The record-union., 1893-06-15
now FOR GOOD WATER.
The Trustees Agree on the S pecifca-
tons Therefor.
Not to be Less Than 1000. 900. 900
Gallons Yearly, and 1000, O0O,-
0C0 If Required.

panies on the proposition to furnish the
city with clear water.
Maximum and minimum" express
sions flew through the air. caroming on
the tympanum of the Mayor, sending
cold chills down Trustee Conklin's back
and startling Trustee Green till he looked
wildly around in search of protection
from the ponderous array Of figures
thrown around in reckless profusion.
Billions of gallons were spoken of as
tritles that We're easily comprehensive to
the common mind.
K. T. Devlin represented J. II. Henry,
L. L. Hatfield the Livermore-Ga llatin
interests, and DIR. Van Orden the South
Yuba Company, while a possible COM
petitor on the subterranean proposition
came up in the shape of a dark horse"
named Brooke.
The mornings discussion was opened
by Mr.. Hatfield, who said that, as pre-
pared, the ordinance was satisfactory to
his company, with the exception that the
maximum and minimum quantities Of
water to be used were not stated. He
thought the price per gallon would be
the first point to be considered, and
should be made the controlling price
throughout the period of the contract.
lie said the price per gallon would be
far less if a large quantity is to be fur
nished than if a small quantity is wanted.
1t costs just as much to put in plant for
reasonable quantity of water as for an
amount somewhat larger, but the larger
amount could be furnished more cheaply
per gallon than the smaller, and the diff
terence in cost for a few million gallons
more would be distributed among con-
sumers, making 1t actually cheaper to
the individual, while giving him more
water.
His company, he said, thought that a
minimum of 100000 900 yearly would
be about right. DIR. Van Orden thinks a
minimum of ,350, 600, 900 would be sufh-
cient. 1t is better for the city to have
three bidders than one, but the difference
between S00,000,000 gallons annually and
100000 daily, as proposed by Mr..
Henry, is entirely too wide.
The Sacramento Company, said Mr.
Hatfield, thinks maximum of 1000
OOO,000 and a daily minimum of 100000
Is about right, and that such minimum is
shown to be just by the consumption of
water in the past. lie had no objection
to the proposed check Of $4,000 to be de-
posted with the bid, but thought it
should be returned when the bid was ac-
cepted and a bond given. He objected
that the point of entrance to the city
specified in the proposed ordinance
would, unless changed, shut his company
out. He suggested that the point Of en-
trance of the supply be left to be liked by
the Trustees on The acceptance of the bid.
lie also favored the construction of steel
mains instead of wrought iron.
K. T. Devlin said he had no objection
to the steel main, but the committee APP
pointed to prepare the plans decided on
wrought iron, on the ground that steel
was not so durable, for the reason that it
would not take an inside coating. The
erosion of water cuts it out quicker. This
had been demonstrated in the water main
at jacksonville, and I. b. Hall, who had
examined into the matter had so in
formed the committee. Steel is cheaper
than the wrought iron, but would not last
as well.
The amount of the $4,000 check, he
said, Is very small compared with the
magnitude of the undertaking, and would
be an evidence of good faith on the part
of the bidders. In the gravitation sys-
tenn that amounts to | per cent, or little
over, on the capital involved in the I'M
dertaking. The deposit of the check
would show that the parties dong so
do not propose to try and float their
bonds on the strength of their bids, and,
if they failed in doing so, to throw up
the contract. \ bond looks very well on
paper, but it amounts 10 but little where
large interests are involved. BOndsmen
die and become insolvent; technical
points are raised and tedious lawsuits
follow.
Trustee Conklin said he was convinced
that wrought iron pipe would stand
sudden jump in pressure from forty to
eighty pounds much better than steel
would.
Mr. Van Orden said he had been told
that the pipes laid down by the Spring
Valley Water Company of San Francisco
over thirty years ago were steel, and that
they were good and sound yet.
MIR. Hatfield thought the provision that
200 must be expended in work during
the first six months was not Just one TO
the gravity companies, and was unrea-
sonable. a large part of that time would
have to be taken up by them in surveys
and preliminary work. He would be
willing to make it $4,000 the first six
months and $4,000 the next six months
DR.. Van Orden agreed with Mir. Hat
field on almost all his propositions, but
wished to critlcise one Of them, and that
was that the city should regulate the
price. His company would not bid I'M
less the Trustees would pledge their faith
that they would not take advantage of
any legal provision of that sort.
Mayor Steinman told Mr.. Van Orden
that the Constitution provides for such a
provision: that the Supreme Court mas
decided that the city has power TO Xix the
rates, and must do so. and, further, that
the SDllllE allGN " dLbT W OrkS OF San
Francisco furnish that city with water un-
der the same provision. The board could
not accept MIR. Van Orden's proposition.
as it would be in violation of the oath of
Office taken by each member of the Board
of Trustees.
Mr.. Van Orden thought the maximum
ought TO be in accord with the actual
present consumption, which the Chief
Engineer of the Water Works estimated
ut $50, 000.0 600 gallons yearly. Trustee
Conkln estimated il at l,2O0, 100000. As
for the minimum, that. he thought,
should be fixed at S,000,0 gallons daily.
He had objected to the water-main as
part of the contract, but as he understood
the proposition better now he would
withdraw his objection. provided it was
not more than thirty inches and of No. 10
steel pipe which, he thought, would last
thirty wears. He objected to making the
property of his company primarily
liable for the performance ofthe contract,
as he understood the word to mean that
1t would be lien taking precedence over
any bonds they might want to issue. He
also objected to the clause relating to the
point of diversion. Their point of di-
version is at Bear Valley, 6,000 feet above
this valley, and the water arrives at
RockIin from that point in fifteen to
twenty hours, pure and fresh. Any pos
sihle pOints of contamination they would
AGREE 10 guard with barbed-wire fences,
bnt they could not bid on a proposition
for A pipe or tiume between Bear Valley
and kocknn.
Air Devlin said the conditions We're
rrettv hard on his company. but they did
NOT object. He thought the maximum
and minimum ought to be high enough
10 cover the consumption for future years.
If the citv needs more than the maxi
mnIn- the company viii sell it to them, and
betbouuht the city would buy the water.