New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-09

qreed not to compete with one another The
oldest of them dates from the reign of James
and all have the statutory right OF levying
rate based upon the rental valuation of the
house or building supplied with water THIS
old-tine privilege has enabled the companies
TO increase the water rates as the assessed
valuations have risen from decade to decade
The shareholders in this way have prohted ny
the constant increase of property valuation IN
the metropolis.
These eight companies having acquired valu-
able franchises without paying for them' sue
coed in dividing large earnings among the share
holders of an aggregate capital exceeding
S75 OOO. 900 or SO,0O00OO Municipal reformers
have maintained that the pumping works. res
ervoirs and other plant could be reproduced for
$50 100000 This may be too low an estimate
but there is no reason to doubt that. if London
had kent abreast with the municipal progress Of
nrovincIal cities ii would have been in posses
sion of its own water supply. and that its water
rates would have been cut down from ore-thlru
TO one-half Action has been deferred decade
after decade and the value OF the vested inter-
ests OF what are virtually moropolies mas peeh
steadily rising The neutrality-suspicious. Va'ua-
ton Of the franchises is disclosed by the STOCK
lists and that is the basis on which the "a'e'
barons maintain that any scheme or purchase
must be arranged. If they are permitted u
how. +be,r way the London County Council Will
have 10 pay anywhere between SlooW}o'N'o ana
$3.50 600 900 for a water system when may nut
be worth intrinsically one-third OF the lower
estimate II Is not the cost value of the plant
but the Notwithstanding resources Of statutory
privileges which will be in the market
sHORT-sIGHTED POLICY.
The same considerations which have impened
GLASGOW Liverpool. Manchester. bnfn'iis lie III
and other provincial cities 10 abandon local sup
niles and TO go far afeld for mountain lakes anu
,.otarcoureee would have forced a united Lon
don municipality to reserve district III ""'e'
for the use of the metropolis. The water COM
NAMES have not been disposed TO look Io"e
1vav ahead or to face expenditures "hOi
would impair their resources for dlstriou''"s
large dividends The last Parliamentary '"I"-
mission which reported on the LONDON "a'e'
supply credulOusly accepted the op'ii'''9'
views OF the engineers Of the companies II ue
lberately stakeG its reputation on the es'illi"'o
tina. the present supply from the ThanneS, lioi'
,ha1oa and from wells could be increased from
~ 600 0oG to 400 0J0.0OO gallons in the coulsc
~ forty wears and that q population OF ne
tween II 900 400 and 12,oOO,OOU couid oepe"u
unon an average Of thirty-one gallons a mead
dry seasons serves to refute these irresponsible
forecas.s II is the main resource Of East Lon
don and ordinarily provides 81 pei 0'N' VI VIZ
water supply Of London
A new Parliamentary Commission. WHICH was
onno,ntad 70 consiler the financial rather imam
tho engineering aspects of the problem OF INC
.uture water supply of London. has peeh eN-
ar,,ning EXPERTS during the summer. ana VIII
mako q fresh report during the winter. fToH
various sources learn that this report VIII up
sot the previous one The Commission has fouho
II n1practicable to leave out OF account the I'M
portant question of future supply as nflahciai
element 1t has been seriously impressed WIN
the sufferings of the East END, ana mas 'oe
convinced that the present system OF puinpine
and altering contaminated river water must DC
speedily abandoned. and that pure water from
high sources in Wales must be brought oS
eoueduct to the metropolis. One or the leauhs
water engineers informs me that the Cominis-
sion is likely to report in favor OF purchase Oh
the existing companies at a reasonable valua-
ton. and of a comprehensive scheme for draw
ing water from the mountains OF wales.
1t cannot be doubted that this Will De the
final outcome Of decades of inaction The water
barons with the House OF Lords behind them
will make q fierce figh. for their shareholders.
but sooner or later London will have what
every other great city in the world enJoys-ths
right of managing the water supply as mu-
oicipal work for the benefit Of the community
and not for the enrichment Of stockholders
Other great towns in the United Kingdom nave
cut down water rates and gas bills one-haif' ana
converted collective control over electric h8ht-
ing markets streetcar service and other enter
prises into system OF relief for oYerourdened
taxpayers. London has stood still for forty
wears while municipal socialism was triumphing
ovorvvhere else It has been the victim OF
vostry rule and vested interests with the func-
tIons NJ municipal organization paralyzed.
J. ~ F.