Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-06-19
EXTENSIVE REPAIRS NEEDED.
MANY NEW MAINS HAVE ALSO
BEEN LAID.
Old Company Left the Works in Bad
Iy Run Down COnditiOn-SavinS
in Hydrant RentaIs-Time
to Expect Lower Rates
COnjecturaI.

| municipal ownership while urging the Not
| ers to cast their ballots in favor Of charte
| amendments that would enable the city L
acquire the plant was that the rates t.
consumer would be greatly reduced. Th
| National Water Works Company was hei'
up to the public as a soulless monopoly
| and the voters were urged to do their ut
most to break its iron-like grip upon Kan
sas City. This grip was broken when th'
| plant was turned over to Kansas City II
| conformity with the decree of the United
| States court.
1 Notwithstanding the promises made L
| the people of Kansas City that water rate!
| should be reduced, they are still as high Z:
| ever. The consumers of water have de
| rived no benefit from the requirement Of
| the plant by the city. The reason given by
l the mayor aud Superintendent Longwel
| for continuing the old rates Is that tht
| plant was in such a dilapldated condition
| when turned over TO the city that it has
| been necessary TO spend large sums upon IT
| In response to the question why have
| water rates been maintained by the city as
| high as they were when the plant was
| owned and operated by the National Water
| Works Company?' Mayor Jones said yes
| terday:
THE rates are as high now as when the
| National Water Works Company owned
'In the first place, the plant was almost
worn out when the city acquired 1t, and
the city has been compelled to make ex-
| tensive improvements. New mains have
| been put in to take the place Of old mains
and we had to buy new pump and new
engine. We are now repairing one OF the
| Quindaro reservoirs All of these improve
ments were absolutely necessary and have
cost considerable money. The demands of
wOuld-be water consumers have neceSsl-
tated the extension of mains and the lay
ing of a great deal of pipe. Then the
city has had to provide a sinking fund and
meet the interest upon the water works
bonds"
when will the city be in shape to re-
duce rates to consumers?"
That is conjectural. The city must con-
tinue improving the plant and must provide
the sinking fund and pay interes'.
Isn't there a provision in the ordinance
providing for acquiring the water works
plant hat requires the levying of a tax
to dofray the running expenses Of the
water works?'
mo; that is discretionary with the coun-
Gil. i am opposed to the levying of a tax.
The revenue from the water works is suf-
fcient for all purposes the improvements
and the sinking fund. and interest. That
being the case, there is no necessity for
tax. l don't believe in taxing the people
of Kansas City for the purpose of main
tanning any of its departments. l believe
in reducing taxation to the minimum"
the Consumers?" TT
80 except NnEre the ratings maze by
the National Water Works Company were
found TO be too low. In cases where it was
found that water was being furnished TO
buildings upon the basis of a given number
of takers, and that there was a larger
number of takers. these reratings have been
made upon the basis ef the actual number
of takers"
Superintendent LongweIl was asked if
some scheme could not be devised whereby
piled:
Il am in favor OF reducing the rates as
soon as We can see our way clear to do il.
l believe the rates should be reduced but
there are obstacles In the way at present
In my forthcoming annual report l may
make some recommendations along this
line. If the reductions can be accomplished
they will be in line with the provisions of
the city charter and water works ordi-
nances. Section II, article 13, of the char
ter, provides, after making provision for
issuing water works bonds. that in the
city shall levy and collect an annual tax
sufficient to pay the interest upon such in
debtedness as it falls due, and also to con-
stitute sinking fund for the payment OF
the principal thereof, within twenty years
from the time of contracting the same"
The policy that is now being pursued
is to pay no attention TO this charter pro-
vision. 1t is TO make the present consum-
ers, who number some II, 600 pay for this
water plant and present It to the city at the
a better policy, in view of the fact that the
National Water Works Company did not
eXpend 81 for the betterment of the plant
during all the time that the litigation with
the city was in progress, TO follow the char
ter provision and levy this tax for the sink
ing fund, which amounts to about 800 900
annually, and for the interest fund, which
amounts to about $4,000 annually, say for
five years, using all of the revenues above
running expenses during that time for the
betterlnent of the plant? This would give
money enough in five years to place the
plant In the best possible physical condi-
ton and would make il able to furnish
water to all of the territory embraced in
the following lines: The Missouri river on
the north. Brush creek valley on the south,
Blue river valley on the east, and the state
line on the west. That would give us, based
on the receipts and expenditures in 1896
276OOO annually to be expended in better
1896 We're $3s6 000 and the expenses were |
Sic, coo, leaving $4,000 excess. This amount 1
would then do what it might be thought |
necessary in the judgment of the manage |
ment to place the plant in the condition
above mentioned. |
"Basing our calculation upon a cOmpari- |
son of the receipts of the National Water |
Works Company for the year 1893 with the |
receipts of the city for the present year, |
we will still show net increase of $4,000 |
over 1898. To this must he added the 81 600 |
for hydrant rentals which Is saved to the |
,ity. This gives us total net increase of |
'Sl01O. According to the testimony of the |
of the National Water |
Works Company in the United States court, |
is gross operating expenses during 1888 /
amounted to SllS1C0, its receipts tOtaled |
39l ,i64. leaving the net earnings S2127 764- In /
he calculation l have made | have taken /
ntO account the loss OF dh0uI A5D,Wu from
he Metropolitan Water Company, Of Kan
las City, Kas.. after October g.
1T is rot fair TO presume that we will
how the same increase in the future, as
hese figures show that very large guam
ity of water must have been given away
o favored persons by the National Water
Works Company in the efforts of the Of
icers of that company TO make friends
Lmong the voters of the city and secure an
I Is fair to presume that. Notwithstanding |
he loss Of the hydrant rentals and of the
so 900 from the Metropolitan Water Com |
ANY, the increase In receipts will at the |
nd OF FIVE years be large enough to do
way with the tax levy and stiI maintain !
he plant at as high point of usefulness |
nd place at least 10000 per year In the |
linking fund as well as pay the interest
haTge of $l40O O00'pAr year.
THE above statement OF facts as TO |
eceipts and expenditures. together with |
he necessity of placing the plant in first
lass condition, should be reason enough
or a non-reduction of water rates at this
ime. But if receipts should Increase to
he extent anticipated by the management
I the end of five years, then q very sub
tantial reduction in rates should be made,
nd probably before that time. So far as
he management can see now, X50O0O prop
rly expended would place this plant in
rst-cIass condition to take care of the
erritory named. Barring accidents, there
5ill be no more pumping machinery to buy
{ QuindaTO or Turkey creek until our con-
umption of water has increased at least
per cent. With a corresponding increase |
D revenue II will be seen that we could !
asily reduce rates largely, as our operating
expenses would increase very little"
Two Thousand QuaFrymen Strike.