The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-29
THE PRICE IS TOO BIG
That Is Tacoma's Opinion on the
Water Plant Scheme.
4 PROTESTING MASS MEETING.
4Eltsxsus Air Their vfews-The CONNER
eial Clsb Charged with Choking
or the Minority In Debate.

or the Minority In Debate.
rAcorA. March d -lspecisLl-water and
sewers continue TO constitute the absorbing
tonic, Tonight two meetings were held 70 dis
ouss the proposition. In order that business
men and eitissns might b acquainted with the
proposition the Commercial Club. while not ~ Q
body taxing any definite stand in the matter.
hsid meeting in it, assembly room. 81 which
Mr.. Sellers. chief engineer for the water COM
pany, made . statement
Another meeting was held in Gcfmsnia hall,
sslsrsnce to which has not been made in any ex-
tended manner in the local prints, except In the
form Of m advertisement
While the Germans hail meeting has been
considered ~ opposed TO the water plant puf-
chase, the Commercial Club meeting, 1t II
stated. was simply an open meeting 70 gather
Information on tbs subject
The discussion At both meetings tonight was
enthusiastic Five hundred people assembled
in Germanis hall and Adopted resolutions OPP
posing the purchase at the alleged excessive
prizes ssksd. The Commercial Club room was
packed and Q motion to indorso the purchase
was put aside In favor OF . proposition foT
further discussion tomorrow night
President Rcdman, OF the Commercial Club.
favored immediate action in incoretng the pur-
money was 70 be derived on the bonds for ex-
tensions that would. in being turned over. pay
debts equal to 81 900 e20t00oo, while if the
u. 80 90 paid for the plant expended here II
would pay debts TO tie extent OF g. COO COO by be-
ing turned over and over. This, he said, would
give Tacoma start ahead OF any Of her rivals.
Hugh Farley made q motion to hear from
those opposing the purchase, but It was lost.
Fred @. Plummer, who hss q proposition to
cure supply from the mountains adjacent, OBJ
5ecsed, ssyins this was the first time that he had
seen IN Intelligent body close the discussion
when the minority had not been heard. Others
took Issue with him. claiming that no one knew
II he was In the minority" and maintaining
that the meeting was not packed in favor OF the
purchase. At the outaet representatives OF the
water company made statements showing that
the plant had actually cost 3i,72s,4I2 1t was
stated that the proposed spring supply would
be by gravity, and that the company included in
the sale 1,0s3 acres of land.
\ c. Smith favored the purchase, claiming
that 1t would pay interest on the bonds aud
leave . surp.us. He beiIeved that Mr.. Wright
and, besides, thought that Tacomans would be
surprised when they read Mr.. Wrights will.
Mr. Wright, hs believed, should have all that he
paid for the plant.
". Anderson, speaking for Mr.. Wright, said:
lilo could not make any pledges rs TO what
would be done with the money received for the
plant Hundreds had asked him. He said he
told the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES correspondent
that be did not know IL IL was anybody's busi-
moss. Wright did not wish to be put In the posi-
ton o. begging the city to buy plant II had
Mr.. Wright thought the city should own the
pisnt Mr.. Anderson believed that Mr.. Wright
would put three or four times the amount of
money paid him into the city. II the purchase
was made there would 10 loose money here,
which would relieve the hard times. the exist
ence OF which ther, was no use trying to hide.
This Was why he said In the fosr-lSTELLl0EN.
cER that Seattle opposed tho purchase.
