The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-12
THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE-TUEsDAY, DECEMBER 12 1s99

not nut on meter rates till the first Of
December, I'VE find, had they been put on
In November, that the bill of u. Robin
sons Sons would have been less by s6736
than was the case. The Casey q Kelly
Brewing company's bill would have been
less by about $500. The Scranton Brew
ing company would have been more by
about $2.49. Taking all the city brewer
les together, though not on meter rates
in November, and therefore, not stimu-
lated to prevent waste, we ind that theh
bills by meter rates would practically
have been about the same as by the old
barrel rate. The same state of affairs
applies to many other customers. or
course, in n place so large as Scranton,
meters will cause changes In properties
| heretofore given specific rates. Some
| will be higher, others lower; according as
| men are careless OF waste or otherwise.
| But even our most careless customers,
the restaurants and saloons, will find,
| II they go to work and have their plumb
| ing made tight and needless waste
| stopped, that they are not going to be
| hurt Most of them don't go on meters
| before the first of January, won't know
what their bills are till February, .and,
| in fact, 1t will be March or April before
| any of us know enough Of the effects
| of the meter on either diminution of
| waste, or the company's receipts, to
form any opinion of value In regard to-
the expediency of changing rates.
| again respectfully recommend our Gus
| toners to keep cool and not get fright
| ened before they are hurt and to re-
member the company's record during the
past twenty years in regard to volun-
tary reduction.
-. 4. ,.qly
under precisely the same conditions as
| all other water companies in this coal
| field All asike have to bring their water
from small streams outside the coal
measures. Our family rate is $500. Out
| side of Scranton, from Forest City to
| Nanticokc IL is $780, 33 l-3 per cent,
higher outside of Scranton, the meter
rates Of the Spring Brook Valley Supply
company rule. A manufacturing concern
| in Scranton using say, 100000 gallons of
1 water month pays $4,000. outside of
| Scranton in this valley it has to pay
| Sl72.50. Now / am far from saying that
| the rates of these other companies are
too high. / say nothing of the kind.
| They have been passed on by the court,
Judge Edwards on the bench. I agree
that they are moderate and fully justi-
fed. Yet why rates in Scranton with it's
immensely varying heights and depend
cnt or two little streams should be in
| varably compared by the board of trade
| with the rates of Buffalo, town fiat
as a pancake, and supplied by Lake Erie,
| instead of with the far higher rates pre-,
| vailing everywhere else in this valley, is
rather difficult to say. Is it because
Lieutenant Governor Watres, Mr. Wat
kins and other gentlemen at the head of
these concerns are members Of our board
of trade? If the courts have declared
the rates of the Spring Brook Valley
Supply company justified, what about
ours, which are so much less?
O.
I have been asked, what about the
councils fixing rates for us? l may OBJ
serve that this company has never been
used to paying blackmail nor to bribing
counCilmen, and don't propose to begin
now. If the councils choose to pass their
silly rate ordinance, we shall not raise
a finger to prevent it, Perhaps it may
as we'll be settled now as later, whether
the councils have the right to conflscate
and ruin property costing millions, under
the guise of fixing rates. The gentleman
now leading the select council in the mat
ter of the rate ordinance, the proprietor
Of the St. Charles hotel was so fortu-
nate, lately, as to have his meter re-
versed by some kind friend or plumber
Ia very common trick to defraud), but
did not put it right again quite soon
enough, so that, instead Of his owing us
for water in November, we appear to owe
him $10.J2, and we have begun suit to
find out how this miracle occurred. And
yet it is under the leadership of such
men that the city is asked to spend mil
lions in the experiment of municipal
ownership!
When it comes down to the bottom
fact, it is difficult to see what there is IN
all this commotion concerning the water
rates, except that the president of the
great octopus happens to be an unpopular
man and yours truly,
w. w. Scranton.
| Scranton, Dec. II.