The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-03-20
AQUA PVRA
is WHAT E F. WEBSTER WOULD
PREFER.
Mr.. Webster has no Desire to Renew
His War Experience by Drink
ing Surface Water, From
Huntington.

public concerning the cost and value Of
Two systems of waterworks that have
claimed the attention Of our citizens dur
ing the last year.
Your correspondent "W," in your is
sue Of the 18TH, refers to my position
and says: ''Mr. 4. f. Webster believes
that the interest on the extra $l5, 900 can
never be paid, and will be perpetual
nightmare unless the tax levy is raised.
There is no reason for disbelieving the
result of his figuring" The last SEN
tence above quoted is entirely correct,
and it is absolutely the only correct
statement in that portion of his article
referring to my attitude upon the water
works question. Your readers will de-
tect at glance the falacies Of his prem
ises. My premises are correct and my
conclusions cannot be refuted. l hasten
to assure "W" that believe that the in
terest can be paid, and in the dim future
aportiOn at least of the principal.
''W'' says: During the last thirty
years this corporation has pail for
schOOl-hOuses. opera house, sewers and
improvements, 100000" He neglected
to state that our schOOl-hOuses were paid
for from funds procured 10y leyieS for
school purposes. During the most of the
period named, and so far rs know, dur
ing all of it, the school levy has never
been below seven mills and has much Of
the time been, and now is, nine mills.
''W'' well knows that not dollar OF the
school fund ever has been or ever can be
under the control of the corporation. lie
also neglects to state that large portion
Of the cost of the opera house was borne
by the township, only $4,3G6.S7
having been paid by corporation tax.
Iie also seems Oblivious Of the fact that a
considerable portion Of the road bonds
yet remain unpaid Thoughtful readers
Will bear iii mind that the comparatively
small portion of "W's" 100000 that
was actually paid by corporation tax,
was paid from time to time on compare
lively small bend issues, thus saving The
enormous accumulation Of interest that
must result from our proposed $50 900
issue. 1t will also be remembered that
much Of the time our school expenses
have been decidedly less than they
nov are, and our tax duplicate much
larger than it is at the present tim
Nv" further says:"We are practical
ly out of debt" 5000 may look like a
small amount to man in the drug trade,
but in view of the well-knOwn fact that
in case it is decided to issue the full $780,
900 waterwcrks bonds, the road bonds
must be refunded and made payable after
the maturity of the issue Of the water
works bonds, it may appear to "W's'
grandchildren, who thirty or forty years
hence will doubtless be annually paying
taxes to apply on the interest on this $7,-
200 that We were not practically out OF
debt" in 1895.
"W" carelessly misstates my position
when he asserts that do not concede the
possibility of revenue from the gravity
system. | have always admitted reve-
nue. sufficiently large to cover the ex-
penses Of running the plant. do not
believe that the revenue from such water
as it is now proposed to procure will
greatly exceed that cost, and some of the
advocates of the gravity system agree
with me.
'W' further says: "lIe forgot to state
even that the $1,000 saved in the run
ming expenses over the standpipe system
will pay the interest on the extra $l5,-
COO with a surplus of $3.50 which may be
applied to payment Of the principal.
There is profit instead of loss. Instead
of borrowing $4,000 to pay back in prin
cipal and interest the enormous sum of
$4,000, there will be simply the princi-
pal and no interest" In the foregoing
statement we have mathematics with
vengeance, and all unfairnesS OF state
ment that is amazing when it is remem-
bered that "W'' intends to be Il candid
and truthful man. His enthusiasm has
quite run away with his reason and has
apparently completely absorbed his bus
iness sense. "W's" memory is lamenta-
hly deficient, or his mathematics are
hOpelessly bad. "W" and l trained in
she same company last year. We were
both enthusiastically in favor Of the
water system then proposed at the price
that was guaranteed to us, to wit: res
ervoir backed by an ample watershed,
water twenty feet deep giving excellent
sedimentatiOn, and supplemented by q
complete and perfect system Of sand FL
tratiOn furnishing clear, excellent,
healthful water, suitable for dining
room and kitchen, and at q cost not to
Hxceed $4,000. 'W" well knows that
we all then claimed and believed and
still so believe that such water would
be generally taken by our citizens and
chat the revenue from such water sup
ply would after from three to five years
reach an amount that would not only
entirely extinguish the cost Of running
the plant, but that thereafter it would
annually furnish handsome sum to
r