The record-union., 1896-04-15
A SHAMEFUL THING.

The position of the Board of Trus-
tees Of this city on the water supply
question is not paralleled by that Of
any municipal body that has preceded
it. 1t Is now making ready to pay out
about twenty thousand dollars of the
peoples money to fasten upon them per-
manently a water supply system which
the people by a vote have condemned
and ordered to be supplanted by clear
water supply.
In the face of the mandate of the
electors of the city the Trustees coolly
and defantly proceed to do the very
thing that the people declared should
not be done. Had the Trustees been
true to their duty the old Water Works
plant might by this date have been
laid up in tallow and rags, the clear
water machinery have been in full oper-
alton, and the new supply be deliver
ing in every household in the city
at no greater cost to the people than of
the present supply with the advantage
added Of purity, clearness and general
excellence Of the water, a new east and
west great main, and the reputation Of
the city bettered throughout the land,
with consequent Improvement Of busi-
ness and enhancement Of property
values.
The Trustees have steadily declared
that they are in favor Of a clear water
supply; that they do not wish to fasten
the present disgraceful and damaging
system upon the city; that they really
wish to abandon 1t. But while thus
protesting they proceed to contradict
and discredit their declarations by pay
Ing Sl2,1OO for another pump, $1,000
for land on which to plant It and
VITA so to patch up the old Water
Works building, total of S19,244 so
for that which the people do not want
do not need, and which will serve to
fasten upon them a system they have
by their votes commanded and ordered
abandoned.
OF course, when 1t Is again proposed
to bring in clear water and correct the
system Of mains SO as to place them
right end to-" 1t will be said that it
must be postponed because so much has
been expended for a new pumping plant,
and for renovating the old Water
Works, that the taxpayers cannot
stand 1t. The real reason Is, however.
and will be, so long as the present sys-
tenn is maintained, that it enables the
push" to get in its pretty work; it
enables political servitors to be re-
warded with fat jobs and places; it en-
ables contracting manufacturers to
draw down large sums of money from
the treasury, though it may well be
doubted whether any such ever get out
Of the city with all of it.
But suppose there was sincerity in
the declarations Of official desire to
abandon the river as source Of water
supply, why then IL the contract
the people authorized by their votes was
unsatisfactory, did not the authorities
proceed to bring In the clear water
themselves? What was there to pre-
vent them placing the necessary pumps
on the east sideinstead of fsupplementing
the old river plant? But not even the
faintest suggestion Of such an attempt
was made.
In short, the whole manipulation by
which another pumping plant is set up
to hoist in Folsom Prison juice and de-
liver it as potable water to the people
at so much a month per house and tank
and tub, is disgraceful shameless and
objectionable. We understand, of
course, the specious and sophistical
reasoning that is advanced in re-
ply. 1t Is said that the new contract
gave away the right Of the people to
own their Water Works, which is not
true; that it placed the taking OF water
rates in the hands of a corporation.
which Is untrue; that the peo-
pie did not understand what
they were voting for, which is an insult
to their intelligence warranted by moth
ing but the unblushing mendacity of
those who dare to advance such a "rea-
SON.; thatinthe experimental tests it did
not develop a satisfactory water supply.
which Is true as measured by the salts
faction OF the Board Of Trustees, but
which II Q lie In the light Of reports Of