Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-22
WATER RATES.
Am Agreement Reached With the
water Companies.


The committee on water rates mel
yesterday and held long session, dur.
ing which representatives of the various
water companies and number of citi
zens endeavored to come to an agree
ment as to the rates which should bs
equitable on all sides. The representa-
tives of the water companies had pre-
pared a schedule of prices which they
stated was the lowest they could accept
and continue to operate. Mr.. M. L
W;cks presented this schedule, and i,
was taken up item by item and discussed
at length. These items were compared
with similar items in San Francisco anC
San Jose, and in some instances with
those in Eastern cities. 1t was found 81
a general rule that the prices submitted
by Mr.. Wicks were lower than those
charged in either of the California citiet
mentioned.
The main topic of discussion during
the meeting was the minimum rate TO bt
charged for residences through the city
The water companies had submitted the
following as a schedule: "For houses
or tenements, for each family of not more
than five persons and having less than
900 square feet floor room, 81 pei
month; from 1000 to 1,500 square feet,
$1.25; from 1,500 to 1900 square feet
$3.50; for each 100 square feet over
/ 800. 10 cents"
1t was claimed on the part of the citi-
zens that this was not the proper way to
establish the rates and that they should
be based solely according to the number
of people in the family.
On the other hand it was claimed that
this would not be equitable since some
people would use more water than others.
1t was finally agreed that the rates
should be establiehed according to the
number of rooms in house, the lowest
to be 70 cents for 8 rooms and 10 rooms
to be 81 rs per month.
The meter rates was also discussed at
length. Some of those present asked
that they be allowed to demand that
meters be placed in their houses and
that they pay only for the water used
The representatives of the company urged
that if meters were to be placed in the
houses, the people using them should
pay for them, as it would bankrupt the
companies to expend their money
in that way. They also insisted that
where meter was to be used the lowest
amount to be collected should be 50 per
month. 1t was not until nearly FIVE
O'Clock in the afternoon that an agree
ment was reached, and on Monday the
committee will probably recommend the
passage of an ordinance containing the
following rates:
For houses or tenements OF rooms,
rs cents per month; rooms, 80 cents
5 rooms, 81; 6 rooms. 81 Is; rooms,
$1.30; 8 rooms, 81 45; 9 rooms, 81 60; 10
rooms, $1.75.
For hotels and boarding houses, in ad
dition to family rates, for each boarder
20 cents. Lodging-houses, for each
lodger, 10 cents.
Business blocks, for each Office, in ad.
dition to a So basis, 10 cents.
Restaurants according to daily average
of people fed, ior each 25 persons, $2.
Bath tubs in private houses, each, 25c
Public bath tubs, each, $l.50.
Public urinals, 81.
| Water closets in private houses, 25c.
Public water closets, $1.50.
Sprinkling gardens and grounds, fol
each 100 square yards, 40c.
Horses kept for private use, including
carriages, each, 25c.
Livery stables, each horse, including
carriages, 40c.
Feed and sale stables, each horse, zoe
Water troughs in public street, So.
Bakeries, in addition to family rates
each barrel of -four, sc.
Barber shops, each chair, 75c.
Soda fountains, each, 81.
Boarding schools, in addition to fam
lily rates, each scholar, 10c.
Steam engines, for each horse power
SOC.
Building purposes, each 100 yards o
plaster, 40c; each barrel of cement, 15c
each 1000 brick laid, including wettinl
brick and Stacking lime, 15c
Saloon. not including water closets anC
urinals So.
Stores, halls, book binderies, etc., &C
cordiIg to amount of water used, from s.
upward.
Churches according to quantity O
water used.
Meter rates-Up to 1000 cubic feet o
water, at 35 cents per 100 cubic feet; be
tween 1000 and 5000 cubic feet, 80 cent
per 100 cubic feet; between 5000 anG
5000 cubic feet, % cents per 100 cubic
feet; over 10 600 cubic feet, 20 cents. Nc
meter bill shall be less than So Pei
month.
The City EnjOined from widening
ward street.
A writ has been issued from Depart