The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-12
PLANS FOR PUSHING METERS.
MAYOR MYERS SAYS COMMITTEE
WILL INVESTIGATE ELSEWHERE.


full the Meter system Has Been
Where They Are I'm Use-The May
Or Believed to Have a Majority of
Council With Him, But None Com
init Themselves Before Getting
More Facts and Observation-Disclosures
Williams Wants to Compare Saw
ing at Pumping stations With Cost
of Mcters-TaIks with Property
Owners Who Tried Meters Before.
Mayor Myers is convinced that he is pur-
suing the right course in urging upon
Council the adoption of the meter system
upon which to base charges for water.
The matter will be pushed to an issue as
soon as the quarantine question is off
Councils hands, which it is expected will
be at the next meeting.
As soon as the meter question is brought
to Councils attention, Mayor Myers says
he will advocate sending a committee to
Atlanta, or some other place where meters
are being used successfully. for the pur-
pose of gathering facts and figures, such
as it will be necessary for the board to
have to act intelligently. The committee
will be expected to gather proofs of the
advantage Of meters over the open hydrant
system, so that the reason for the change
may be well understood.
In his interview yesterday Mayor Myers
said he intended to make the change If
Council would support him. Whether the
entire board will favor change remains
to be seen, but it is certain several of the
aldermen favor it, while others are per
fectly willing to hear whatever there is
to commend it. Those seen by a Morning
News reporter thought the adoption of
meters might be a great saving to small
consumers, who, it is claimed pay more
Than their pro rata for water under the
present system.
Alderman Williams had not given the
question much thought, and stated that
he could not decide the matter until he
knew what the city is to save by the re-
duced pumping capacity, and what proper
ty owners viii be out for meters. He init
mated that he will not favor meters if the
cost is immense, and the saving at the
pumping stations is small.
There is no doubt about there being
large water waste in Sa-
vannah," Alderman Williams said
Meters would not only stop
this, but they would give a more
equitable basis for fixing charges, es-
pecially in the cases of residences, which
are now charged for according to the APP
praised valuation. Il will be seen this is
an uncertain method of fixing charges,
and is inequitable when it is considered
that one house may be charged a third
more than that next door. while the neigh
Dor consumes three tines as much water.
l have grave doubts about the accuracy
of meters. however, and desire to have 1t
demonstrated that they can be relied up
on. Council does not care for a repet
ton of the effort made in 1896 to intro
duce meters, and had therefore best find
if there are any in existence which can
be relied upon to account for the exact
amount of water consumed
Alderman Thomas VIII favor meters pro-
vded a reliable kind is adopted. From
a personal standpoint he is against them,
having had an experience with those last
introduced, which caused him to lose con-
fdence in them. The meter Alderman
Thomas had in his residence registered
the amount of water consumed al about
$50, which he considered reasonable. By
the end OF the succeeding month 1t got
playful, and run up the cost of about the
same amount of water consumed the pre-
vious month to something over $14. This
ended The experiment with Alderman
Thomas who had the meter removed and
fell back on the citys original plan of
charging.
Upon the accuracy of the meters will
depend largely the success of their intro
duction, said Alderman Thomas. THE
people Of Savannah are taxed enough al
ready, and il VIII not be the proper thing
to adopt another system without first
knowing that the people are not to suffer
by the uncertainties of an experiment. The
purchase of meters win be an enormous
tax, and the benefits to be derived should
be well considered before any action is
taken
1t is understood Aldermen Bacon and
Dixon favor meters, though they have not
| expressed themselves.
Mr.. w. B. SGllwen made a hot fight upon
the meter system two years age He had
"a meter which trea led him most outrage
ously and demonstrated a determined dis
position TO bankrupt him. 1t was later dis
covered that leak in the pipe between
the meter and the house had had some
thing TO do with these capers. Mr., Still
well and Mr.. Lotion, who was then su-
perintendent of water works, had con-
troversy over this matter also. Mr.. Loft
ton claiming that any leak from a pine or
main would show above the ground in a
few hours. He was undoubtedly mistaken.
When the attention of Mr.. StilIweU was
called to the interview with Mayor MYERS
upon the subject of wafer meters. he
evinced disposition to pull off his coat.
and begin a fight to the finish against the
meter system. Upon more careful peru
sal of the article, however, he concluded
that it was unnecessary TO begin the fight
at once, as the subject has simply been
preached by Mayor Myers, no steps hav
ing been taken by Council as vet in the d.
rection of the meter system.
Il am, as the Savannah public well
know" said Mr.. Stillwell, Totally opposed
to water meters. Their Introduction. in nv
opinion, would be a greater calamity. If
possible, than the proposed turning over
of our quarantine to government control !
am glad to know that only some few of
City Council concluded" etc Therefore 7
conclude that it is hardly necessary 10
take this matter seriously at present 7
note Mayor Myers reference to Atlanta.
In its necessity for the use of meters Al
lanta is entitled TO our sincere svmpathv
not to our commentator: and surely moi
10 our imitation. Should the matter of
10