The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-12

AlluPing Promises Held Out to the vot-
ers to Indorse the Schemes.
TACOMA, March hn.-[Spscial.1 Nov that
they have proposition to sell the water
and electric light plant to this city for
over $500. 600 moro than any one has yet
shown the same to b worth, interested
parties have come forward with PROPOSE
tion to cut down the water rates, a. sug-
gested few days ago in the Posr-INrELLr-
oENCER.
This is another sop for votes. Taxpayers
who have been dissatisfied with tho high
water rates are now expected to jump at
this bait, in the shape of . reduction in
rates. When the Posr-INrELLIoENcER
showed that there would be no money for
sewers if the city was to be bonded to tho
extent Of its last nickel for the dilapidated
water plant, the chief pushers behind the
sale In the city council announced that
there would no doubt be money realized
from the sale Of tho water bonds to pay
for tho much-needed sewers.
This was both sop for votes and bribe.
BY passing . sewer ordinance the sop was
thrown out. and in stating that the pre-
MUM on the bonds would pay for the
sewer the b-ibe was held out to secure
votes for the water job. In other words,
if the people whose health demanded that
there be more sewers did not vote for tho
obnoxious water job, then there would b
no bonds to sell and no premiums ftx
bonds and no money for the construction
Of sewers.
Some call this sort Of thing . probe,
others say it 10 only . blum. At any rate
all Of the people cannot be hoodwinked or
interested in tho water plant by other
means. A councilman who. before he
went to Philadelphis and met the owner
of the water plant, claimed 1t was not
worth within $500, 600 Of what is now asked
for il, made trip to Seattle this week and
looked up the water rates there. At tho
council meeting today he presented an Or
dinance for 20 per cent. reduction in the
water rates. Before this man returned
from seeing the owner Of the water plant
he signed . telegram favoring the price
now asked for tho same. His water-cut
ordinance provides, among other things,
for the following rates:
Family rates. seven rooms o. less occupied By
one family. 81 Each additional room. 10 cents
Hose for irrigation-each twsnty-ive-foot lot Is
cents: for street spfinkling for each twenty
foot lot, a
Hotels aud boarding houses, in addition 70
family rate, each room centA
Meter ratss-From 1000 70 $500 gallons Per
month. per 1000 gallons, Is cents.
From 5000 TO $1,000 gallons Per month. Per
1000 gallons. q centa
From $1,000 to 10000 gallons Per month, Per
1.C0O gallons, Is centa
All over 10000 gallons. per 1000 gallons, Il
centa
This ordinance was referred to the fre
and water committee. where it may die or
live. Nobody knows which.
II there il any sincerity in the outward
move to cut water rates aside from . de-
sire to buy the plant ct IN excessive price
the taxpayers welcome it. The man di-
rectly responsible for IL drops out Of the
council after the April election, and the
council will not pass upon it until after
his departure. unless the rules are sus.
pended for its consideration. But tho
water company's advisors favor his
reelection and - . vote-drawing or
dinance one to cut the water rates ID q
prize winner at this time. To test the SIN
cerity of the ostensible water-rats cutters
the council should put them to test bv
forcing its immediate consideration. Tax
payers. however, live in the hope that tho
supreme court will reject the water pur-
chase ordinance. In the meantime parties
proposing to furnish gravity supply sys.
TENS will be allowed to submit proposi.
tions in detail. The permission was given
this evening.
An ordinance has also been introduced
providing for . system Of trunk sewers and
Q new electric light plant. A new $40. 900
bridge to the tide fats was also asked for
by ordinance. The latest bid for vote. il
the statement that carload of dynamite
has arrived aboard . Chicago, Burlington
4 Quincy car. as further evidence that Mr..
Wright will build road over the noun.
tains ii he can sell the water plant. Il
was expected before this that Wright
would agree to build this road, but word
has come instead that he cannot consist.
emily agree owing to his relations with the
20" people.