Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-07-09
The Waterwurks Issue.
Rev. Father Puetz Talks on
this Vital Issue.

"with what favor do you look upon the wa
terworks question now 2" was asked Rev.
Puetz by a NORTHWEST.
Speaking for myself" replied the Rever-
end, 81 am unequivocally opposed to the pro-
iect, and there are not few who share with
me such stand point"
'0n what do you base your objections?"
Both from a financial and sanitary point
of view. We're this burden inflicted on Ma
poleon at present know of several who are
retired farmers and good citizens residing in
town who have expressed their intention,
even this early in the fight, to move back to
the country. Our levy of tax now is $500 on
the hundred-al levy that is too high for any
property owner to well carry. 1t is taxation
that is burdensome in the extreme"
''But, if the running expenses can be met
by rentals, besides year after year gradually
creating sinking fund for the redemption
of the bonds, how will those not using the
works suffer from an increase of taxes ?'
"Such position is not tenable in any par
ticular," he saId. washington, Perry and
Clinton streets, only, can be relied upon to
take waterworks, and these only in a meas
ure, for, can name dozens on these streets
who have good wells and will not support
the plant either on account of their fnan.
cial condition or through dissemination.
''Now take the other streets-across the riv.
er, canal and railroad-and how many resi-.
dences do we find abutting these streets that
will utilize the improvement You will FIND
but very few, if any. Can any one maintain
with consistency, that with such small pat
ronage as this, waterworks can be self sus
tanning
"Then again, it is argued that even if they
should not be self-sustaining, posterity has {
right to bear part of the expense. This is to
certain extent true, but the preponderance
of the expense would fall on us of the pres
ent, and which we are in no condition t.
undergo and prosper.
"What do we understand by that ?" wa
asked.
'Well, in the first place, any improvement
of this kind always costs more than the stip
ulated amount in bonds. Waterworks cal
never be constructed here for $4,000. l
will cost third again as much. Even gran
that in years to come, a sufficient patrona G
will be worked up to bear the running expen
ses, it is an impossibility now, and nearly tn
entire expense of operating and repairin
the plant will be thrown on the town, beside
meeting the interest on the bonds, whic
xu;tbiD itsalf ie M liubt brrda,, ne oor.eo ~,
will be compelled to redeem our share of tn
bonds also. Footing it all up we will have a
outlay that even our most conservative ha
not calculated on. 1t would cripple the tow
} beyond reparation."
"Other towns are enjoying this luxury,
the NORTHWEST vouchsafed.
'Yes, but you will find here different cor
dition of finances" Rev. Puetz replied
Take Il great many of our neighborin
cities, you will find here momentary boon
the people rush headlong into rash NOV,
ments, mortgage their pro- lerty, etc. Th
, is followed by general oppression felt b
everybody-a spirit of unrest that is III
known to US here. One Business man g!
presses a desire to sell out and extrica
himself from the numerous obligation
another has gotten so deeply in debt that g,
trication is weh nigh impossible; while
third is on the eve of bankruptcy itsel
There seems to be business enough but Il
D expenses generally, are so great that the
f are nearly in excess of the profits.
"Now how different do we find our bus
ness men. They are all on firm basis vii
no thoughts of selling out or going I'M
bankruptcy; instead they are discountir
: their bills. Neither is this at the expen
of the laboring classes. You find these class
1 we'll fixed. Most of the poorer people ow
l.. their homes and do but little credit. Tai
3 our grist mills and you will find but vel
Q little call for the coarse bread stuffs. Tht
sell -four and as they will tell you, it is gel
orally paid for in cash. Our money lende
y are authority for the fact that mortgages {
D homes are being cancelled and not made.
s this significant of anything?
8 shows that all classes that are in N