The San Francisco call., 1897-03-27
Engineer schussler Explained
About the City's Con-
sumption.
A Talk on Meters and Other Matters
Before the Water Committee
Of the Supervisors.

animation of two witnesses and having
some fun with John Fitzgerald, who has
been fighting for many long years to have
the rates reduced to his figures.
Supervisor Clinton presented petition
for IoYe- rates, and made speech in
favor OF certain newspaper, which, if the
speech could have been heard or read by
the civilized world, would have been
worth 81 line
81 The first witness was George Won Staden
#hf 501 Davis street. He complained that
vhe was charged So 80 per month for a
watering trough in front of his property,
corner of Bush and Scott streets. The
water which filed his trough came
through q meter. He was charged for the
meter measure ment and 50 so extra for the
same water after it got into the trough.
Mr.. Won Staden added that every horse
that drank out of the trough was charged
for In the stable where it lodged so that
the witness believed that the company
collected three times for the water in the
trough. His total water rate was $5 20 per
month for house of two flats and gro
cery-store.
Peter Quinlan of the water company
took the bill from the witness and said
that the com plainanI was not being
charged by meter but by hxed rate per
month. Meters had not been read in four
years since the passage of the ordinance
by the Supervisors prohibiting the meter
charges in private houses. Meters were
read only in factories and other business
places.
In response to question by Supervisor
Britt Mr.. Won Staden said that his bill was
the same for every month and thai man
came and "sook'' his meter every month
also. The witness was rather misty con-
cerning the meter.
Charles &. Carlton complained of the
rates for water for mixing lime and
cement. He said that the charge should
be one and three-quarter cents for each
barrel OF lime and cents Tor each barrel
of cement:
Mr. Quinlan said that the rates were
based on those of Eastern cities. They
ran from to 10 cents in the East, but
hundreds of dollars worth of water were
used in each building in the East, whereas
but very small quantity of water was
used in the ordinary buildings of this
City, hence the rate was higher.
Mr.. Carlton stated that he had not paid
anything;for water in the last eight years,
and Mr.. QuinIan replied t. at that was
because the company had not canght Mr..
Carlton using its water for mixing lime
and cement for building houses. He was
not charged for water used in building
sidewalks.
Carlton hand over to the board the monev
he had saved during the past eight years
by not paying for his water, the money TO
be placed in the fund for the unemployed.
r. II. Stettin had paid nothing for three
years to the water company, but for the
last month or 50 Mr.. Perley, an employe
OF the Spring Valley Company, had col
lected 10 cents barrel for each parrel of
cement and 20 cents for each thousand OF
brick wet down.
Mayor Phelan called attention to the
fact that the schedule price for water for
wetting down brick was only 10 cents.
The witness insisted that he had been
charged 20 cents by Mr. Perley. He was
positive of that fact.
Mr. Quinlan explained that Mr.. Periey
was employed by the company at a salary
and that he was not allowed to collect in
excess of schedule rates and that he had
not done so.
On motion of Mr.. Smith the company
was ordered TO produce the contract made
between Mr.. Stettin and the water COM
pany.
DR.. Rottanzi cited the case of woman
named Welsh who resided at South
Park and who was being charged water
rates. In 1892 her bills were S2 20 per
month; in 1893, 50 so; in 1894, $3 40; in
September, 1895, 81 80 was charged Tor $50
Gu bic feet, meier measurement; in Janu-
ary. 1897. the bill was SO 80; in February,
1897. 50 so; and in March, 1897 it was
$4 % The lady had few dodgers.
Mr.. Quinlen replied that that was prob
ably one OF the cases In which the rate
payer demanded meter.
"It seems TO me, said Supervisor Rot
tanzi, ''that the water com pany fixes up
its bills at its pleasure"
Mr. Quinlan explained that only $94 As
was collected from contractors for water
used in building purposes during the
month of January, 1897. He explained
that the rate charged for private persons
was 50 80 for 1000 feet.
John Fitzgerald was given permission
TO make q statement and TO ask questions
Iafterward. In answer TO questions by DR..
Rottanzi, Mr.. Fitzgerald said that the
water supplied by the Spring Valley
Company was of bad quality; that the
rates we're based on interest on much
dead property that was not used for tie
ACQUISITION. of or the storage OF water, and
that the value of the works is much below
the estimate made by the company.
Are you the composer of that song en-
titled, "Minnehaha. or Laughing Waters?
asked Mayor Phelan.
''Yes, replied the witness; II make my
living by writing poetry"
''By what meter DO you writer" asked
the Mayor amid burst of laughter.
Not as high as the Spring Valley me-
ters," responded Mr. Fitzgerald.
Mr.. QuinIan explained that the MINI
mum rate by meter was 81 so. He refused
to answer any questions put by Fitzgerald.
You all know" added Mr.. Quinlan,
"why this man is opposing the Spring
Valley Water Company and I don't pro-
pose to take any notice of him. | will an
swer any questions that may be asked by
the chair or by rate-payer or by a men,
ber of.the board. T"
Mr.. Fitzgerald was directed to prepare
written list OF questions and submit them
10 the chair.
Engineer Schussler was asked by DR..
Rottanzi as to the extent OF the water
theds of The company He replied that
those OF Pilareitos ana San Andreas put
together were l2L quare miles; that OF
Crystal Springs "a miles. The total area
of he direct heds was 50 or 80 miles.
Engineer Schussler of he Spring Valley
Water Company corrected a mistake that
had been made by some newspapers In
com menting upon certain testimony given
In 1887 by himself and Mr.. Lawrence. de-
ceased. Mr. Lawrence had testified that the
total consumption OF The Citv and County
of San Franciscn was "a 900 900 gallons per
dav on some days, Mr.. Schussler had
testified in the same case that it was
1000 600 gallons per day.
'.At that time" continued Mr.. Schuss-
Ter, "we were prepared to furnish 16,000,-
COO gallons per day on some days. and on