The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-06-02
AN ADDRESS
To the Citizens of Brookhaven
on the Pending PROPOSE
ton for Water Works
and Electric Lights.

and Electric Lights.
On June the 18th the important ques-
tion of establishing water works and
electric lights will be submitted to the
decision of the citizens of our city, and
in order to allow every qualified elect
or to vote intelligently on this SUBJ
ject, we, the undersigned Mayor and
Board of Aldermen and citizens COM
mittee appointed to assist in obtaining
data and other information regarding
the cost of operating and maintaining
such system, make the following re-
port:
The engineers estimate of cost for
the entire plant, including the latest
and best machinery, is s31, 1850. To
this amount must be added the cost of
sinking wells, wiring houses, purchase
of lot, civil engineers salary, printing,
advertising, etc. $500. The above
estimate is taken from actual bids on
the Grenada contract, and the mate
rial can be bought today fully as cheap
as then. We deem it necessary to is
sue $4,000 per cent. 20 year bonds in
order to insure fully equipped and
complete plant, though it does not
follow that the Board will necessarily
spend the entire issue il contracts can
be secured at much lower price. In
other words the expenditure will be
not over $4,000 and possibly good
deal less.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES.
On the basis of Canton's expendi-
lures, we are prepared to say that our
entire itemized operating expenses
per year will not be more than s4,400 ;
per cent interest on bonds, S2,4O0 ;
total expense, $1,000.
| REVENUES.
SGT lights say, $3.50 per month; 100
water taps, SOB per month; total rev.
enues per month, 1858, or s4,236 per
year. Excess of annual expenditure
over annual revenues, according to
this estimate, 1854. From this is to
be deducted $500, the present cost of
street lights; making the net yearly
deficit, s2,264.
To meet this deficit on the present
assessment of city property would
require an extra levy of about 25s
mills at first, but as the demand for
water and lights increases, the relative
cost of maintaining the plant de-
creases, as the labor necessary for sup
plying the number of lights and water
taps already subscribed for, will be the
same when they increase to nearly
double. The only extra expense will
be for fuel AS to the immediate in
crease of lights and water-takers there
can be no doubt, as the canvass was
made in one day, and number of citi-
zens could not be seen. Others have
the matter under consideration and
will no doubt subscribe soon.
| INSURANCE.
AS yet we have not taken into con-
sideration any reduction in insurance
rates. Special Agent H. NJ. Tanner,
of the Southeastern Tariff Association,
was sent here and inspected the plans
and specifications and made recon-
mendations and approved them, and
gave positive promise of $3.50 per
81 600 reduction on dwellings, and from
$3.50 to $500 on stores, etc; which re-
port was sent to the S. E. Tariff Asso-
citation and approved by them and Is
now on file in the Clerks office of the
Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
The amount of fire premiums car
ried in the city at this time is about
s14 900, and reduction of only Is per
cent. would save the taxpayers s2,l0O
per year. Also, in letter to Mr.. j. F.
Miazza, Mr.. Kreath, a member of the
S. E. Tariff Association, in regard to
rates with our proposed system estab'
lished, says: "You will be safe in
stating that the average reduction will
be about 20 per cent"
Wesson has water works system in
the business part of the town, sup
piled by the Mississippi Mills pumps,
and we do not think it amiss to show
some reductions that have lately been
made in a neighboring town with the
water works system established.