Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-24
WATER RATES.
The Citizens of the West End
Hold a Meeting.
Discussion on Both Sides OF the
Question.
The Prices Charged Said to Have
Been Very Uneven.
Resolution Favoring the Purchase by
the City of ALL the Water Works.
The Opinions Expressed.


was held last night in the rooms of the
west end board of trade.
Mr.. E. E. Galbreth, the chairman OF
the meeting, stated the object of the
meeting to be the discussion of the
water rates charged by the Citizens
Water Company, the meter system ;
also the quality and quantity of the
water furnished by said company.
Mayor Hazard, the members of the city
council and officers of the Citizens
Water Company were invited, but all
were not present.
A letter of regret from G. M. Wells
was read, in which he stated
that the capacity of the present
water. works was entirely inadequate,
and no permanent relief could come ex-
cept through new system of water
works. "Any present truce or arrange
ment can be but temporary he said.
"We must move unitedly for new works,
preferably to be owned and operated by
the city,"
The chairman read the rates as fixed
by ordinance, to go into effect July 1st,
for private consumers and also the meter
rates, for the information of the meet
ing.
j. T. Steward asked permission to ask
Mr.. Wicks, who was present on behalf
OF the company, few questions. He
said that he and Breakey were paying
more than all the other residents who
lived on lockwood avenue combined.
His rates had been raised five different
times, while those of his neighbors had
been rebated.
Mr.. Wicks replied that no water COM
pany in the state had ever attempted to
live up to the ordinance, as it was illegal.
The action of the water company had
been severely criticized before it was
known what that action would be. The
meter was the only means of equaliza-
ton, and the only method to put stop
to the waste of water. Every consumer
should praise the meter system. We
want to do equity, and the only way to
do it is by means of the meter. The gas
company measures out it's gas by the
meter.
In reply to question as to whether or
not the company would put meters on
all its consumers, he stated that it
would put them on wherever it consid-
cred they were needed to restrict waste.
We are under special contract with An
gelefio Heights to supply it.
Col. Baker endorsed Mr.. Wickss
statement as to the only feasible way to
equalize the rates being by the meters.
He dilated at some length upon the use
of surface water, blaming the citizens
themselves, not the water companies,
for the poor quality of the water.
j. M.Davies explained that the plac-
ing of some meters IN the west end had
been done by the request of the west
enders; but it had not been done as had
been expected universally.
Mr.. Innis stated that when his meter
was put in his house, the superintendent
of the company had said that meters were
only to be placed where they would in
crease the company's revenue.
j. T. Steward said that he was there
to have satisfaction for the past and he
would have it if he had to 90 to law
about it.
Mr.. Wicks said he would certainly not
promise to put meters in in every case.
perience in the future as to the proper
rate to be charged the citizens would
learn of it.
A sale had been made of the water
works to a Chicago syndicate, $4,000
life of man who ran water works
was not bed of roses. He cannot be
deaf and blind enough to ignore the
number of complaints which had been
made of late. There has been inequality
of rates and no one regretted it more
than he did.
Mayor Hazard said that his expert
ence financially on the water question
was not fattering. He suggested jocu-
larly that the west enders hitch on to
his water company, as the best remedy.
People who complain of water do not
take into consideration the extra ex-
penses incurred He thought the best
way out of the water difficulty was for
the city to take the whole business in
hand. If all the companies were merged
into one large one, it must follow that
the matter could be worked more
economically than by the small strug-
Cling private companies. Speaking Of
the Stern franchise, the mayor said that
his greatest objection to it was that he
believed that the right of eminent do
main of the city to the water should be
inviolate. In his opinion it would not
be long before the city had good and
sufficient water supply.
Councilman McLain was called upon
to speak, but was excused, as he said he
was not in the water business, and had
no complaints to make.
In reply to the questions of the chair
man, Mr.. Wicks repeated the state
ments that he had made earlier with
reference to the meters and rates. The
matter was discussed at some length by
Messrs. Register, Davies, Wicks, Moss,
Millard, Mcfarland, Hazard and Gal
braith.
A resolution to the effect that it be the
sense of the meeting that bonds should
be issued by the city for the owning and
construction of water works and the fur
nishing of pure water to the people, was
approved after discussion, whereupon
the meeting adjourned.
Cab and Carriage War.
Learning that som ething of a warfare