The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-28
Five Supervisors Fa-
vored Reduction.
LINES WERE SHARPLY DRAWN
MAJORITY DID NOT TALK, BUT
THEY VOTED.
Byington and Lackmann Amend
ments Cutting Spring Valley
Estimates Were Re
jected.

For the first time since its organization
the lines were somewhat sharply drawn in
the Board of Supervisors yesterday over
the order fixing the water rates for the
coming year. BY vote of seven to f1ve
the existing rates were readopted.
AS exclusively announced in The Call
Yesterday morning Supervisors Lackmann
and Byington made an effort to secure
reduction. They were supported by Su-
pervisors Perrault, Deasy and Heyer. Hol-
land, Kalben Black, Phelps. Collins, At
fridge and Aigeltinger composed the ma
jority.
The water committee met at $3.50 in the
committee room and Chairman Phelps
presented a typewriter report re-enact-
ing the present rates, which was signed
by the chairman, Kalben, Black, Attridge
and Aigeltinger. Backmann demurred to
this plan and argued for a horizontal re-
duction of the estimates submitted by the
Spring Valley company and also reducing
the interest on the capital stock, which he
claimed was fictitious to a certain extent.
Failing to swerve the majority of the
committee from the report agreed upon
before the meeting, Mr.. Lackmann an
nounced that he would present minority
report to the board.
1t is claimed by the majority of the
board who voted for the old rates and
also by the representatives of the water
company that under the order the Spring
Valley viii only realize per cent on the
money invested, and that If the season
should be a dry one the returns to the
stockholders will be still smaller.
Attached to the majority report. when
was read as soon as the board convened,
was a copy Of the rate schedule passed
by the former board. This was accepted
familiar with the rates. Supervisor By
ington presented an amendment to TINS
order which provided for reductlon OF
Is per cent in fixed rates for householders
and also cut the meter rates lO per cent
Mr. DeaSy seconded Byfngton order by
ington, in advocating his order, sald IL
was based on fair compensation to the
Spring Valley company for the amount OF
property in actual use. In its statement
of land Which was not in use and probably
never would be, yet the water consumers
of the city were to be forced to pay m m
were again adopted. This contention was
supported by Messrs. Lackmann anq
peas 1eagy Tne by 1Se Following f vote
Ayes-Perrault, Lackmann, Bylngton'
Heyer, Deasy-5. 49, D,o,.
Collins, Attridge, Aigeltinger-h
The order submitted by Mr.: Lackmann
was then put on passage ana the repre-
sentative from the Sixth Ward asked that
II he adopted He declared that the ma
iority report was unfair to the. people or
this city in that 1t compelled them to pay
a pTies t tSa Ee5
in the Spring Valleys list of estimates
was for property not in use, and he de-
clared that the operating expenses were
beyond reason. From the latter estimate
of S473. 600 he asked a reduction OF $l46O0O,
and also sought to have other ESTIMATES
cut accordingly. Mr.. Lackmann's pro-
posed reductions were published in yes
terdav's Call The order introduced by
Iackmann left the meter rates I'M
changed but made a reduction OF 10 per
cent in fixed rates.
Mr.. Iackmann said he had hoped that
Byington's schedule would prevail, but
inasmuch as it was rejected he thought
reduction in the householders rate
would be better than no reduction, ana
he introduced his order as compromise.
Mr.. Deasy said he had Favored lying ne
TOMS order. as he considered 1T just to the
citizens He reviewed the work done at
the recent investigation and declared the
CITY should not be compelled to pay thou-
sands of dollars interest yearly on lne
money expended by the water company
to acquire the Calaveras supply. wmch
was bought to prevent the city from op-
taining a plant which would nave gwen
half a million people cheap water; ne
declared that the company was yearly IN
crea sing its bond issue for twofold pur-
nose-first, to mulct the people by increas-
ing the interest account, ana second 10
Increase the alleged value OF the PROPERTY
CO a bie cleanup could be made later on
nv selling the plant to the municipality.
MIR Deasy said some means should De de-
vised To check this nefarious scheme, ana
Mayor Phelan suggested that the oIiiy 50
1,,tion was for the Supervisors to cut the
interest on the company S investment ana
therehy stop the further issuance OF
bonds. -. -.,or+ --oz
IN circuIafion that he favored the old wa
+ar rates declared he wished to go on.
record as supporting Byington's order.
: SunerviSor Lackmann s order was Voted
down and the report OF the ma1orl1y OF
the water committee adopted o9 the "
already given.