The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-11
MYERS WANTS WATER METERS
THIS Is THE NEXT CHANGE HE'LL
PROPOSE TO COUNCIL.

Says, Against Atlanta's o,OOO,OOo.
Mayor Looks for a Fight, But Be-
IIeves People viii Favor Change
Later on-AIderman Haas Also for
Decentralization to Come Up at
Next Meeting of Council.
The large consumption of water in Sa-
vannah seems to be attributed more 10
waste than to discreet use, and for this
! reason some few of the City Council have
! concluded that the best remedy for 1t is
to again try the use of meters. If an or
dinance IS not introduced at the next meet
ing providing for them, it is likely res
oluton will be offered for the water COM
mittee to take the matter up, determine
what meters will cost, and also the feast
bility of introducing them at this time.
Mayor Myers announced yesterday that
the meter question will be the next re-
form he will pu; before the people in
carrying out his policy of retrenchment.
What is considered to be an extravagant
consumption of water is a subject the
Mayor has been studying for some time.
and the fact that Atlanta is reported TO
consume about 100000 gallons of water
day, while Savannah consumes 100000
gallons a day, is a potent reason to him
for an investigation. Careless waste is
attributed as the main cause for such
heavy demands upon the pumping sta
tions, and il is believed that the intro
duction of meters will not only reduce
the cost of operation considerably, but
will put it upon those who are careless
and should therefore bear the burden
Il will stake my reputation on the as
sertion that meters will bring about an
immense saving to every property owner
in Savannah" Mayor Myers said Where
the people of this city pay from SIS to S25
a year for open hydrants, the people Of
Atlanta get the same service by using me-
ters at from 81 to $3.50. There is every
reason to believe that the inordnate de-
mand for water is not due to actual ne.
cessity, but is the result of careless hab-
its the peop.e have formed by allowing
hydrants 90 remain open, and otherwise
permitting waste. An increased demand
for water has demonstrated that these
leaks will have to be closed. or the ,itv
will soon find itself in the predicament O.
having additional wells TO drive and mora
pumping facilities to provide for larger
supply. Already there has been conf
plants made to Council about the inef-
fectual pressure in forcing water to the
up stories of buildings, but this was large
iy due to the loss OF water caused nv
pipes bursting during the freeze"
DO you not think the effort to install
the meter system will be Unpopular
Mayor Myers asked
Upon that point desire 10 he distinct
~ unders TODD" he replied. ct is nor NV
purpose to consider whether such an in
noVation would be popular or unpopular;
If Council will stand by me [ SHAH mn A.
into execution There is an element strict
ly averse to departing from old customs
no difference what the inducement NAV he
or what the city is to gain in the end
Enough attention is not given to the fact
that Savannah is a growing CITY. that the
rapid increase of her population calls for
modern municipal methods in the man
asement of all departments, and I fully
realize that the lack of metropolitan push
on the part of some of our better citizens
will have to be overcome. When cousid-
ering these questions, however, IL must ba
remembered the City Council will look TO
The best interests of. the taxpayers ar
large, aside from any consideration of an
prevail or disapproval a few may express
| am well aware that an effort failed TO
adopt the meter system in Savannah in
1896 but that was probably due to the I'M
| reliable meters in use then, which were
subject to errors, and were, therefore. be-
ing continually condemned by the people.
until they were dispensed with a wear
later.
IN considering the adoption of meters
there are a number of advantages citizens
will enjoy over the present system of sell
Ing water" Mayor Myers continued 'The
st IF will he
| duced, including the cost of coal which is
a large item OF expense to the city at
present Another important advantage 10
be gained Is the increase of pressure
which may bring about the reduction of
insurance rates matter that effects ev-
cry property owner in the city.
My idea is not to saddle a burden on the
people in putting in meters, which thew
cannot conveniently stand" the Mayor
continued. The Improvement should he
made Immediately after it is authorized
but arrangements should be made for
| easy payments, so thar the burden may fal.
gradually. Council should take this RAT
ter up at once. determine whether the
change is feasible, and if so, put It into
effect at the earliest practicable moment"
After the introduction of the resolution
for the water committee to look into the
matter which will probably be the course
it VIII take, a thorough investigation will
be made and public sentiment sounded
Il is safe to say the committee will have
its hands fun hearing from citizens. as
many have not forgotten their experiences
with meters in 1896, and will therefore be
leary 10 undertake the change again
The innovation proposed by Mayor
Myers calls up the cross-grained methods
Of different admnistra lions, and the va
ried ways councimen have of investing
the peoples money. 1t viii be remembered
that the preceding board spent large sum
! repairing the machinery at the river wa
| ter station 10 increase the supply for emer-
gency purposes. Several thousand dollars
having been spent only a few months since
! for this purpose, when it was then adj
| mitied the output of the Springfield sta
ton was equal 20 the demand, will doubt
| less cause citizens to wonder why water
! cannot be supplied when expenditures have
| been made so recently for the purpose The
| boast of the former administration was
| the abundance and excellence of the wa
| ter supply which had cost a large sum.
! but came as health-giving blessing to