The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-18

The CORPORATION counsel or such special
counsel as may be employed b. TIE city
a. his assistant sor this purpose. Is here
lgy authorized 20 proceed "a TIE name Of
the city 20 secure the same By condsmua-
ton proceedings. Payment for ali sEch
real estate. rights. easements or privi-
ieres shall be made from SUITS obtained
b. tbs sale q warrants 70 the contractor
as hareinbefore provided BY this section.
or from such ether funds as the city coun-
eli may authorize
ssFrom such ether funds the city
council may authorize" IN pretty wide
IoophoIe. who il 10 regulate the amount
thus 70 be appropriate?
II looks lik. a very simple proposition
to pay the new debt out OF the revenues
OF the water department. But the fact
IL that IL the money is thus 70 be diverted
IL leaves the present Indebtedness for the
pumping plant, $4,000. 10 be met In
some other way. Nov the annual inter-
est OF saz5 Is paid cut OF the revenues
Of the water department. but If that Is
taken away 20 pay the new debt. the s52.-
50 must be raised BY general tax levy
OF az mills. The revenue OF the Depart
ment. besides paying that interest. leaves
a surplus Of nearly $500 a year avail
able for extensions. II. as proposed. that
IS also diverted to pay the new debt. we
must pay for extensions OF the mains out
Of additional taxation.
The present pumping capacity Is nomin-
ally 1900 900 gallons daily. but il is prob
ably not more than s.0Oo.cD0. AS the gross
income is about &C. GO a month. the aver
age number Of consumers cannot be more
than 5000. or. allowing four persons 10
each paying consumer. g. 90 persons using
city water Allowing the enormous aver
age OF 30 gallons day 10 each person.
the consumption would be only $4,000.
Why. therefore. should we be taxed at
the rate OF stss a day several years before
we need 10 be, in order TO have a supply
OF 25.Oo0.O00 gallons day when we are not
consuming by long way what we are
now paying FORE The city is under obli-
cations OF various kinds 10 pay interest at
the rate OF $50 day now: why add sls6
day to II?
Not much more than 80 per cent. OF the
taxes for this year have been paid in;
the school district alone is short nearly
10000 Of It's revenue on account Of these
unpaid taxes; aud there is only about
5000 in the city treasury interest fund
with which to meet about $4,000 in Deem
Der.
Is the situation not serious enough with
out rushing into more debt?
The only reason urged for the haste is
that private corporation is likely TO Sc
cure control OF the supply. Suppose it
does; the only way by which it can be
utilized is by the expenditure of over
s.. 10000 at least, ard by bringing the wa
ter into the city for power. The city owns
the distributing system, and the company
cannot lay pipes or put up poles for cleo
trie wires or in any way utilize the power
except il be granted franchise by the
city council. If the company will not
consent TO such terms as shall secure TO
the city now the right to take the supply
when we need IL, the city can refuse TO
grant a franchise, and tho company can
whistle for a return on its expenditure
for the next ten or fifteen years. There
master OF the situation without going
into debt 10 tho extent of sl.250,O00 over
It's constitutional limit and to the extent
Of $3.50 a day or at least $4,000 a year out
lay for something We Will not seriously
want for several years.