The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-24

ater--Wnter Meters Favored.
President Bement. Of the watar
board yesterday handed out for nuh-
iIcalioh the sixteenth annual report az
me board to the mayor and common
council. The report is as follows:
me me previous report of this department.
Covered 9 a period of thirteen months from
pee. l, 1895, to Dec. 81, 1896. to make the
hsca! year of the board Of Of water COM
IllsSlohers conform with that Of the other
1pepartnents OF the city and this must he
poIue IN mind II comparisons of the totals
year. oS7 VI last
In our report last year your attention
was called TO the discrepancy between the
toIal cost or the water works as given by
tae city comptroller and that which ia
SHOWN by the hgures OF actual cost taken
from our books. In the report of the
comptroller OF the city of st. Paul dated
Dec. 81, 1886. the water works are nut in
at cost OF $5129, no. In the report for
tne year ending Dec. 81 1897, in the state
Ia,biht 81 assets and liabilities of the city
!eNhlpit NO q, the water works are put
IN IN at the same figure, viz: $5.I29770. when
IN IN actual TACT. during the year there has
been expended $56 sol IS for ex-cnsfons ~
NnlIeIy distribution mains. meters etc less
GREATS for old material sold and thar
amount should have been added in tbe
c1sL OF the works given last year The
sinking iund this year has been increased
by cash $4,000 and interest earnings. 500
g343l making total of 1851. So. OS in water
department sinking fund to date and the
totdI cost OF the works to the CITY Ian
l. 1898, is $3,S15, 66116 This matter is
DTcught up only for the purpose of ex-
p4dlhlhg the discrepancy of 81 .314 1854 be-
tween the actual cost of The works In the
city and that stated by the CITY comm
troiler, that 1T may be matter OF record
and accounted for when both reports ars
printed together in the single volume of the
annua! reports of the city for the year.
In the report of the city engineer her,-
With appended, you will notice that the
rainfall for the year ending Decemher ~
1870, was 1892 inches, or 3G7 inches
greater than the average rainfall uD 60 De-
cenber 81, 1895, and III inches less than
the rainfall OF the previous year TIE rain
taH for the year Just ended. ~ u.urUs
was generally below the average. but fbs
months Of June and July were very large
and greatly in eXces sof the monthly av-
erage, occurring most OpportuneIy as it
hlled our lakes nearly to the overlooking
point just before the period when our great
est drain upon them began. And for thia
reason we We're not obliged to use our re-
serve supply, and practically our Center
Yi!le and BALDWIN lake plants were not
used during the year, except OccIs- uuailv
Tor testing purposes.
me quality Of the water was very salts
factory this year, d fact confirmed By the
analysis of the water and the cOnDarltiva-
iy few complaints from the consumers
break occurred in the Old force main
extending from the McCarron lake rIIu,n
II.
the Rice street embankment. where we had
so much trouble last year but this break
was discovered Immediately water was
smut of. and very little damage occurred.
The necessity for and the advantage Of
having this auxiliary force main TO the
reservoir was shown This main WIS com
pleted early in the spring. and its value
thus demonstrated
Your attention is called to the Increase
IN the number of water meters i'm use
luiiy 90 per cent, and a continuation Of
inns poHcy OF increasing the use of meters
is urged. In the engineers report this
SUBJECT has been investigated and at the
end OF the present year we hope To have
the figures to show more accurately tho
amount of water required in this locality
per capita. From what we have already
compiled, 1t Is shown that only about thir-
ty-hve gallons are used per caDjta AZ
against htty gallons and upwards as shown
by the unmetered consumers of water
since the reduction in the charges for
water 10 Doth metered and unmctered Gus
TONER'S seven months only, of this wear
were affected by the reduction. Six months
uhmetered consumers. and eight months
meter consumers, show a surplus of 81
935.29 over the cost to the department to
IurhIsh the water. and it is estimated that
the Iull Twelve months showing of these
reduced rates, would make the net ev
penditures and net receipts about even
leaving nothing for betterments or exten
slons, and this leaves available only tha
frontage tax to pay for the extensions. dis
trlbution mains and increase in machfn
cry, which is equitable and as il should he
as the parties who are now getting the
benefits of these extensions are the once
Who are now paying for them.
-FOUR plant Is in excellent condition, in
Iull repair, and when the new ten million
gallon pump is installed at the McCarron
lake station there will be no need of anv
increase in machinery for many years to
come.