Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-18

| letting contract for the same. In our
sister city of Wausau, where they have
water works, a great deal of fault is
found with the rates, ETC., and we pub
lish these comments so that the
authorities here will know what they
are and avoid them if possible. The
| Wausau Torch has the following to say
in its last issue:
Mayor Parcher requests us to publish
nothing but facts in this connection,
and we most cheerfully comply; and
right here we wish to say that there is
no man on earth for whom we have
more profound regard or whose opinions
are more respected by US. All the
same the facts and figures that can not
lie, must be given to the public. 1t is
their right, in order that they may
draw their own conclusions.
The position taken by the mayor and
by members of the council, is that
there has been a frightful waste of
water. That the meters were intro
duced as an experiment, to ascertain
where the waste came in, and generally
to check waste; that the works should
yield q revenue sufficient to pay ex-
tensions, running expenses and
provide a sinking fund that would, in
the life of the present works, be
sufficient to replace them.
The first proposition is untenable
from the fact that it is not in the winter
season that water is wasted.
The second propositions: that meters
were introduced to ascertain where the
waste 'ccurs, is not demonstrated by
the management. For example. There
are three printing offices. Practically,
their machinery and the power used
are identical. A meter in any one of
those offices would have been sufficient
to show what was used in each of them.
4 meter was placed in each one. In
| Mr.. Johnson's office, with the most
rigid economy, job presses run by foot
power, the bill for the water was S16.S5.
In the Torch office, with no economy,
but just running as we always do, job
bers and all, the bill was $21.29. In
Mr. Thayer's office the meter did not
work. SO we can not give the figures on
his Office. There are ten hotels in the
city, meter was placed upon only one
of them. There are about so saloons,
meters were placed upon three of them.
Now can any one tell why the print
| ing offices were Disseminated against,
except upon the theory that despot
suppresses all newspapers in his king
dom, as was done only few decades
ago. While claiming that the meters,
were introduced as an experiment, no
act of the perintendent shows any
such fact. Where the meter raised the
rate from SO to $500, the collection was
made at meter rates. Where it was
raised from $15 to $120, and from $40 to
$3.50, the meter rate is collected. To
these palpably unjust and robber pro-
ceedings, we get the answer that what
has been taken in excess of the just
rate, will be refunded. A clear acknow-
Judgement that the taking of the money
was wrong.
81 900 THROWN AWAY.
There is not a single advantage
claimed for this experimental meter
splurge that could not have been
reached as efectually, as quickly, as
justly, without the meter. Any man OF
good sense could have looked over the,
the service in the various factories and
! BUILDINGS and have established more
equal and just rate than will be reached
by the meters. Tt is manifestly unjust
to charge one man for water by the
gallon and give it as free as air to the
other.
70 put meters on all services in the
city will cost enough to build and equip
q new pumping station-$25, 900 nearly.
To use them as they are now used, will
! drive consumers back to their wells
I 1t will prevent others from taking city
water. 1t will prevent strangers from
locating in our city. The deal is an
outrage, a curse, a folly.
BeIlS 90
John Willen's 800 90
Torch printing 255. 90
Central " 202. 90
FaIILdln ZboUO
! = DeIaney'S SaIOon.... l2UOO
Now take few institutions that use
about the same amount of water:
Northern s........S50.0 90
N1nkIey House and 1900
/ John PatZerS saloon, residence and lawn. 1900
+. PaeSkeS 1000
Ed. Heiman's hotel, saloon and barn...... 81. 90
Look on these figures and tell us if
you think train robber, a ahighwayman
or a cut throat could have done much
worse?
Now We ask-Why was not meters put
on the First National Bank? 1t has
steam closets, and abundant oppor-
tunities to waste water. Why was not
a meter put on the court house. and on
the insane asylum, and on livery stables,
where large quantities of water are
used.
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NOTICE.