The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-05-03
Water-Works.

DEAR SIR:-May0r HUI Anderson has
handed me yours of the 18th inst and in
reply will gladly give you any in
formation within my power and should
| omit any points that you should like
to be informed on you have but to
command us and we will use our best
endeavor to help you ont,
Our plant was built and put into
service July LIST 1885. Cost us complete
at that date 100000, and consisted of
81 miles of main pipes, commencing
with a 16 inch main leading out from
the pumping station, and reducing
down as the outlaying districts were
reached to inch pipe,
The pumping machinery consists of
two knowles" compound duplex
pumps with capacity each of 1000, 900
gal. per "a hours, although they are
! good for fully half as much again:)
Two tubular boilers 60 inches in
diameter-l6 feet long, Sc fues; capa-
city each 100 horse power; neat pump
ing house and coal shed, with about
acres of ground. 132 Fire Hydrants
located at convenient points through
! out the town-together with all the
other appurSenances necessary to make
the plant a complete one in every
detail.
Our water supply is derived from
1876 inch tubular wells-is as clear as
crystal and is as pure as any on earth
coming out of strata of sand 70 feet
thick and snow white; our deepest we'll
is 90 feet and the water flows within
about two feet of the surface. Our
revenue this year is $40, 900, our operat-
ing expenses, including all repairs,
fuel, oil, Engineers, Fireman, Supt,
and etc will not exceed $7,OOo.0O; our
interest is per cent and is therefore
So, 600. 90 making total of $4,000. 90
which leaves us balance of $4,000. 90
profit to be put into sinking fund or
into extending mains if they are re-
CURED,
As stated we had when the plant
was completed 914 miles OF mains-we
have extended these mains and PAID
FOR THEM OUT OF OUR EARNINGS until
we now have 1917 miles. We original
" had 132 Fire Hydrants-we nov
have 199-the g. being paid for out of
the earnings.
From the time the water-works, were
built until January 81 a special tax was
levied to meet the $6,00O.O0 annual in
terest but since January 1894 this tax
has been abolished and we have paid
everything. During the past three
wears however we have turned back
into the city treasury some 81. 600. %
and our rates are increasing at the
rate of about $4,000 per annum and
we get our Fire Hydrants free.
Briefly summed up the whole thing
is just this-any town can put in its
own Water Works, pay ali interest, ana
running expenses and retire the bond
ed debt by the time the bonds fall
due-give first-class domestic service
as we'll as ample and efficient fire pro-
lection and without having to pay a
large sum annually for the latter.
TO illustrate. If "A private company
owned this plant. we could not hope to
get any cheaper rates for our citizens
private or household use. and Ia king
the low average OF $1,000 as the rate
the city would pay for each fire .hydr-
,v,l.I ~
cost us $9.y50. or in ten years would
paw for the original plaut-whei cas-
we do not have to pay out one cent and
have as efficient service as you will find
in any of the larger cities-using direct
pressure as we do, we do not have
TO keep any fire engines but couple
direct TO the plug and the engines at
the works give any pressure desired up
to $50 lbs per square inch.
We keep this plant out Of local or
Ward politics by putting the plant
under the entire CONTROL of three
"Water-Works trustees" only one of
these is appointed each year by the
CITY Council and he serves three years:
They employ all other attacbee's and
are held responsible for the plant We
make detailed report Of all collec-
lions and disbursements to the Council
each month, and have been very for
tunate in having none but our best
representative business men as trustees.
One of our members, Mr.. w. +. Alex
apder has been President of the board
ever since the plant was established.
Hoping that this information will
help you and placing ourselves at your
command for any thing further.
lam Truly Yours
SAM c. LANCASTER.
Sect and City Eng.
p. s.-If your COMMITTEES will come