Robert wingats presided At the Gsrmania hall
meeting and opposed the purchase at . fabulous
price OF . water supply OF Inferior quality. He
said:
The proposed spring supply will not furnish q
srsvity system. 1t would 10 liable to pollution.
e4aaoD-&soo.oo0 for . Distributing system aud
$4,000 for ''rottsn conduit" At most the
city could not utilize over 100000 worth OF the
pie vero willing to pay Mr. Wright more tnau
the plant was worth. 4 permanent pure supply
must come from tho mountains and not from
springa Portland was building water improve
ments BY homo labor. Tacoma can do the same
3 Engineer Talbot exhibited diagrams sho wing
that u was impossible 70 furnish water by the
proposed springs supply, except BY pumping.
sayings
In other cities pumping costs from $4,000 to
woo annually on the basis OF Tacomas pres.
baas about sli4.ooS per year 70. pumping u sea
years henca. There was less than 5000 tons of
water pipe In Tacoma, and that could be dupli-
Gated for etoo.ooa The proposed water COM
psny conduit extensions 70 the sprlngs would
reach four miles beyond the top OF Mount
Rainier. For less than was asked for the old
plant. be agreed TO build . new gravity supply,
.skfng the water 1t an elevation Of 600 feet.
ten miles this side Of Mount Rainier.
Councilman drastan figured up the value OF
The waser company's plant including the realty.
at s7l., 600, and continued:
II the city could get the company out OF the
ray aud destroy Its political influence he
the gas plant. or $4,000 bonus Ii the company
would only agree To build railroad he believed
.hs psonis would pay what 10 asked for the
plant. He had been approached lately by agents
az the water company aud urged TO Quit oppos.
ing the proposition the ground that the
money paid wouid be put into Tacoma Nothing
tang bic was given him, and he told the agents
that II he Quit the people would say be did so
ION . cash basis
George II. Hoilidgs said:
The decision OF tho supreme court, declaring
registration unnecessary. would permit a train
load OF hobos being run into Tacoma to vote
Tor The purchase. Prominent attorneys had
savissd him that that could be the case. There
10 no proof that tho money paid ior the plant
would he spent hera
Jacob Ralph, ID. b. Hannah and others smoke
tHe toiiiiittcc Askeu Tor Contributions for funds
to continue the opposition to the purchase and
10 hold future mass meetings.
Asa rule, the bulk of the people do not under
stand the question. II they vote at all. and
from now until April IL do not get informed in
the matter. they will vote ignorantly. There is
demand for unbiased information In TO-DAY.
Ledger the following statement was made. which.
IL II were true, would alter the financial sit.
ustion.
We are allowed n limit OF s ucr cont Tor ,,t.
purpose over aud above the per cent alloYsd
Tor general municipal purposes This fact A.
stated oy the comptroller, who shows that N.
per cent In each case makes limit aeeoriIn,.
10 the present assessment OF 2,iSS 7l- ar a total
OF N@g.sll Our PRESENT dcot Is 81 0,a Ia, nj
not counting cssa in tha sinking fund ar con,
ssderins that "a large part OF the SOFIA. 10 ,rc,
sSt hoAting debt VIII te wiped ont when o,,r
taxes are collected Adding 10 tails 81 o,tI., IA
the tl.iSl.Ioa which the water works wtth 49,
proposed Improvements, viii cost We hava
Nies. it3 10 walcA taken from our f,1i iirn,. ~
V.Sis@s for ali purposes. leaves Us 81 los s-1 on
Tor sewers, bridges aUd whatever elSs No ,~,v
care 10 use 10 tor. can build ths hyts.ys =,
tie tide flats AMI stiil have 81 800 ooo Of crtt,
cg - per cent 81 10. ietL We can build ali -.
sewers now asked Tor or coatsmplAte AMI st,I
have &ssa.oD left, NOT counting ~ all the r,i,,r
tiou that will lie n sds ia our debt as ,s.ss n0s
levied are collected
CITY Attorney Murray wss asked II .erer.
could ee euiit except GU; OF q levy of per cen.
On The eiiy's assessed valuation Tor artificial
lighting. water AID sewers He sad:
NJ opinion is that y0a eanno. bald sewer, j.,
cities OF the nPsi class out of any o;ha, .ur.i
except thai rsised for alt'aolsl lighting, sewers