The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-01
WATER AT A QUARTER CENT.
CITY AND TUG BOAT COMPANIES
REACH AN AGREEMENT.

The Contract of the Propeller Tow
boat Company AnnuIIed and Wat
err to He Furnished Vessels by Both
the Tug Lines at $3.50 For 1000
GaIIons-The $500 License Ordi-
nance VIII Not Be Passed.
The disputed question of supplying wa
ter to vessels in the port has been settled
and that in a manner which should be sat
isfactory to everybody.
The contract of the water commission
with the Propeller Tow Boat Company is
to be annulled and water is to be supplied
by the city to- any tug boat company de-
string it at the rate Of 80 cents per 1000
gallons. The tug boat companies are to be
placed under. contract to charge vessels
not exceeding $50 per 1000 gallons
This is a big drop in the prices charged
vessels, from $50 to $50. and a still great
er drop from the old price of $40 per 1000
gallons The new rate is only one-fourth Of
a cent gallon and is less than the rate
charged for supplying water to vessels at
any southern port The vessels are the
gamers by this arrangement.
does away with the monopoly of the water
business on the river front, and high
rates for supplying water to vessels. The
credit for this departure is due to Chair
man Dixon of the water commission, who,
seeing that the interests of the city would
be better secured by a different arrange
ment from that which the commission
had entered into with the Propeller Tow
boat Company, took steps to place the
business on a different basis. Mr.. Dixon
expressed his views on the subject to
Mayor Myers, and the latter agreeing
with him, requested him to invite a con-
ference with Mr.. Cummings. The latter
promptly acQuiesced, and after he and the
mayor had discussed the matter awhile
MIR. Doxin was sent for. The arrangement
proposed was satisfactory to Mr.. Cum
mings, and he so expressed himself. All
that he desired was to be placed on the
same footing as his competitors in the
matter of furnishing water. This knocks
out the $500 license, which council pro-
posed to require Of every company dealing
in water on the river. There would be
no money in the business at the reduced
rate with that amount of license.
Chairman Dixon, when seen by a Morn
ing News reporter. said that while the
Propeller Towboat Company had not been
officially notified of the intention of the
commission, the company had been made
aware of the intention OF the commission
unofficially and was agreeable to its ac-
ton.
Gould you have annulled the contract
without the consent of the Propeller Tow
boat Company? Mr.. Dixon was asked
Yes" he replied. I'VE reserved the
right in making the contract to annul it
at any time"
My only purpose throughout the whole
matter" continued Mr.. Dixon, has been
to serve the best interests of the city.
When we called for bids for the contract
and awarded the contract to the highest
bidder | felt satisfied that we had done
the best thing for the city in decreasing
the cost Of water to vessels and at the
same time increasing the city's revenue
from this source. After the thorough dis
cussion of the matter, which has been
carried on in the newspapers, however,
concluded that it would be better still
for the city to TX much lower rate to
vessels and open the business to compe-
tition The water commission has no in
terest In the fight between the two tug
boat companies. Had Mr.. Cummings
line made a higher bid in the first in
stance. 1t would have been awarded the
contract, and doubtless the fight would
have been made b. the other Any
believe the new arrangement will prove
satisfactory 10 everybody"
Mr.. Dixon said that he has notihed Mr..
Cummings that he can get water to-day
if he wants it.