last year instead Of th
year, and they would have occurred L