Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-08-28
THE WATERWORKs QUESTION.
Communication from a Weu-POsted Git
izen-His Views of the Matt er
as a Taxpayer.

izen-His Views of the Matt er
as Taxpayer.
I'VE have been handed the following com
municatiOn on waterWOrkS from We'll
known citizen, with request 10 puol1sh.
Deeming all phases and all sides or this I'M
portant question worthy Of publicity and con-
sideration, we give it space.-EDIToR.l
Editor Republican,: 1t is pleasant to
read in the papers that $4,000 are In
sight for waterworks, but not so agree
able to hear that string is attached to
some of the subscriptions which may
make them imperative. The two COM
mittees having the matter In charge do
not seem to be working exactly IN uni
son. The one appointed by the COM
mon council has in view plant which
shall on completion be turned over to
the city, the latter pledglng the water
company each year such an amount for
hydrant rentals as will pay per cent.
on the investment; and in addition
shall pay a fair percentage for the
wear and tear or depreciation of the
works, the sums SO paid to be credited
to the city whenever it desires to pur-
chase the system at Its actual cost
value" There is no excuse for any
misunderstanding as to this, for the
committees report, adopted by the
council, was printed in all the city pa
pers and has been the talk Of the town.
Now comes the proposed water COM
pany, or some of its members, with an
entirely different plan, which may be
summarized as follows:
l. A franchise running twenty five
years, the water company to control
and operate the plant until the city
shall have made full payment for the
same.
2. The city to retain an option of
purchasing the plant at stated periods,
at the original cost.
8. The city to pay fixed hydrant
rental annually for stated number of
hydrants, sufficient to pay the COM
pany 6 per cent. interest on the invest
ment.
4 The company to keep true ac-
count Of all moneys received from
private consumers of water, and after
paying all necessary running expenses
the surplus to be put every year into
sinking fund to be deducted from the
cost of the plant when the city is ready
to purchase.
s. ALI extensions, betterments and
repairs of plant to be paid out of the
sinking fund.
6. The plant to be free from taxa
ton.
Now, however desirable waterworks
may be, the probability is they will not
be acquired on any such terms; at least
during the lifetime of the present city
ad administration. The water company
wants for nothing franchise which is
worth to it some thousands of dollars.
Not one of the subscribers to this fund
would hesitate to pay handsome pre-
MUM to any one who will guarantee
him per cent. interest on loan for
twenty-five years, with the additional
contingent 3, or per cent.
which the investment may be made
to pay. The only wonder is that on
terms such as these the entire amount
of $4,000 was not subscribed in a sim
gle day Certainly no such bonanza as
this ought to 90 begging for takers over
tWenty-four hours.
[ have been, and am now IN favor Of
dealing with home capitalists, giving
them an opportunity to do good thing
for themselves and the city if they
want to, the idea being that more gen.
erous treatment would naturally be re-
ceived from them than from outsiders;
and that the private consumption of
water, and consequent profit in the un-
dertaking, would be greater. All things
being even, would now give them the
preference, but if their terms are less
| favorable to the city than those obtain
| able abroad, then the city should look