The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-01
MIGRANTS IN
PUNCHES ON
VACANT STREETS.
The Water Company
PiIing Up a Bill.
FIRE DEPARTMENT EXPENSES
PROTECTION WHERE THERE IS
NOTHING TO BURN.
A Lack of System in Placing and Re
pairing Fire Plugs That Is
Costly to the
-. City.
FIRE DEPARTMENT EXPENSES
PROTECTION WHERE THERE rs
NOTHING TO BURN.

A matter which will be brought to the
attention of the Supervisors as soon as
the board reassembes in September is
the remarkable increase in the number
of city hydrants during the last SIX
months. There have been 107 new ones
placed at various points, some OF them IN
thnly settled portions of the suburbs, not
TO mention eighty-nine old MIGRANTS
which were replaced by new ones, on the
allegation that they were worn out
Grave doubts are expressed as to the ne
cessity for all of these additions and re-
newals, especia..y in view of the fact
that a large: profit therefrom accrues to
the Spring Valley Water Company. Not
a week has passed by of late but what a
number Of MIGRANTS were quietly added
to the already large supply, the grand
total at present being 5000.
Under the present arrangements the
city pays $50 per year to the Spring val
ley Company for each of these MIGRANTS,
no matter whether some of them are USED
or not the revenue to the company from
this source being quite respectable sum.
The fact that so many hydrants are being
located in sparsely settled districts, where
the requirements of the Fire Department
are practically nothing, and that these
hydrants are usually placed by the Su-
pervisors after recommendation by the
Fire Chiefs. raises a question as to why
these things are so. Has the Spring VAL
lev Company a mesmeric power over the
Fire Department, that 1t is able to SO
largely increase its number of MIGRANTS
and its revenues therefrom? This is
question that is puzzling the mind of at
least one of the Supervisors, and will be
raised at the first opportunity.
Not only does the water company de-
rive q steady revenue from each hydrant,
but 1t is also allowed a good price for set
ting new hydrants and replacing and re-
pairing old ones. The sum of $40 is al
lowed for each new hydrant located and
$22 50 for, eacl. new hydrant replacing an
old one. Where old hydrants are re-
paired, the compensation of the company
is on an equally liberal basis.
The city records bring out some inter-
esting facts In December, 1885, the COM
pany charged $1S,437 for the water sup
piled to public buildings, MIGRANTS,
parks and squares. In December Of the
increase being directly traceable to new
hydrants For the water supplied dur
ing July of the present year, for, which
c cfias w amounted to $40 654 ST. revealing
the steady upward trend of the bills.
In addition to water money the COM
pany received during the six months end
ing June 80, 1898, the sum of of $62S4 30 for
new hydrants located and others reset,
not having had TO supply any material,
as the Fire Department had furnished
the hydrantS, ETC., at 4 cost to the city
OF s73l1 TO- Thus the total cost of these
hydrants was $13,626 20. The city mains
were tapped in 107 new places, the bal
ance of the money going for renewals.
The fixed annual charge of S642O will be
added to the city's water bills hence
forth as q result of the addition of the
107 new hydrants.
But not only have hydrants been placed
in isolated locations in the suburbs, but
hydrants have been grouped in punches
in the settled districts, as many as three
often being found on one corner. AS an
Illustration Taylor street from Post to
Bush may be cited. At the three street
street on the two included blocks are
located fifteen hydrants, some of them
in pairs AT the intersection of Taylor
and Bush two hydrants are grouped on
one corner while there is none on the
corner diagonally opposite
The responsibility for the placing of the
hydrants rests with the Fire Department,
where a prodigality in expenditures is
shown in every branch of it's work. 1t is
not generally known that the local depart
ment costs more, in proportion to the
number of inhabitants In the city, than
any other fire department in the United
States but such Is shown by recently
compiled statistics now being. circulated
by insurance Journals According to the
table. San Francisco fire protection costs
So 20 per capita, figuring on the basis of
325 600 population, shown by the last school
census The cost in other cities, based
upon the latest school census, is as fol-
lows.