Evening journal., 1899-08-03
ryERY EvENINa.s MspIRArIoN.

fountain-head of business sagacity, f.
nancial thrift, short-distance foresight
and long-distance hindsight-the
Every Evening has received an edi-
torial inspiration. There are Porter,
Hastings and Belts earmarks from the
first to the last line of the article. 1t
is useless for the Every Evening to
lend itself to be used as a prop for a
rotten departmental system Every
body knows that since the last session
Of the General Assembly there has
been a studious effort on the part Of
the Board OF Water Commissioners to
secure a vindication by burying that
$4,000 worth Of pipe in the ground
and thus getting it out Of sight of the
water consumers The people under
stand the action. and are not deceived
by IT, There has also been a studiousl
effort to keen the water surplus for
the current year below the 100000
mark It will be interesting to note
what extraordinary expenditures will
be made to accomplish this thing.
Water consumers pay their fair
share of taxes under the general levy
for use for general purposes. In fact,
they pay more than their fair share,
for most Of them are owners Of small
properties, and such properties are ale
ways assessed at nearer their real
value than are the larger ones and
Land which is bare of improvements
Under the water rates as they now
exist the water consumers pay s174,oOO
to meet a legitimate Water Depart
ment expense OF from $4,000 to s74,-
O0o This leaves surplus Of about
500 900, with an average annual in
crease q $4,000 in the revenue Of the
department.
Bear in mind that the water son
sumers have already been taxed to
their full proportion to supply the gem
eral fund and then consider what be-
comes Of this 100000 surplus. At the
end Of the year it is turned over to
City Council. That body adds it to the
general fund. Thus the water con-
sumers do these several things in the
course OF a year:
Pay their proportionate share Of
taxes under the general levy
Support, In its entirety, the water
system Of the city.
Give $4,000 worth Of free water and
park maintenance.
Pay 100000 OF surplus into the gen.
eral fund, to which they have already
contributed more than their fair share
This Is a plain, unvarnishod state
ment of fact which is set forth at
length In the report OF the Board OF
Water Commissioners and in the min
utes Of City Council. No person can
gainsay It,
What valid reason IS there for using
the Water Department as an instru-
ment to grind out OF the water con-
sumers nearly 100000 more than their
fair share Of taxes? tits a system which
doubles water rents on consumers and
supplies a fund to serve to reduce the
general taxes OF non-consumers. Blood
money OF this sort has been extorted
from water consumers until it amounts
to more than half a million Of dollars.
Champions Of such a system cannot
make the water consumers lose sight
Of its ini1uities by telling them that
the department has bought and buried
$4,000 worth OF pipe That is but a
riHe. It in no sense Affects the prin-
ciple involved in this fight for cheaper
water The propositions advanced in
behalf Of cheaper water are.
First-That the Water Department
reduce its rates to such an extent that
the revenue viii meet its expenses ant
leave a small margin for emergencies
Second-That City Council fix the
tax rate without basing it on
prospective surplus Of from $4,000 t,
500 600 from the water consumers.
Third-That the parks which thl
Water Department is now supporting
with money contributed solely by tn
water consumers be turned over to tn
Park Commission and maintained a
the general expense.
Fourth-That the general fund b
charged with water supplied for gen
eral beneft-such as supplying tn
public buildings and the Fire Depart
ment
Fifth-That as the general fund ha
had the use and benefit Of more tha
enough Of the water consumers none
to redeem an water bonds. that it b
held accountable for the redemption {
all such bonds outstanding.
When these things shall have bee
done the wrongs OF the water cor
mmers will be righted. and both II
Board Of Water Commissioners an
City Council will perform their props