The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-03-20
PROTECTION FROM
DISASTER BY FIRE
Is Had at the Expense Of the Goa
SumcrS OF Mater, Whose Burdcn
iSa Heavy One,
JUST So MUCH MONEY NEEDED
The rayment Ut One Dollar FER Auuum ret
n,drant Mil M, leSSeu tNPraSe TO
Consumers TaN paNerS ShSuld Nc
turn Portion Oi Their GainS,

The action proposed ny Chairman Me
GyNagur. ~ tho firc and water committee
At tho meeting ot the city council We'd
ntS,Asay night has met with scncral ar
prONa throughout the city. II ts thought
hy some, however. that tho proposition
toss not cover enough ground IL Is
considered that Il ls now rmiuontly prop
or for the city to rsluco It's CNpoiisvs by
doing away with the prvcnt nrc dc'
partmcnt. ana organizing hose COM
pauics In an interview with nr kin-
nCy that gentleman thought tho city
would eNcn mako money 10y making the
department paid department with
probably q volunteer company on thr
hills. where the interests OF residents
would induce them to turn out willingly
at any tlmo To protect their houses.
InvoStigatiou of the whole question AZ
the otticp of tho water coumolssion.
brought out u number OF valuable facts,
In reply TO numerous questions, Mr II.
q. Nanpuscn secretary ot the commis-
sion. said
This whole matter Is simply one Of
cost and expense between the consumers
and the tax payers. II the city council
and representative tax payers don't pro-
pose that the consumers shall bv taken
mers down TO light between the con-
sumcrs and tho council The water com.
mission Is not taking any part either with
one side or the other. Il has Just one
thing TO do. and that Is to secure enough
revenue with which 70 meet It's hScd
obligations. The oOst OF maintaining the
present plant. including the interest On
the bonds, Is about SsSUO per year The
receipts of the Department last year un.
der the old system OF rates. WERE about
$500 In order 10 meet tho necessary
expenses this year the rates wcrv raised
almost hrty par cent. by which it was
estimated that the commission would he
able TO produce an additional SANo. With
a chance oC getting another &,0O from
new consumers Now. II the taxpayers
would assume. II you please. In the way
OF an allowance Or rental for flrc ny
drHnts throughout the city, say twenty
per cent OF the cost OF the maintenance
OF the plant SS.0O. and which Is equal
10 about one third OF tho yearly Interest
ON the bonds. the rates can be put back
again 10 where they wcrc before the
advance was made. Th' present arrange
ment was only a temporary one made by
the commission to cover the rNigvncirs
OF tho situation. IL was anticipated at
the time that there would b. no hrsita-
tion on the part OF the city council TO
appropriate this SEQ and that Il would
only be a fair tax upon the owners OF
property who have hccn so largely and
directly heneftted by the new water
system. The fun amount necessary TO
maintain the plant Is now being paid
by the consumers. II Is great burden
on very many. Even under the Old ar
rangcment Il was found very dificuit
by a large proportion OF the consumrrs
TO raise the 81 per month. and now that
the rate Is $3.50. II Is really hardship
felt by all. The majority Ot consumers
are people living on small incomes. sal.
ariei clerks. and not a few arc poor
washerwomen making their daily bread
by hard labor. and having to pay
heavy tax FOR the water which they ar
compelled TO use Looking at the mat.
ter therefore from every standpoint.
there would appear TO be no Iustir, In
making the ordinary consumers pay so
largely FOR the benefit OF the big prop
erty owners The tax payers can wrIl
aford 10 pay the ~ per cent which Is
thought 10 bc their Just proportion OF
the cost Of carrying on the works
Another thing. Insurance premiums In
this town. have been reduced % per cent.
or 5000 per year. on. all classes OF
buildings. This ls Il great gain 10 the
tax payers. and the question Il well
asked whether they cannot afford 10 pay
the % per cent OF the cost OF maintaining
the new water system which gave them
this great advantage"