The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-03-01

A $50, 600 RESERVOIR.
This is an extraordinary showing. 1t is
p ain statement of undisp ted and indisputa
le facts calculated to sartle the confiding
Xpayers who honestly believed that the
plant could be constructed for less sum than
100000 What the cost of the storage reser
vuir will be, if it is ever built, can only be
ceujectured now, though it is entirely safe TO
say that it will be fvefold greater than the
estimate of IS 600. Mr.. WomelsdOrf's est-
mate OF the probable cost Of this reservoir is
$50 900, and if it is to be in keeping with the
one erected on the stream in the valley it
viii probably cost that much But let us ad
nit that it can aud will be built for 10000
and the estimate is a conservative one in view
of the cost of the small 0ne-where will we
be at when it is completed? Presumng that
Mr.. Torbero will have TO be paid $4,000 for
the 20 acres of land st Davis Run, he cost of
tue two reservoirs, with incidental expenses,
will mount up to SIS 500 30, or within $4,000
Of the water committees es innate for the
plant complete Other liabilities that have
been incurred and not enumerated here will
probably consume most if not all Of the re
manning $4,000, and leave nothing to pay for
machinery, pipes ana other items which in
the original estimates were seven-tentbs OF
the entire cost of the plant
pertinent question 10 ask now is: What
will the water committee and Council do
when the sos, 900 authorized to be borrowed
fer the purpose is spent and the water works
is less than half completed? If the work
goes on that question is certsin tn arise. Will
| they go back TO the people and ask for d
further increase of debt? Aud If they do
will the people vote another $4,000 into the
enterprise2 Two hundred thou tnd dollars
debt means $4,000 year intUslst, and the
people may hesitate before placing such a
burden unnecessarily on their own shoulders
ADDITIONAL DISCREPANCIES.
This reminds us also that in the origina
calculations the rate Of interest to be uaid on
borough bonds was per cent while the
! bonds now being sold are 8 per cents, which
| will make the annual interest 5000 instead
Of S4 coo, or the aggregate difference, if The
! bonds run 30 years just $4,000.
! he wide difference between pr mise and
performance was never more clearly ol
/ forcibly demonstrated than in the undertak
! log and construction Of this enterprise. One
] of the arguments advanced by its advocate
| 10 catch the unthinking citizen and taxpayer
/ was that the wages paid TO labor would B,
. paid 10 local WOrkmen and that it would b
distributed among local business men. Asid,
from the wages paid the watchmen there has
not been a dollar of the money thus far paiC
/ cut received by a local work ingman. The
their own laboreIs and they have not CONT
into the local market for workmen. Th
money has therefore not been earned b!
citizens Of the borough, nor has It been dis
tributed among local merchants
There is TO be joint meeting Of CounCi
and the water committee CHS evening, and j
is not improbable that some sort of state
ment of the preent condition and futur
pros ~ ects Of the water works project will b
forthcoming, It would seem that some eI
panation Of the discrepancies between tn
actual cost Of the work lready done and tn
original estimates would be now in order
The question no longer is, when viii th
plant be completed, but
WILL IT EVER BE COMPLETED
It cannot be- done with the money no.
available for the purpose, and the questio
arises wbuther IL is better to go to the peopl
for more money or 20 abandon the prOjeC
before any more money is lost. The entel
prise is dismal and sOrTo uful failure, an
the farther IL is pushed now tine greater tn
wreck is sure TO he This isct, we think hs
been clearly demonstrated TO the satislaolo
of every intelligent and impartial cltize
who eau disp onately review what hf
already been accom- ished.
There seems o. be one prohRble way to yC
! escape from the impending disaster thu
+ threatens the project but the opportunit
, must be seized now If the borough is 10 has
the advantage Of il. That is TO sell I'll
! pumping plant aud $4,000 reservoir o