Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-25
More About Water Works.

|
the following to say about meters:
We have set out to ostracize that
little devil called the water meter, and
/ If our people will listen to reason, and
we think they will, the little imp must
90. Let it be borne in mind always
| that our water works are not owned bv
a private corporation. If they were we
| would be at the mercy Of the corpora
ton, and if they said meter, you would
| have to inject her," or words to that
effect
| The city owns the works, AMI you
and |, gentle reader, every one who
has vote, have something to say about
| how the thing shall run. 1t has been
| said that we must have higher rate.
| We do not see the need of it. The
extraordinary expense of the past
| season is no criterion. Several miles OF
mains have been put in last summer;
more, undoubtedly, than will be put il
| for the next ten years. This has mad,
the expense very great, but it will also
add large number Of consumers and
the revenue will be increased.
1t is said that the present revenu,
does not pay in proportion with Other
cities. a mistake, for the reason tha'
the fire protection is left out of tn,
computation. In the hands of a com
| pany, at least $4,000 would go into tn,
treasury for this item alone. Hence
you see that our works not only pay
but they pay WELL For with the ex-
ception of the last season, they have
paid a surplus besides furnishing fire
protection.
| AN EXPENSIVE EXPERIMENT.
The most plausible pretext that can
'e urged for putting in meters, is first
| to check waste and second to ascertain
| an equitable rate Of tax for water. 1t
would not have cost $50 to examine
| every service in the city and to ascer-
| tain where the waste was and then it
needed only to enforce the law which
would cost the city nothing.
So far as ascertaining an equitable
rate, that could have been done by
sending an agent to some city where
they are using meters and all the facts,
| as to rate, could have been ascertained
from their experience, but our city
council seem to be like the girl who
wanted to marry and when her mother
told her she had seen the folly of it,
replied that she wanted to see the folly
of it too. Every fact that can be as
certained by Introducing meters here
could have been ascertained for less
than one hundred dollars.
WHAT DID THE COUNCIL DO?
They purchased So meters at an ex-
pense of $1,075, add to this the expense
Of putting them in, s. each, low
estimate, and you have 81 ,24O. 1t is
obvious to any legal mind that you can
| not charge one consumer for water by
the gallon and allow another the free
use. Such an attempt would breed
endless and costly litigation. In fact,
number who had been compelled to
! pay meter rates had combined to test
the legality of the proceedings, when
tie council very wisely decided to re-
| fund their money.
! Take another view which is urged by
some, that meters must be put upon
every consumer. We do not know the
exact number of consumers but are
told that it is over 900, with those who
will come in on the new mains let ue
call it 200. The cost Of the meters for
| this number would be:
| Meters $23, ,454 90
| Cost Of placing - 3,60O00
| Interest years, II ,362, IS
Total 3S,4l6,6S
We have computed the interest for
SIX years, the alleged life of the meter
Thirty light thousand four hundred
and sixteen dollars and xty-eight
cents and at the end of six years repeat
the dose. If the patient is still alive
give him some more meters
| 1t would take less money to build and
equip another pumping station. 1t
would take less money to build
reservoir where limitless quantities of
water could be held in reserve 1t
would take less money to erect a stand
pipe where ample pressure and supply
could be always kept on hand Of all
the solutions to the water problem the
meter is certainly the weakest and most
absurd.
Let this meter question be borne in
mind at the next spring election, and
let no man into the regulation depart
ment of your city who has the least
faint of the meter fad in his compost
ton. LIS all right to meter or meet
her, but not at such expense.
The Scott Mansion Sold.