The sun., 1898-02-02
The THIEVES SCARED OFF
lob to Sell Philadelphia Water
Works Gets a Set Back.
SCHEME WAS CUT AND DRIED
Much 10 Every Ones Surprise the
Special Meeting of the City
Councils Did Not Consider
the Big Deal.
Special to THE Sun.


PHILADELPHIA, Feb. l.-Rcaders of
TIE SrN will remember that few weeks
ago this paper announced t hat scheme
was on foot to steal the Phiadelphis
water works.
1t was the only paper that was onto
the little game, for if any of the big dailies
of the good old quaker City We're aware
Of the fact they kept shut about it tighter
than the proverbial clam.
But they are all onto at least one OF
the waterworks stealing schemes now
The first direct move in getting away
with the water works was made to-day
when a special meeting of Select Council
was called to consider the offer of the
Schuylkill Valley Water Company for
supply Of filtered water. Tie bill pro-
vidcd for a storing capacity of 5000
coo, 600 gallons, and daily supply of
10000, 900 gallons of filtered water. For
30 years the rental is to be 81, SOC, 900 per
year, and at the termination OF the con-
tract all the rights and property of the
contracting company is to revert to the
city. A conduit 2G miles long is to bring
water from the upper SchuyIkill, and it
is claimed that five large dams will be
erected TO hold the water and that the
company will cXpend so, G,OOO,O)O in per-
tectng its plant.
The scheme was all cut and dried to
push this bill through Select Council and
tlc backcrs OF the water works thieves
felt certain that they Lad enough votes
for tie job.
This afternoon, however, much to the
surprise Of everyone, when the special
meeting was called, the bill was not even
called up and after passing a few minor
bills, locating lamp posts and other
things Of a like important nature, the
meeting adjourned. Now, everybody
about town wants to know what has
scared the thieves off for Il e time being.
Of course its on y a temporary stay Of
proceedings, for the game is a vast one,
and after the success of the job to loot
the gas works, the thieves who have
their eye on the water works will never
rest satisfied till they have gotten away
with the swag.
Although when THE Sun first gave
the tip as to the job to steal the water
works none OF the Philadelphia news
papers were aware of the fact or if they
were they gave no indications of it in
their columns; they appear to have come
out Of their trance and they now seem
to know that quite big job of spoil
alton is on hand, as will be shown by
the following editorial from the Record
of this morning
The true inwarlncss of the delay of
Councils in passing the ordinance to
make operative the issue of the loan a,l
thorzrd by popular vote is disclosed by
the pressure for the previous passage of
the Schuylki,l Navigation Company bill
proposing to sell the city filtered water
for the next fifty years for 81 ,5OO0o)
per year-:l total Of S75,OoO,OD)! 1t is
thus proposed to take advantage f the
ravagc of disease due to water pollution
to wrcst from the control Of the city ils
alter franchise. and 10 saddle upon the
taxpayers an enormous yearly penalty.
Ii may be possible that this scheme
can be pushed through Councils; but the
vote last week on the question of au-
thorizing the issil, OF the popular loan
d, cs not indicate it, We shall not be
prepared to believe il until after a roll
cali shall haye nl;tc the disclosure.
Should a majority in Councils prove
false to the trust rrpnsed in them by the
people, no duubt the game would be
blocked by veto Of the Mayor. The
repp!c have voted the money for f'tra-
ton plant. They do not want to buy
filtered water from the Schuylkill Nayi.
CATION Company. They do not want to
buy the properly or corporate rights +
the Scluylkill Navigation Company;
they simply desire to be allowed to pro-
te't themselves against disease and dca h
in SO far as they may without further de-
lay or hinLrance.