The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-20
WATER RATES TO VESSELS.
WHY CHARGE THEM so MUCH
MORE THAN OTHER CONSUMERS.

A Claim All Vessels and Tugs Might
Get Water From the Wharves at
the Regular Rates-MayOr Meyers
Says the Discussion Which Has
Deen Going on May Result I'm a
Change In the System of Furnish
ing Water 20 Vessels, But the
Present Contract Is For n Year.
The Council May Fix n License
For Selling Water to Vessels.
The discussion which has been carried
on over the contract for supplying wa
ter to vessels. and the right OF the city
to exclude all others from engaging in
the trafic except the company which Sc
cured the contract. has caused many peo-
pie to ask why the city should fix high
rate on water supplied to vessels.
That this is a tax on the commerce Of
the port is self-evident, and many people
would like to know why ships cannot be
furnished with water at the same rates as
other consumers. The ordinary consumer
pays Is cents a thousand gallons. less 10
per cent. The ships have to pay $50 a
thousand gallons with no discount. This
is just a slight discrimination of 81. s61k
a thousand gallons against the ships.
The question was put to Mayor Myers
yesterday in this light.
Il admit that there appears to be some
justice in that view" the mayor said.
but 1t must be taken into consideration
that a great deal Of the water to vessels
is supplied by tugs, which requires an ex-
pensive equipment, and the vessels are
often some distance from the point where
the water is taken. Sometimes the water
is conveyed to them at Tybee. The con-
tract recently made by the water commits
sion secures water to vessels at $3.50 per
1000 gallons less than they have hereto
fore obtained 1t.
But when a vessel is lying at a wharf
what is to prevent her taking water right
there without the Intervention of a tug.
and why should she pay any more than
any other consumer" the mayor was
asked.
"Vessels might be allowed to take
water in this manner" he replied, but
the water would have to be pumped from
the wharf through hose and there would
have to be an employee Of the water de-
partment on hand to superintend and as
certain the amount of water obtained.
Another thingi that there is no way Of
| measuring water obtained in this man
ner from the wharves, so you see there
are obstacles to this plan. They could
be overcome, however, and for my part
] see no reason why vessels should not
be allowed to take water in this manner.
AS no complaints have ever been made
| by the shipmasters on account OF the
| price of water, this subject has never
come up. The present discussion may re-
suit in bringing about some such
arrangement as has been suggested
when the city's contract with the Pro-
| peller Towboat Company xpires. This
contract is for one year, and we have the
| opinion of the city attorney that 1t is a
| legal contract"
IF the city cannot prevent the rival
| towboat line from furnishing water from
| private wells to vessels at a less rate than
the price fixed in the contract with the
| Propeller Towboat Company, how is the
| city to protect that company in its con-
| tract?" Mayor Myers was asked.
This is a question which has not yet
/ been passed upon by council and 1 am not
| prepared to answer it," was the reply.
The mayor was asked II the best plan
would not be to allow all vessels and tugs
| to take water from the wharves
at the regular price to consumers and
| then let the tugs make a reasonable
| charge for the work of conveying the
water to vessels removed from the
wharves. He replied that this might be
| the result, but heis not ready to discuss
\ the matter further at the present stage.
There is a called meeting of coun-
! Gil this afternoon and 1t is very
| likely that the water question win come
| up in some form. 1t may be that an or
dinance will be introduced fixing license
| for the business of supplying water to
| vessels.