The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-12
MURMURS OF METER USERS.
CHAIRMAN DIXON SAYS THE COM
MISSION HAS FEW COMPLAINTS


Thinks MIR. Gucrard should Pay the
City About 81 900 More Per Annum
For Water-The Meters Have Only
Increased His Water Rent $5.S7
Per Annum, the commissioners
Say.
Judging by the unfavorable views eN-
pressed towards water meters at the meet
ing of the city council "Wednesday night
the request of the water commission for
an appropriation of 5000 with which to
put in more meters will hardly meet with
favorable consideration.
The members of the water commission
will probably be called before the commit
tee of the whole of council, to which the
petition was referred, however, and may
possibly be able to furnish information
which will convince the members of that
body that the meter system is really to the
interest of the city.
Chairman Dixon of the water commission
is thoroughly convinced that such is the
case The large majority of the people
who have water meters, he says, are
pleased with them and with the exception
of shortly after the meters were first put
in complaints are few and far between.
I'VE are in constant receipt from citizens
property" said Mr. Dixon. They
must have some reason for max
ing their request and the most
likely reason is that they have learned
from those who have meters how the me-
ters work. Then large number of peo-
pie who have considered che subject are
reasonable enough to see the justice of the
lNx-v ha Of n
house pays for the water used there, and
neither more nor less. There would be
just as much reason in requiring the gas
company to make the same charge to all
houses of the same class without regard to
the amount of gas used as there is requir-
ing the city TO furnish water
to houses and base the charge
on the value of the house.
instead of upon the quantity of water
used The gas company would regard
such a proposition with great favor, don't
you think. The reason that we have not
furnished meters for parties re-
questing them Is that, first,
we have not the money to
place them, and, second, that we are not
authorized to place them indiscriminately,
but must proceed upon a regular system.
If we should place meters indiseriminate-
ly here and there. at the request of the
property owners, the same property own
ers could require US to take them out
should they get tired of them. When
property owners, who are not in the meter
| district, make requests for them, we ex-
plain the situation to them, and inform
them that if they wish we will put in
| the meters at their expense. A number of
meters have been put in in this way
| the property owners believing that the re-
duction in the water rate will be more
than sufficient to pay for the cost of
| the meter"
Mr.. Dixon was asked how many meters
! there now are in the city, and whether the
effect had been to reduce or increase the
rates.
There are now between $50 and 300
meters in the CITY," he replied, "and the
result Of the use of the meters has been
to reduce the amounts paid for water in
fully 30 per cent. OF course, there have
been some increases. 1t would hardly be
| fair to the city If there were not. My
water rate has been increased by having
a meter. l keep six horses in my stable
| in the rear of my premises, and it is right
! that 1 should pay more for water than
my neighbors, who keep no horses. and
who, consequently. use less water"
Mr.. Dixon was asked about the petition
of Mr.. r. D. Guerard for the removal of
five water meters from his
houses on Hall and Price streets,
which brought up the discus
! Dixon had been doing a little figuring on
MIR. Guerard and could have given coun-
! ell some information If he had been called
| upon by that body Wednesday night.
"Mr. Guerard complains, I believe" he
! said, that the water meters have in
| creased the rates on three of his houses
| by $1.89 a year each. This is a great
! hardship on Mr.. Guerard, and he is en-
titled to public sympathy. Still, I do
! not see how we can help him. We can
! not afford to establish a precedent of taxi
| ing out meters When 1 found that mr..
| Guerard had presented this petition to
| council l went to the treasurer's office
! and had Maj. Hardee give me a list of
/ Mr.. Guerards property in Savannah, and
the number of houses on which
/ he pays water rent. Owing to
| the fact that taxes are collect
| ed by the city treasurer upon lots and
| improvements, he could not give COM
! plete list of the number of houses, the i'm
! provement upon lot frequently consist
| ing of more than one house. The city
! treasurer's books credit Mr.. Guerard with
/ having SIS houses. OF this number he
| pays water rent upon 34l. Upon the
! other IT'S he pays no water rent. The
! list of Mr. Guerard's property being made
! out by wards, I gave it to water in
| spector, and had him inspect the entire
| property and make a report upon II. The
! Inspectors report shows that Mr.. Guer-
| ard owns 54S houses. AS he only pays
water rent upon 34i, this makes 2N
houses, ownedyby him, which are being
| furnished with water free by the city"
| Mr. Dixon exhibited the report. The re-
mort shows that Mr.. Guerard owns rows
| of houses in all quarters of the city. In
numerous instances blocks of from three
to a dozen houses are supplied by one
or two MIGRANTS, and in some instances
only by a free hydrant in the neighbor-
hood The following are a few extracts
from the report: Sims street, nine houses,
free hydrants at Sims and Wilson and
Sims and West Boundary, Jones street,
nine houses. with three hydrants; Jeffer-
son street, eight houses from free hy-
drants; New Houston street lane. eight
houses, no water. water obtained from
ward across the lane; Huntington street.
twelve houses from free hydrant; Poplar
street twelve houses, supplied by one hy-
drant; alley north of New street, one hy-
drant for twelve houses and so on
throughout the report. mr.. Guerard
pays the city S1,732.5O a year for water
rent" said Mr.. Dixon. ''At the lowest
rate charged which is IS for each house
of less than $1,000 valuation, he
should pay for his 5lS houses
S9,72O or nearly $1,000 more than
he paws at present. I do not understand