The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-07-21

that We get the water at rs lnw pr,ce as
can be afforded.
This is all very pretty amt looks We'll
on paper, but what are the facts resar'i-
ing water supply companies of th"
United States and Canada. Statistics
of 1885 show that lU)S cities arr supplied
with water BY various systems of water
works. "Of these 45Y are owned 10y
towns: ) are owned nOminally by com
pani.s, but the stock is controlled m
owned bv the tow MS: J are OWNED by the
United States government; 4s5 are owned
by stock companies: and Of IL the owner,
ship is not known"
Ii will be seen that the t6i water sup
ply companies are u Sned AMI controlled
by cities ami towns.
OF the 495 owned by companies, ls3
are gravity works, 10 are gravity and
pumping works combined. and lS6 arr
Saley pumping works.
Il must In seen that the Gravity
Works almost run themselves, as such q
system requires ~ pumps. steam. costly
plant nor engineers. Therefore, the
cost Of water is reduced To u minimum
figure. The combined gravity ami
pumping works Is the system wherein
the water is pumped either to reservoir,
stand pip', or elevated tanks. These
holders ARE so arranged thai the water
flows from them directly to the con
sin,er. and in all cas.sS where it is desir-
able to save cost and annual expense of
a tire engine, should la elevated enough
tn give pressure of 81 pounds per square
inch. The cost of water Is. IN this sys.
tenn Of works. less than in the direct
pumping system, though greater than in
the gravity system. In the direct pump
ing system of works the water is Il.
livered from the pumps b, the mains
directly to tho consumers, without the
use of holders. This system has its
many advocates. and is largely used, hut
| am able to show that the water thu.
delivered cnsts more than il delivered l,y
either the gravity or gravity and pump
ing nirtlnSI. Owing to the Hat surface
OF our State. W. ARE unable Ia rMt,loy
the gravity system. and SO our ch"icr
llrs between the semi gravity and the
direct pumping system. jacksonville
has the latter system. Pensacola the for.
mer. and refer the advocates of either
system to III" Respective critics. II We
grant franchise to any I@rs N or persons
for system Of water works. We shall, of
course. reserve the right to buy the plant
at the expiration Of a certain number Of
years.
The price will la determined by a GER
tain nnMler Of disinterested. honorable.
business men-men of sound ideas.
shrcwd, AMI far sighted. At the rXpira.
tion Of time--say ~ years, W. wart to
buy this water works plant, and W. lind
our city valuation has increased largely
since the Introduction Of the water sys
TEN. Allow. for example, that the
works have cost Rl5O,OA). no matter
whether this figure be- correct or not. II
the town value has increased. it follows
that we have u larger population in 1876
than 1856. Also, II We have IA greater
popula ion, We have more houses and
bindings Therefore. it is but fair to
suppose the consumption of water to
have increased for domestic use,
and also that We have. az "A city,
erected or ca,sed to be erected, an in
creased numbs Of hydrants. We started
with 10 and now have 30. We. as think
ing men. are not such dOltsas to imagine
that we can bny the water system. com.
pleie ns it now stands. for 1850. 600: no
appraisers ARE ~ ignorant as to value
this system Of water works at a less tig-
ure than S2OO, 600 Then comes the I,ies.
ton. where will we get the money with
which to buy these works? Well. where
will we get ~ don't know. Tor one.
Meanwhile. how much has tho water
cost i,s for city use. Here u is: