The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-05
BEHOLD THE FIGURES
Folly of Gravity Water Scheme
Clearly Shown.
IT WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE
To Increase the Rcveuue Would Require
Increase OF Rate to tho Con-
surner-A Demonstration
1T WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE

.na proposed gravity water supply - 4n-
busluesa-like az the present Time D. u
Gilman hsa made n thorough inquiry into
the comparative cost Of the pumping HEa-
.eYu and the gravity system. and has dem
.ussrafed from the figures submitted ~
the council that the cost 81 Cedar river
water al present would BE- excessive. ana
that the city, under the new system, wound
IN no wise be relieved from the burden Or
interest on the power plant r =. Kill
bourne takes up a phase ~ the question
hitherto in the background. and SHOWS
that the revenue Of the water department
cannot be increased Without Increasing the
rate paid by the consumer. Dtner business
men take a decided stand against the Or
cinance.
fhorIty on the water question. yesterday
made the following careful COMPARISON
Of expenses OF the proposed gravity sys-
tern wlth tbs present pumping system;
Tho Interest wouid 60 On.
IF we had no water system now and
were DESTROYS n obtaining one for a city
OF 10000 inhabitants. I think every one
would c0ncede that tine gravity system
would be the best. for. although II would
cost more for construction. the operating
expenses would be less. But we nave
pumping system now Oh which We owe
great deal Of money, and we are PAVING
So 90 interest on the same, and VIII con
finue doing 70 until the debt Is 0Dliteraicd.
Therefore IL wo should row change the
pumping 70 a gravity system. We would
cave tae pumping Office mains. domestic
aervice. motors and hydrant expenses only.
which, according 20 the report u the joint
committee 81 tho board Of aldermen and
the house ~ delegates is 81 .965sj but the
interest would stiii 70 on. The expense
Tor the construction 81 the gravity system
g. placed At 81 Zb.B1 Interest on when
90 Z =
ing as the first charge 81 expense against
the new system. and according 70 the re-
port ar the ao8Ve committee. the expense
for supplying tie amount ~ water now
used throughout the city. Including eE-
penses for office. mains. domestic service,
meters and hydrants. a. an present, would
ba 80 SO ~ per annum for Cedar river
water The expense for office. mains. do
nestle service. meters ana hydrants y, as
shown By the committee report. xlS,S3hS.
leaving only SG.4s970 OF the above SO, SOS -
for deterioration and maintenance OF cams,
gates. gate-houses and fourteen miles or
pipe line together with salaries OF officers
and men FOR operating gates. watching
and keeping the same IN order. The sum
n entirely inadequate. az any one having
any experience In such matters must
KNOW Three times that amount would be
none too much.
Cedar River Water Too Expensive.
But We will take the company's figures
and show the result: Interest on N,2J9,-
90 for construction. $3.50. operating eN-
pelses. SO, $3.50 making an annual cost
10 the city for the Cedar river water OF
s.. 1850 Deducting the pumping and
operating expenses of the present sys-
TEN. Sll. ssaSi would leave a balance Of
SO $50 20 now. and for many years 90 come,
in favor OF the pumping system. That
means that the expense To the city Tor
the Cedar river water for several years 20
come would bc $1,000 70 more than Is now
paid for Lake Washington water.
Increased Taxation Inevitable.
This amount could only be met by ad-
dition taxation. These figures are taken
from the report OF the joint committee, as
above stated, and can be verified 10y the
records in the water ofiice-all but the
S. 49q So which could only have been estl-
mated, aud the estimate must have been
made by some one not at all familiar wish
such work. as the amount Is not more
than one-third of what 1t would prove to
be in practice The 81 $4,000 additional
debt would not help our credit, nor encour-
age favorable immigration 10 our city.
The advocates Of the gravity system say
IL would be no debt against the city II
not against the city. IL would be against
something or somebody ana would have
10 ho paid. and ~ not by the citizens of
Seattle 10y NAtAih ne ttAHfiAtAff 81 :
that during eighteen months. or tao
years. which must elapse before the COM
pleiion of the plan proposed. the city
would he at absolutely no expense IN con-
necton with II. What does that mean?
II means that the city VIII try 90 con
tract with some party or parties 10 con-
struct the gravity system. taking for the
same the city's promise 20 pay-sou may
call IL what you Will
Can the CITY Anord Its
under such conditions the city would
find few that could bid on the work. and
those who could would add 50 per cent 10
what would be a fair cash price Tor such
work. Can our citizens afori e. pay the
price IN their present financial condition
FOR something they VIII not need for the
next ten or afteen years. our city coun-
eli IS I think. oyerZealous In this matter.
Let Il walt until the increase Of populA-
ton shall require the water and viii war
rant the expense. thsn so ahead about il
in "a business manner. arrange for the
money call for bids ola the basis that the
WORK VIII tee paid Tor as 81 progresses.
10y this method practical contractors
VIII come I'm with fair bids for jhc work.
and not syudicatvs with their 81 per cent
profit Money lenders viii have more con-
rdcuce IN our city. and we shall he able %
obtain cheaper money WITH lower taxes
We are pas ing vrg much more today for
our street paving than We would have
had 70 do had such an arrangement bcen
made for the money AMI bids called Tor
on cash basis Tire ctfN s uutH-ll -ttr-
dard should always De as hIEh PISS tH8t az
her citizens. ana he able to procure as
much for "a dollar as they can. ana sire
would a. s. we elected hcr guardians vith
a proper view ca their Htncss and when
elected kept them ln Office whlc they
were faithful 90 their duty.
- hope our htw charter viii go some
thing Ia Dmedy the evll of changing our
civ officers aud employees without cause.
about the time thcy have become familiar
Wft4 their duties. 1ur present system is
tttic short of Training school and a
very expensive ONE to the taxpayers
"A am ~ =lron1 hrl.sVe~ in ctvI service
REFORM for cur ctfy government"
Nothing len for Extensions.
r e. Melbourne, tn an Interview IN tA,
ordinance. EaNS. 'Taere SIS cre phase at
tAis water question wh.rH has hardly
been touche3 u.on in tAe many d.--8s.
ssaus that have Appeared in the rtw.si,s-
pors 81 }ste. Hot seAolIe~s and whole
districts fn different sections az IRE ctta
have applied ger ws-vr mains 90 be- cx.
tended. hut have bcea u5et vSlth the Pr
aporse That there Mere U0 Funds aNel1-
ahlr fer extensions The people tn tHa
Pouttus addition ana iu she Rratrn sfst-
ton have Sritd ffr water ana ther- va,
none Al th5s 1irue teere was plenty a..
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