The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-06-13


probable quantity of coal required to gem
crate steam for such plant as is proposed
to be erected, will probably accept the esti-
mate as having been obtained from COM
petent source and as being nearly correct.
A little investigation however, pictures it
in such a way as TO let the wind out of it
and exposes the ignorance or duplicity OF
the committee.
Engineer William Hilton, who is known
as one of the most experinced men in the
region on matters of this kind, was seen by
HERALD representative this morning and
asked what amount OF coal would, in his
opinion, be required to furnish steam to run
the proposed pump. Mr.. Hilton took the
joint committees circular and after looking
up the boilers which it is proposed shall be
used, gave it as his opinion that the three
$50 II. P. boilers can not be fred with less
than ten tons of coal per day. "And if the
boilers are worked to their full capacity"
he said, twice that amount will be re-
quired."
1t is not easy to see how coal of any kind
can be delivered at the proposed pumping
station for less than three dollars per ton,
but conceding that it can be had at two
dollars per ton, the figure of the joint
committee, the cost would h twenty
dollars (S20) per day, or seven thousand
three hundred dollars (S7, ,9O0) per year.
Assuming that the remainder of the
estimates and statements in the joint COM
mittee's circular are as reliable as the
estimate for fuel the probable cost of the
plant would be about S500,C00, and the
operating expenses about $45, 900 year.
A facetious citizen speaking of the joint
committees circular, in the Ferguson
House, yesterday, said that it had all the
ear-marks of green goods circular, ex-
cept the CONFIDENTIAL warning at its
head. "Oh, no." he said, they can't
flim-ham me-"
Eight tons of coal per day are required
to fire two 100 h, p. boilers at the power
station Of the electric railway, yet the
| joint committee propose to fire three l50
h. p. boilers with about Ii tons of coal q
day. Evidently the joint committed &
estimates need revision.
The Sunday Nei0s, which has been the
champion of the joint committee and the
boomers of the new water works scheme,
was silent yesterday. But one article
touching upon the project appeared in its
columns and that was strong one appealing
to the peopl to vote against the increase OF
debt. The boomers hsve.been argued to a
stand from which they can neither sdvan ce
or retreat
The estimate of SlO,5OO for reservoirs, is,
in the opinion Of experts and men who
have had experience in the business, just
about sufficient to build the dam at the
pumping station and respectable frog
pond on the mountain,
The Joint committees circular reminds
us of what the Dutchmsn said about
Webster's dictionary. 1T is pretty fair
reading but somehow or other it doesn't
hang together"
For instance, the committee proposes
first to contract the entire job, and little
latter on makes bid for the votes of the
workingmen of the town by telling them
that they are to have steady employment
and good wages in the construction of the
works. How is the committee going tc
control the labor that will do the work If il
is to be contracted
"Water that assists the health of the
people" is what the joint committee call:
the liquid that it proposes boiling in q
reservoir from eight to ten days before
being distributed for consumption. There
isn't much doubt about such water assist,
ing the health of the people-into disease
and decay.
The assurance that the $4,000 Of bonds
which the joint committee proposes tC
issue will be first offered to the people o.
Shenandoah is quite comforting. The
poor devil of tenant who first has to pay
his landlord for the water he consumes anC