The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1892-08-26
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18th inst. contains an article nearly
two columns in length, in which
certain and well-known "R presents
some evidence that he has recently
been subsidized into an effort to try t.
say something in favor of the preseM
water system of our city. say subsf
died, because in searching for poss;
BILE motive for such aa.sssscsrtpt can
find no other. He is not, and SO Jar
as can learn, never has been6 pa
tron of the water company, and there
fore can feel no inconv lhience from
an Inadequate supply, and as he pays
nothing for water does nos feel the
burden of paying for something he
does not get. He has never shown
himselfto be public spirited, except
in giving advice, and that has always
been in opposition to necessary i'm.
provements; if anything can be under
stood from his numerous newspaper
articles on public questions, it is that
he is in favor of good wholesome
standstlll, and warm advocate of
vested rights.
But only mentioned "R" incident
ally; what I wish to say is, that
every man with an ounce of brains in
his head, who lives here, knows that
our city has no protection against fire;
that in case of an extensive one, such
as we may have at any time, the pres
sure or supply of our water system Is
not equal to the emergency. Fires
often break out by accident or spon-
taneously, and may occur while the
people are watering their lawns, eight
hours of each day being allowed for
this purpose, and our property during
one-third of the time isat the mercy Of
any blaze which may start.
What we want is good supply of
water with pressure enough .ro throw
it over the highest buildings at all
times. Years of experience his shown
US that this cannot be had under the
present economical management, which
seems to look we'll to the polnt that
no water shall be wasted, even in case
the town is burning.
do not mean to hold this company
up to especial ridicnle; I only say it
conducts its business like other ex-
tremely parslmonious individuals.
would who are trying to get the great
est possible returns with the least pos
sible outlay. The ownership OF mo-
nopolies of this kind seems to gravitate
toward people of this character and
their patrons always suffer while such
monopolles last.
The proposition. referred by the
city council to the people is for the
city to establish ascomplete and eff
Gent water system, purchasing, if of
fered, such parts ofthe old system as
Can be madeshseful to the new one,
and issuing six per cent. bonds on
twenty years time to pay for it.
ompetent.engineers have furnished.
estimates heretofore published.im Che
GAzErrE) showing the cost of such
a system to be $4,000. Six
per cent. of this amount is 81,
500; tire. expense of running the
present works is about ST 300 per
i,nnum, including cost of water poured
into stock quarterly. The cost to the
city would therefore be about $1,000
per annum. The present company
with its limited supply collects about
$4,000 per anRum. This shows the
city could pay interest on its bonds, all |
other expenses and have yearly sur
plus of $4,000, which would amount
o sum more than double that of the
ponds by the time they matured; OF if |
,ther provision were made for the pay
nent Of the bonds, the cost of water
:ould be reduced one-baIf, and still
he city would not be taxed one cent
or twenty years. OF course ON cleo
ion day we will find the proprietors
i the old dry water company, their
tmily relatives, some mossbacks and
few hired Hessians at the polls in
the people how to vote.
hey will be in favor of binding the
ity for sewers, bridge and everything |
lse but water.
Let us not allow them to misreprc-
emf matters or blind us to our own
lterest. e. w.