The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-24

The town meeting 10 Called 10 consiuor
the dcsirability and practicability of
buying the water works and running
them by the town.
We don't know as to the practicability
Of this proposition. but the desirability
seems to be beyond question.
The Bristol water works plant was
located i'm the townin 1882 and the plant
supplies Warren aud harrington with
water, also.
To establish the water works the town
voted TO Mr.. GEORGE II. NORMAN, the
contractor, and, we believe the largest
owner, the exclusive right of laying
pipes in the town and gave him all the
pipes then laid, this franchise to
extend for 80 years. The
plant was made exempt from
taxation and the town also voted to
give Mr.. NORMAN $4,000 year for fire
purposes, public buildings. and three
public watering places in the streets.
The town of Warren also voted Mr..
NORMAN $4,000 for the same purposes.
Now the contract reads that IN case
the town should deem it expedient to
purchase the plant they could do
so after 10 years or before 10
years. In case of the town wish
ing to purchase they must, at
regularly called or special town
meeting, vote to purchase. and the fur
ther agreement between the town and
Mr.. NORMAN, in case of purchase being
voted, was that the town must appoint
an arbitrator, the Water Company do
ing likewise and the two appointing a
third, and whatever terms they agreed
upon would consummate the sale.
After the town had voted to put in
water a corporation was formed, known
as the Bristol and Warren Water Works
Company. Ex-Governor WARDwELL pur-
chased stock, Hon. ISAAC F. WILLIAMS,
purchased stock, and ORRIN l.. Bos-
WORTH also purchased stock, and
at the organization of the company
they were elected directors, the
corporation then being IAsAc f.
WILLIAMS, president; GEORGE NORMAN
WEAVER, treasurer; and directors were
as follows: The above two, Messrs.
WARDwELL. GEORGE II. NORMAN,
ORRIN L. BoswoRTH, HUGH X. NOR
MAN. BENJAMIN M. BoswoRTH, Colonel
MARTIN and SIDNEY DEAN, the three
latter being from Warren. On the
death of Colonel WILLIAMS, Mr.. HUGH
K. NORMAN was made and is now the
president.
The rates for water have been $s a
faucet, but last year a reduction of one
dollar was made.
With view to the purchasing feature
of the contract commission has for
some time been at work to report to the
town advising in the matter. This COM
mission is composed of Hon. JOSHUA
WILBoUR, Mr.. EZRA DIXON, Mr..
CHARLES HERREsHoFF, Mr.. HEzEKIAH
w. CHURCH and Major BRADFORD, and
it is a matter Of public knowledge that
this commission will present an unani-
nous report on Saturday recommending
the purchase of the water works
by the town. The basis of this opinion
is found in figures which we find
printed in the Bristol Phoenix, from
which 1t would appear that Bristol folk
pay good deal too much money for
their water, and that at less cost to
the householdcrs, corporations and town,
the same service would return hand
some profit into the town treasury.
1t is a matter Of familiar knowledge
that the water works of the city of
Providence are run by the municipal
corporation at small profit with an
amazingly less cost to the con-
sumner than maintains at Bristol.
But the Bristol committee seeks
only to point to the lesson dem
onstrated by figures of the service
in towns of about the size of Bristol.
Bristol rates are 81 for one faucet and
IS apiece for other faucets. AS COM
pared with the rates in half dozen
similar communities, this price is heav-
ier by half dollar to dollar and in
the matter Of closet and bath tub and
stable equipment Bristol pays as much
as two dollars or two dollars and half
more than her sister cities, while hose
charges are from five to seven dollars
more, the price for hose service in
Bristol being $40 year, and in no other
town quoted is it more than S5 year.
The Bristol aud Warren Water Works
are capitalized, we believe. for $3.50, 900,
but this is probably largely water as the
plant, it is estimated. probably did not
cost 500, ,0o0-which was the amount of
the first capitalization. The last divi-
dend amounted TO ST. 800 which is : per
cent on tine over capitalization of $3.50, 600
and no per cent. at least on the real
value OF the plant. The Water Works
Company evidently enough has pretty
\ et.f. T. 10 = III