The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-31
THE CITY is NOW PAYING TWICE
AS MUCH AS 1T OUGHT
FOR ITS WATER.
THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
OPPOSED TO THE EXTENSION
The City Ought to Pay Whatever 1t May Owe
the Water Company, But Ought Also to
Make Water Company Live up to
Its Contract With City.


The readers of this paper are familiar
with the contention between the city
government and the Raleigh Water Conn
pany. The city has refused to pay bill
of about $500 presented by the Water
Company. As the basis of its refusal to
pay the bill, the city has set forth the
following shortcomings of the Water
Company:
1. That the water furnished has not
been pure.
2. That the Water Company has no
right to restrict the city to the use of a
one-inch fire-nozzle in flushing sewers.
B. That the Water Company has not
been paying taxes arld is liable for thir-
teen years back tax, less the value OF
water used in sprinkling the streets.
4. That the price charged for water is
higher than in other cities, and is ex-
orbitant and ought to be reduced.
Finding the city determined in the fight
for breathmgt room in its contract, the
Water Company appointed a committee
to meet the Finance committee of the
Board of Aldermen and adjust matters
if possible.
The meeting was held in the office OF
Col. A. b. Andrews, one of the conn
mittee representing the Raleigh Water
Company Alderman w Il. Jones and
Alderman III. w. Miller represented the
city, and committee composed of Col.
Andrews, Mr.. ALI. A. Thompson, Capt.
Nick w. West and Mr.. III. w. jackson
represented the Water Company.
A ftn, Soma Jic.rScio1, Mr. TJana.y
Miller, chairman of the FINANCE com
mittee, suggested that the city would
agree to an entirely new CONTRACT with
the Raleigh Water Company and give it
an extension of franchise for twenty
years to boot, if it would make to the
city certain concession. The original
contract was for twenty years, thirteen
years of which has expired The pres
emit contract has seven years more to
run. Following are the concessions the
Water company is expected to make dn
order to get an extension of franchise
seven years before the present contract
expires:
L. The Water Company not to be re-
quired to pay any tax, but in lieu thereof
it furnish free of charge water to sprin-
kle any of the streets of the city, or the
W alter Company to pay tax and the city
to pay for the water it used for sprink-
ling.
2. The city to be allowed to use the
automatic flush tanks recently put in to
take the place of the old semi-occasional
flushing of the sewers with a hose and
one-indh nozzle Also that the dead
ends of the system be flushed at regu-
lar stated intervals.
3. A reduction of from II to 81 per
cent. in the price of water.
And for these concessions which, how
ever, the city claims it already has under
the present contract, but which the
Water Company denies-the Water Com
pany asked only one thing, to wit:
That its franchise be extended for the
period of twenty years. Or, in other
words, that the contract it now has be
a'brogated and new one made for inc
seven years ii has under the old contract
and for twenty years additional.
i am told that when the chairman of
the city Finance committee had made
this suggestion of a compromise, the COM
mittee representing the Water Company
finally, with seemingly reluctance, agreed
that it might be suggested to the Board
of Aldermen, and If made by them in
the shape of a proposition to the water
Company, the committee would recon-
mend the Water Company to accept the
same Note the coy and delicate way III
which the matter is put!
This Suggestion" meeting was to be a
caned meeting. 1T was to be called for
"Wednesday night of Fair week. But il
wasn't called. The franchise-extension
..suggestion'' leaked. One of the three
Al. fffr. In
!, .lder. was opposed to it, and Mr.. Jones
declared yesterday that he would not
recommend it. Other members of the
board were equally opposed, and SO they
protested against any called meeting at
such a busy time to dispose OF so I'M
portant a matter
Well, the meeting didn't meet and the
matter will, it is understood, come III
at the regular meeting of the board next
Friday night. When it does it will meet
with opposition Undetermined opposition
unless the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
sion clause is stricken out. There are fhosf
on the board who will agree to no sort
of proposition involving this. They
know that such an extension means u
glIt to the Water Company of a cool
$4,000 or 100000 and they declare
they do not propose to be party to
any such contract.
IF the people of Raleigh want to ac-
cept this proposition, | have no objec-
ton" said a member of the board yes
terday but they must first say so in
primary: not in mass meeting, for the
Water Company might control a mass
meeting, but they must say so in yri
mary, where every MANS vote counts
and all will have an equal voice. con.