The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-27

years as pure and good a supply OF water
IS any city needs. Many Cites have spent
hundreds q thousands q dollars Tor sex
ting reservoirs for their gravity systems.
While We have the most magnificent SCI
ting reservoir ever made right AZ OUT
doors. without expense. / have inquired
out carefully the increased amount OF
money that viii have 70 BE- pad by me
taxpayers each year Il the proposed 1eQ1r
river plan IS adopted. and find We can not
get out with less than an added burden
Of 5000 per year. The fact that the Sc
attic Power Company is trying 70 furnHsh
water 70 the cry has n1thfrE 70 co with
the case whatever. The city IS perfectly
independent q any corporation Or iadt-
vi1ual. We have Lake washington 70
pump from. and no company would dare
70 spend any money n = water system 70
supply Seattle without first making 4
contract with the city; Or Il they were 50
foolish a. . spend any money for SUCH a
purpose the city could then buy them out
for a cents on the dollar Of the actual cost,
II II so chose. II we vote 10 pay 4 million
and A quarter IN warrants 10 put IN TINS
gravity system. # viii be but a short time
when We VII need several hundred thou
sand dollars 70 enlarge and extend the
pipe lines in the city. and NE will wake up
70 the fact that We VIII have no borrow
ing power for the reason that all the water
receiuts. above the actual operating ex-
EFAaSFNr rs 80 t&FA EANA~@ ~
Of the principal and interest OF
these warrants. Not only that. but the in
terest or the 81. ~. 90 water bonds issued
on the present plant. having 10 be raised
hy direct taxation. VIII have 50 increased
our taxes as 10 have reduced our ability TO
pay more. ANY city which mortgages it.
self indirectly in order 10 escape a state
law some day wakes up to the fact that
the money loaner makes no distinction be
tween a direct bonded debt and
a warrant debt secured by mortgage
on our largest resource, /. O., the income
from the water department.
\ Power Consumers Standpoint.
VI. II. Young-I am decidedly opposed 10
the city mourning any more debt for a
purpose OF that kind. IN the first place,
/ do not think 4 is a necessity, and in the
second place. the city can protect itself
In such a way that when II has arrived
at the financial condition which will war
rant it in making the purchase il can do
so. l believe the Seattle Power Company
can build the system certainly S90.000
cheaper than the city can. / do not be
l!eve the city wants TO go into the business
Of contracting for light and power for
outside parties. and il is much better 10
have the power company handle that bus
mess entirely. | am SIRE 1t could COM
pete II in less time than the city could
do Il. and the ultimate benefit to the city
|1f- ~ ~NA@N an AAAt jim z L.
as a corporation, for furnishing power to
manufacturer who might come here
much better than the city. My connection
with the street railway systems here leads
me TO believe that Il the company carries
its proposition through it will be able TO
furnish power TO the different lines here
at a great saving TO the companies, and
that is hardly a business the city would
want 10 go into anyway. But my
principal objection to the plan is
that ii would hurt the credit OF the city
10 entertain a proposition to issue any
more warrants. for any purpose whatever.
We are nearly up to our limit of debt,
and a good business man in his in
dividual affairs would never entertain
such a proposition. | n see the
slightest reason for the city doing so,
as long as it can 90 TO work and secure
the rights and privileges, TO be taken ad-
vantage of in the future when it is inan-
ciaIly able TO meet the Obligation. a per-
son who goes up to the county treasurer's
office and looks over the tax rolls. even
II he knew nothing about the condition of
affairs as they exist. would make up his
mind that the people were burdened for
about all they could stand in the way of
taxes. and to increase their load. with the
outlook no better than it Is at present. Is, 10
say the least. a very unhuSinesshke propO-
sition We have advertised Seattle as one
OF the healthiest cities in the Northwest.
and We have done it in the face OF the fact
that we have heen drinking Lake Wash
ington water all the time. / am in
favor Of the proposition TO secure the City's
water from Cedar river by the gravity
system. but I do not believe the time has
come for the city 10 construct the neces-
sary works 10 deliver that water here.