The San Francisco call., 1897-04-14
DR., STABLE At
LAST INDICTED
Two Counts Against the
Former Superintendent
of the Hospital.
Committee on Corporations De.
clare That the Water Rates
Are Too High.
Resolutions Adopted Expressing the
Jury's Admiration of Crowley's
Charlct and Services.

clded 10 indiCt DR.. Z. II. Stable, former
superintendent of the City and County
Hospital, on two counts, and the District
Attorney was requested TO prepare the
documents. The indictment will prob
ably be presented to the court next Fri
| day unless the greatest pressure is brought
to bear TO obtain a reconsideration of the
vote and reopening OF the case.
| One of the witnesses heard yesterday
afternoon was James Slattery, the owner
of the team which hauled articles of fur
niture from the officers quarters of the
City and County Hospital to DR.. Stables
residence,
John P. Jordan, dealer in carpets and
| furniture, also testified.
After the hearing of the witnesses the
| jury excluded Assistant District Attorney
Hosmer and discussed the subject
Shortly after the vote was taken Mr.. Hos
mer and Walter n. Brunt, chairman of
the Committee on Health Department,
Almshouse and Hospitals, went TO the
District Attorneys Office to examine the
papers in the Stable case.
The com m ittee on corporations III. w.
Hannemann, chai-man), presented the
| following report, which was adopted
SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 1897.
To the Honorable Grand Jury of the City and
County Of San Frdncfsco-GENTLEMEN: Your
committee, 10 whom was referred the matter of
water rates, beg leave to report:
| The president of the Spring Valley Water
Company, upon whom we called for informa-
| tion which would enable US TO make an in
telligent report based upon facts, received US
| courteously, and, upon stating the object of
our visit, he declined to furnish such detailed
| statements OF the business of the wafer COM
pany in the matter of expenditures and re-
| celpts as we needed in order to form opin-
ion as to whether the existing water rates can
be reduced and be just to the company.
| The president claimed ii as the right OF the
| company, as a corporation responsible TO its
| owners and stockholders, TO refuse 10 make
| public its business interests.
| The matter of rates is now being investigated
| by the Board OF Supervisors, who are searching
| for such facts Will enable them to fix just
rate 1or the company and the ratepayers, in
which there is always more or less conflict OF
| opinion.
The Spring Valley Water Company demand
| an income from the City sufficient TO cover
| operating expenses, which they report as
amounting to 1894 ,0l2 06 for the year 1896 !;
| interest upon bonded indebtedness OF SO 49,
| 600, ana dividend rate of per cent on its
| entire capital stock.
We have no report from the company of the
amount of revenue received from the City for
water during 1896, but the fact that such in
| formation is withheld is significant.
| The water-meter charges in San Francisco,
| with population OF $50. 600. ranges from %
cents 10 40 cents per thousand gallons; the
present daily consump ion is reported by the
company as 21,o00,000 gallons. The annual
|
! In New York. population 800, 600, the rate
| is 121a cents, annual operating expenses
! $4,000 Buffalo, population 335 900. rate
| 8 cents, annual operating expenses 1920, 900:
Baltimore, population 434 600. rate 5I6 cents
annual operating expenses $3.50 900; Pitts
| burg, population 265,000, rate D cents, annual
| expenses 500, 600; Cleveland, popua alton
362 600, rate 3 cents, annual expenses S17l,-
900; Chicago, population 100 900, rate 10
cents, annual expenses $2S5,000
| Of the above-named six large cities Now
| %
about one-half the minimum rate in san
Francisco In the other, five cities the rate is
| less than one-half OF that OF New York In all
| the cities named the water works owned
and operated by the city.
Mayor Strong of New York City. in his late
| message, referring to the Department of Pub
| lie Works, makes the following report from
the Bureau of the Water Register:
''For the first time in the history of the city
| the revenue collected last year from water
rents was more than enough 10 reimburse the
| city for the entire outlay of he Department OF
| Public Works, which is taken from taxation.
| To express 1t in another way, our water rents
| paid for road pavements, street lighting, care
of and repairs to the entire water system, care
of and repairs to public buildings salaries,
wages and ali other administrative expenses"
The editor of Outlook, New York, comment
| ing on the above report, says: These aston
| lshing financial results were achieved in spite
| OF water rents lower than those of neigh boring
| towns supplied by private companies. Indeed,
| it had seemed TO US probable that part of the
expeH ses of the Water Department was borne
by general taxation. Instead, however, of the
taxpayers being burdened to make water
cheap in the homes and business esta blish-
menIs, the latter are paying not only for the
water they use, but also for that used by the
public in the streets. the parks and the public
buildings, and finally, for all the ex penses of
street lighting and paving and the care of and
repairs to all public buildings. The profit to
The taxpayers from the public ownership OF
the water works is almost without parallel.
The Tfayor may well speak of the manage
ment of the Department of Public Works as
clean, honestand intelligent
The report of the Water Department of Chi
caPo for 1896 shows that the taxpayers OF that
city profitlng almost as largely as those of
New York from their owners hip of the water
works. In brief the report reads as follows:
Receipts. $3226,000
Operating expenses. Observation-Disclosures. 2S5,0,O
Net earnings ngs........ 81, ga 900
The investment in Chicago water works, ac-
cording to the New York Sun, is S28. .000, 900.
When interest on bonds to this amount is de-
Quoted from the net earnings the remaining
profits are over 81 100000, or So year for ev-
cry family in the city. TIE public also receives
free the vast quantities OF water used in its
parks, streets and public buildings TO say
nothingof the incidental advantage of cheaper
fire insurance than would be possible were
the water supply in any way inadequate. The
investment, large as it is, has certainly been
most profitable one.
| The above statement of comparative water
rates, obtained from the most reliable sources,
present very strong argument in favor of
ownership by the City OF It's water worKs, md
warrants your committee In the belief that
| the existing rates are excessive and should be
reduced, and we most respectfully submit the
same for consideration by your honorab BILE
ducl1on in rates may be made for the relief of
lne CITY and It's ratepayers as may seem just
| ana wise. respectfully submitted,
H. W. HANNEMANN,