The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-01
WATER METERS DISCUSSED.
THE COMMISSION HEARD THE PROS
AND CONS.

| Meters Received and an Argument
in Favor of the Meter system Made
by Henry McAIpin, Esq-Mr. w. b.
StiII,ven Argued in Opposition to
the Meters-The Commission to
Give the Subject Further COnsid-
Grafton Next Wednesday.
The petition to the water commission by
meter users, protesting against the aban-
! donment of meters, was heard by the
commission yesterday afternoon.
| The petition was presented by Mr.. Hen
ry McAlpin. It refers to the action of
council at meeting held June 2, condemn
ing the meter system and requesting the
| commission to abandon 1t.
The petitioners state that they have
been using the meter system since 1t has
| been partially put in force, and have
found it satisfactory, land are not dissat-
isfied with the use of the water meter sys-
tenn on their premises"
THAT wherever there has been any APP
parent irregularity in bills there has been
apparent reason for same"
THAT they consider, from their own ex-
perience and the best information obtain
able, the water meter system the most
the consumption of water by citizens for
all purposes
The fifth paragraph Of the petition re-
fers to the mechanism of the meter, and
states that its construction is such that
il cannot register more water than passes
through it, and that If the machine gets
out Of order it stops registering, although
the flow of water is not in any way inter-
ferred with
The petition states that the meter sys-
tenn is a safeguard against wanton waste
of water, because it discloses promptly
each month TO consumers any flow of
water disproportionate to the average use
by them.
The petition asserts that it is an error
to charge that the meter system is detri-
mental to the health of the city by encour-
aging parsimonlous use of water be-
cause the minimum price fixed by the
commission per month per house, 50 cents
allows the use Of about 225 gallons of wa
ter per day for each house, which is
more than is required for sanitary pur-
poses.
Granting" says the petition in conclu-
sion, that there is some apparent dis
crepancy in what some persons are now
paying as compared with what they for
merly paid under the ad valorem tax, in
our opinion such instances exemplify the
equity of the meter system, because the
occupants of a house of small value may,
and frequently do use as much water as
the occupants of a house of greater
value"
The petition is signed by the board of
trade, by President d. G. Purse, the cot
ton exchange by President G. w. Dwelle,
and about forty meter users, among them
being well known citizens. Among the
number are Mr. William Neyle Haber-
sham. Gen. Henry r. Jackson, Mr.. 1. B.
Tiedeman, Henry McAlpin, Esq, Emile
Newman, Esq, and Messrs. w H. Wade,
j. c. Rowland, George J. Baldwin James
r. Sheldon, Philip NJ Russell, D. G. Purse,
Aaron Ferst, David Wells. M. Fersts
Sons & Co., George w. Tiedeman, 7. F.
Gleason Co, b. II. Levy, e. c. Gleason,
A. NJ & c. w. West, Charles ". West, NJ.
Y. Henderson, l. G. Haas Col. William
Garrard, Capt. NJ. J. Doyle, John L.
Archer. A. B. Hull, Judge Robert Falli-
giant, George T. Cam, w. I. Hopkins, J.
Gutman, Joseph Ferst, H. Traub. Joseph
Fried, A. L. Stokes and others.
Mr.. McAipin stated that he had not been
able to see all the meter users: Many of
them are out of the city or could not be
found when called upon. Others who had
declined TO sign, stated that they would
be willing to sign a petition to make the
meter system general for the whole city,
but would not sign for the purpose of
maintaining the system In only a portion
of the city.
Mr.. McAlpin. in presenting the petition,
made an argument of some length, elabo-
rating upon the different points set forth
in the petition. He contended that the
system is best for the city in every re-
spect. both financially and from a sanitary
standpoint; that II is the only system
which Is just and equitable between the
city and the consumer. that it prevents
unnecessary waste amounting at present
to perhaps half the cltys water supply
I'D ,tr~ h. tfarN &C. he
plant more economical for the city.
The old system of charging a consumer
for water, according to the value of the
house in which he lived, and not accord
ing to the amount of water consumed on
his premises, was ridiculed by Mr.. Meal
pin as a relic of a past age. 1t is entirely
unjust and inequltable he said. No con-
sumner of gas or electricity would hear for
a moment of using either of these COM
modities on such basis. There was no
reason why man living in better house
should pay more for his water than an
other living in one not so good, when II
was not at all unlikely that the second
man was using more water than
the first. The chief value of
the meter, he said was in checking the
waste by making the consumer pay for
what was wasted on his premises, as we'll
as what was used.
There we're complaints against the me-
tiers. OF course, MT. McAlpln SAID. II was
necessary TO educate the people up to
these things. The argument that the met
ers would be injurious from a sanitary
standpoint he said. would not hold. When
people realized that they had TO pay for
the water used by them. they would be
careful to prevent waste, but II was not
likely that any man would endanger the
health OF his family by stinting water
where needed for sanitary purposes. At
the minimum price fixed by the commits
sion of so cents a month TO meter users
Mr.. McAlpin said that 225 gallons per day
could be used. which was enough
for any family. For the same
amount formerly paid by meter
users under the ad valorem
rate two or three times this amount could
be used.
Mr.. McAlpin argued on this line at some
length. ana presented statistics showing
the results OF the use of meters I'm other
cities, being decidedly favorable to meters
Mr.. w b. sullwell. who has been de-
cldedly antagonstic to meters, was called
upon 60 reply to MIR. MeAlpin Mr.. still
well said Il was a little unfair 10 him
that he should be called upon to reply 10
lawyer on couple of hours notice. Mr.
McAlpin's argument was very lnteln-