The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-08-10
a cousclInas's yrrw
OF tn. Borsash's Obligations ss razpsysrs
IN the Use Of Water.
EDITOR HERALD:

: EDITOR HERALD:
A ramenstranee on the part of town
council against the unnecessary waste Of
water aud abuse Of water privileges on
| the part OF water consumers has brought
ont from TAX Payer some criticism Of
the management Of the water works,
which are based chiefly on the fact that
several parties outside Of the borough,
along with the new hotel, are supplied
with water, and this Mr.. Taxpayer
seems 10 think a sufficient excuse for vi
olating the rules against wasting the wa
ter and sprinkling the fronts for those
who might pay for such use as well as
himself, but who will not do so as long as
Taxpayer" and his fellow holders of
sprink ling privileges will do so for HIM
But, since this matter has been publicly
referred 10. the writer, although he does
not consider himself responsible for the
fact that TIVE houses next the borough
line l5ut outside the boronghl at the end
of Main Cross street, are supplied with
borough water. would remind ''Taxpay-
err that while it is expressly allowed by
law that borough may supply outside
parties, he is inclined to believe with
Taxpayer" that outside parties should
come in and become a part of the bor-
ough before obtaining these privileges.
There are. however, two sides to the
question So far as the new hotel is con-
cerned, these are some of the reasons that
had weight in granting their application
for water:
We believe all of the parties interested
therein. except one. are large taxpayers
within the borough and are residents
thereof
The borough is certainly under some
obligations 10 Mr.. George II. Tsymsn,
who has some interest in the hotel, in
that he gave the needed land for the res
ervoir site and right of way for reason
able price, when he might have been
stubborn and delayed the construction of
the water works by several years lawing
in the courts.
While of course the hotel is being run
primarily for the benefit of the owners,
yet, it must be admitted that il VIII in
many ways prove benefit to the town.
1t being entirely within the law it was
found difficult to get around these reasons.
We will now look at the matter from a
business stand point The hotel people
in their application stated that they might
need as much as 100000 gallons a year.
If they consume any such quantity as
that their water bill for year will be
Se96-and a reading Of the meter from
the lst Of July TO August 9TH shows that
they are using water at vastly greater
rate than 1900, 600 gallons year, and il
will all have TO he paid for.
1t certainly cannot very well Je argued
that it is prejudicial to the borough TO
supply water. especially as outside Of the
meter the borough was under no expense
in making the connections.
Looking at the matter and taking ev-
erything into consideration we do not
think Taxpayers criticisms are well
taken.
1t is expected that the lots into which a
large part of the farm about the hotel has
been plotted, will. in time, be built on
and handsome addition to the town in
that direction will be the result of the
opening of this new hotel-and the peo-
pie who will do this will undoubtedly
ask for water privileges-and to grant
them will cost some money, and as a
councilman we believe that it will be no
more than our duty to say with Mr.
Taxpayer" you will first have TO come
into the borough.