The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-12-09
Offered for Sale 10 tic City Cogat;l BY lis
0walr. Mr.. D. T. 0ffait.
TIE PRICE ASKED IS $l5,G00.GO,
Payable in -Four Per Cent Interest Fearing
Bonds 10 Run for a Term Of Fifteen
Years. a System of Water
Works and Sewerage
Also Proposed.

! were lItuG by mil. -. OhGiI, namely,
to sell the electric light plant to the
town for the sum Of $1,000, payable
in four per cent. bonds TO run for
term Of fifteen years; to furnish the
power and water necessary for q sys-
tenn of water works, or be granted the
franchise and establish the water
works on his own responsibility.
The first proposition of Mr.. Ofutt,
to sell the electric light plant to the
town, would, upon first glance, be too
great an undertaking for the corpor-
ate authorities in it's present financial
condition, to handle, but take into
consideration the fact that at present
the town pays into the hands of the
electric light company the sum Of
more than 81, 600 u year for lighting
the streets alone, and the revenue de
rived from other sources by the cleo
Uric company, it at once appears that
it would be a paying investment, even
AT the price asked for the plant The
bonds and interest on the investment
would require an annual outlay on
| the part of the town OF about St,G0G.
The running expenses of the plant
such as fuel, Oil ETC., would be cover
ed by the income from house li|h ting
and leave a handsome balance in the
hands Of the town TO create a fund to
pay the Indebtedness incurred ''v the
purchase. Aside from this tn" own
would save on lighting the $ cts
alone the sum OF neariy : w per
annum.
As to the proposition eiative 10
water works, it should .iong to the
town and not to a private individual
In twenty years, with franchise the
owners of a system of water works and
sewerage in Oakland would have q
mint. The town would derive no pc
cuniary benefits from such a franchise
and would probably be compelled to
pay for the water used in case OF fire
or any other use to which water may
be put by the town.
The subject has occasioned consid-
cradle discussion among the business
men and property owners in town and
is only the forerunner Of movement
which viii be agitated until something
definite has been accomplished.
Inail probability during the coming
session Of the Legislature a bill will
be passed giving 10 the people the
right OF voting upon the subject of is
suing bonds to meet this growing and
long-felr want-that of q system OF
water works and seWorage--thel lack Of
which has kept Oakland III the rear of
progressive towns in Maryland and at
this time is being felt more than ever
before.
Let the subject be agitated and
worked upon until it is accomplished
and the old town dragged from the
rut in which she has been truggling
for 10. these many years.
The plan for establishing the sys-
TEN is more fully outlined in the fol-
lowing communication
To the Editor of The Republican.
| have for some time past noticed q
disposition on the part of our citizens
to agitate the question of water
works for the business portion of our
town. | for one can say that | do
not know of anything that would
result in so great an advantage pecu-
niarily, as we'll as adding to the com
forts of the people generally, as the
accomplishment of this purpose. 1t
is also said that at this time the pur-
chase of the electric plant can be
made at fair price and on reasona-
BILE terms. This power would be
used in connection with the proposed
water works, thereby reducing to
minimum the cost of operating the
latter. 1t appears from tests already
made that a sufficiency of water can
be had (if not already enough with
very little expense. The object would
then be to force this water almost to
the top of Crooks hill into tanks of
$4,000 to 100000 gallons capacity,
then by gravity lead it through Main
street from the Walker place to the
railroad crossing, branching off at the
corner of Main and Alder streets and
running main pipe to the east corner
Of first block of Alder street. This
would give fire protection to almost
the entire business portion of the
town. The comforts of the system to
the citizens who elect to use them
need not stop here. 1t naturally fol-
lows that they would want it in the
kitchen, in the wash house, in the
bath room and in the closet. The
latter would naturally suggest the
necessity of sewerage. The apparent
cost of this rises like a mountain, but
upon reflection it would be easily
overcome. You will notice that ma
ture has been very generous in this
matter toward us, by coursing
through our town a small stream,
which | will here name "Town Creek, :"
which is at present, and will be for
years, all the sewerage we will want
To utilize this we will take for exam