Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-10-17
FOLLOW OUR EXAMPLE.
Municipal Ownership of Waterworks a
Good Thing-TroubIe Always Aris-
ing from Private Ownership.


Good Thing-Trouble Always Aris-
ing from Private Ownership.
That the city of Watertown acted
wisely in pursuing the method that it
did In constructing it's waterworks
system. is being continually evidenced
by the troubles exploited by other
cities which were not so fortunate in
acquiring municipal ownership. Rath-
er than to have an outside company
come here and engage in the enter
prise of supplying the city's needs in
the water line, local capital was en-
listed, the system built, and as soon
as completed turned over to the city
on easy terms. 1t has not been so in
many other places, where the people
have been at the mercy of outside
money grabbers for long terms. the
whole business generally winding up
in the courts. A recent instance of
this unpleasant state of affairs is cited
from Portage and leads The Milwau-
kee Sentinel to produce, under the
caption, Private Ownership of Water
works, the following well tempered
argument in favor of municipal own
ership of public utilities:
1.-The city of Portage has convinced
the attorney general that suit should
be brong in the name of the state to
annul the charter of the private cor
poration which furnishes the water
supply in that city. The city of Racine
is in bitter conflict with the company
which is engaged in similar public
service there, and it is proposed as the
most practical way to end the trouble to
take advantage of clause which gives
the city the right to purchase the
plant at the expiration o. a certain
period in the life of the franchise.
Within the last year Oshkosh, Beloit,
Marinette and Ashland all have had
serious difficulty on account of the
public water supply being controlled
by private interests. The cause of the
complaint has been either impure
water or extortionate charges for the
service rendered, and both in some
cases.
while it is true that in one or two
municipalities where the city owns
the waterwOrks there have been COM
plants. the rule is otherwise, and
general complaint has been answered
by prompt efforts of the authorities to
remove the cause. Of course the rea-
sons for unsatisfactory results from
private ownership OF city waterworks
are usually to be found. as IN other
cases where public service is by pri-
vate enterprise. in the natural desire
of men to derive as large profits as
possible from their investments. But
there is something more than mere
question of profits involved in the
public consideration of the question of
water supply. The preservation of
the public health depends more direct
ly upon an abundance of pure and
cheap water than upon almost any or
all other conditions of life in cities.
The ability of municipalities to own
and manage this branch of public SER
vice more satisfactorily than the aver
age private corporation will do it
even when the faults and extrava-
gances of the average city admins
tration are duly regarded has been
demonstrated for a long time and too
frequently to warrant the raising of
the question in any community. Peo-
pie who oppose municipal ownership
of public utilities on general principles
can find ample justification for MAX
ing an exception in favor of public
- h. Il L.
sential to the preservation of health
as we'll as life and the protection of
every kind of property in every city"