Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-02-28
THE WATER WORKS.
While tie Lawyers are Splitting Hairs
Over Constitutional Powers
Of the Council,
Let the People Discuss the Main
Question Shall the City
Own Them2

Few II any, will attempt to deny
that Fort Worth mas as fine a system
OF wAter-works as any In the country.
The builders had before them the adj
vantage of the experience OF vast
number of other towns possessing a
variety OF syetems, and, rs a result
they were enabled to adopt that system
which had given the most satisfactory
results, hnanaucislly and practically.
the pipe alone for our works cost IN
the outset about SOS 600; the pumping
machinery cOst close on to Slfl. 900. aud
the total cost of the worka could not
have been far from $50, 900. Since
the system WAS inAugurated, over
twelve miles OF mains have been laid
and connections made for
about 500 consumers, from whom the
company receives an average annual
rental OF about $40, putting the
revenue from this sOdrce, say. Sle. 600
per annum. For supplies 10 the rail.
ways the company receives $4,000 y
year. The city contributes Sll 600 A
year for ITO hydrants, making the re-
ceipts aggregate over $50, OeO annually.
The present pumping capacity OF
the works ID amply sufficient To sup
ply at least double the quantity Of
water now furnished for all purposes.
The bountiful supply is attested by
the iaet that the company has
been very liberal, placing practically
no restriction on the amount Of water
used by the consumers, Il be-
ing no unusual occurrence
for parties to leave hydrants
open all night At certain seasons OF the
year. This is mentioned merely 10
show that the source Of our water sup.
ply Is amply sufficient for present and
future needs, with but nominal extra
expenditure.
The GAZETTE would discuss, sim.
ply, the eXpedlency OF the purchase OF
the wateT-works by the city. We have
been cited 20 that provision ofthe con.
stltution which prohibits the legiala.
ture from granting power TO any city
or town TO lend it's credit 10 or to be
come = stakeholder In corporations
We also know that the legislature ha,
| empowered and does authorizes munic
lpal governments "to provide, or caus,
to be provided, the city with water, q
make, regulate and establish public
wells, pumps and elsterns, hydrRnt,
and reservoirs in the streets
or elsewhere within said
city, or beyond the llmiti
thereof, for the extinguishment o
fires and the convenience OF the inhab
itants." The constitutional inhibition
was the result of Radical misrule anC
wastefulDees and recklesanesB, and W,
doubt very much IL any man who
voted for 1t In convention had any
thought but 10 prevent municipal aiC
tO railroads. AT any rate, conssitu.
tional or unconstitutional, the city
now owns one-half OF the stock In the
water-works, and the main question
Il, should the city buy the other half
This Ii the question 10 be settled, anC
II our people conclude that II il best {,
make the purchase, doubtless a wa,
can be found TO effect IT,. II the cit
owned all line atOck, IL would not bl
lending its credit 20 any individual
association or corporation, or be
stakeholder in such corporation
There would ! o no stock or corpora
ton or company. The city would owl
the works and thus be able to pro
vide water. AS 10 whether the city
should own the works or not ID tn,
important question, and to the holu
ton OF 1t our people should devot,
themselves with a consideration no
only Of our present but OF our future
needs and the experience OF oth6l
towns and cities. In discussing any
purchase, the first question, naturally
IL, What will IL cost? The next Is
What IL IL WORTH We can estimate
the cost. The works are bonded fOl
$500, 600; the city has paid about $33, 00l
for q half interest, and, without pre-
summing 10 assert what the owneri
would ask for the other half interest
we think IL would be sale 10 estimate
the total cost at 5000. il the city
should Issue bonds TO cover thi
amount, the entire cost of the wstei
works 10 the city would be S27b 900 IN
bonds, on which the annual inteTeB
would be, &c per cent, $40 go
The value of the whistle can be deter
mined, perhaps, by COZ steering wha
the city Is compelled TO expend an
nually for hydrants now and what 1
may have 10 expend in the future, by
examination OF the experience OF Othe
cities, and by the annual earnings 0
our works now and estimating wbR
they will grow TO be. The Rnnua
earnings Of the company are now, ii
round number:
From private consumers. ............. $1,000
railway ..,....,...,..,.........,..,..... t,Ol
the city ,.,-.-,.......,~,....,..., 40
lolal'....-'....'''' ''..s'''.''s F3ifYD
To the annual interest Of SIS, 25
must DO added the expense OF RUNNING
the works, and this THE GAZETTE ha
no means OF lesrniuRi but suppose
WIS as much as S22 550a year, the city
would pay out annually not a dolls
more than 1t now expends for hydraDta
for the difference between Sl9,2 rs
| tinterest) aud the $3l 000annual earn
ings, added TO the 81 ,000 annual ex
pense for the by dTsnts would NEE
The annual expense OF go 500, II
should be 30 much.
The proposition thus narrowed Down
"a, Wilt pay Fort Worth 10 assum
the payment OF t275 600 ten, twent
I = 4 4 4