The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-08
FIXING WATER RATES,
Property-OWnerS Begin to Dis
cusS the Proposed Hy-
drant Tax.
w. r. Sherwood Asserts That the
Raise Would Be an Injustice
to Taxpayers.

The proposition now before the Water
Committee of the Board of Supervisors
touching a plan for raising the rent for
sewer-fushing plugs and freplugs from
81 so per month to $40 per month is at
tracing the attention of many taxpayers
in this city. This is matter of so much
Importance that it deserves careful con-
sideration. Both sides of the water ques-
ton will be discussed in the CALL. and all
interested citizens will be given an oppor-
tunity to express their opinions. This
course will be taken in order that COM
plete argument may be presented to the
Supervisors before final action in fixing
the water rate is taken. Citizens of good
standing will be invited to aid in the solu-
ton of the problem by such expressions of
opinion as their good judgment may
suggest.
1t is timely at this moment to give pub
lie notice that anonymous communica-
tons in regard to the water question will
receive no attention at this Office.
The first gentleman to speak upon this
question is W. r. Sherwood. Yesterday
he said:
81 do not believe there is any justice in
L
Spring Valley Water Company and it may
do me some good financially to see such
rate brought about, but there are other
interests of much more Importance which
would be greatly injured. Suppose the
Supervisors, through the Water Commit
tee, reduce the rate on water for household
use so that it will be cheaper to the small
consumer, and then, on the other hand,
raise the hydrant rate from 81 80 to $40,
the burden of the bill would fall first on
the City, and from the City on the tax
payers, who will have to pay it.
MANY of the Supervisors are pledged to
their parties to reduce the consumers rate
10 per cent, and if they succeed in doing
that it will be double hardship when they
are confronted with request to go down
in their pockets and pay the City bill for
hydrants.
eve now pay $4,000 for something in
the neighborhood of 300 hydrants, and if
the $40 rate was established it would mean
$276 900. This is absolutely exacting
money from the City without adequate re-
turn, and would at once add per cent to
our taxes. At the SO rate the water COM
pany would do everything to increase the
number of plugs, and it would soon mount
up to 10 per cent.
'The result would be to keep away in
dustries and capital, suspend improvements
and otherwise injure the future of San
Francisco.
"In other cities the custom is to grant
franchise only when the companies supply
all necessary water for city use free of
charge.
"Here, however. the Supreme Court de-
cided that the Spring Valley Company was
entitled to 81 so a month for each hydrant.
There is no telling whether or not they
will be allowed to raise it to $40.
"If such movement succeeds it will de-
preciate property by increasing taxation
all over the City and the valuation of City
real estate will go down many hundreds
of thousands of dollars.
''There is no reason why the Spring Val
ley should not pay some of the expense of
protecting the City from fire, as it does
them as much good, if not more, than any,
body else.
Suppose one of our big blocks should
burn to the ground, it would at once cut
off the revenue of the water company, yet
it pays nothing to protect this income. On
the other hand, we pay them. 1 am but
one of numberless property-owners who
object to the proposed increase, and for
good and sufficient reasons, which l be-
lieve 1 have stated"