The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-19

Water was again the burden of the
board of trades discussions at its reg
ular meeting last night. A report was
received from the special committee
appointed TO confer with President
Scranton, of the Gas and Water COM
pany, in which was told what the con-
ference accomplished, or, TO be exact,
what occurred there; a resolution was
presented reiterating at length the
sentiments of water rate resolution OF
the last meeting, and ordered printed
for distribution and future consider -
tion, and some interesting remarks
were made by prominent members re-
garding the all absorbing topic.
Incidentally a resolution was adopt
ed pledging support to the new Della
ware Valley and Kingston railroad,
officers were nominated for the ensu-
ing year and the handsome and sub
stantial compliment was paid Secre-
tary Atherton of granting him an in
solicited and unexpected increase in
salary.
The report of the special committee
on water rates was prefaced with a
statement from it's chairman, James
II. Torrey, that the committee felt
constrained to confine itself wholly
within the limits prescribed for 1t by
the resolution under which it was cre-
ated, namely: ITO confer with Mr.
Scranton with a view of securing q
lower and uniform rate for manufact-
urers, and to report upon the legal
status of the water company" The
report of the committee was as fol-
lows:
COMMITTEE REPORT
To the Scranton Board of Trade.
The undersigned committee appointed
at the last meeting Of the board with
instructions to wait upon Mr.. w. w.
Scranton, president of the Scranton Gas
and Water company with reference to
the substance of the resolution adopted
at the last meeting, respectfully report:
That by appointment, a majority of
the committee waited upon Mr. Scranton
at the Office of the Scranton Gas and
Water company, on Friday, Dec. s. The
committee submitted to Mr. Scranton the
resolutions of the board, and in accord
ance with the instructions of the board
suggested to him that the Scranton Gas
and Water company should make a uni
form and lower meter rate to manufac-
turers. The committee stated that in
their opinion and in that of the board the
company would lose nothing by such
reduction in the end, as the increase of
manufactures would necessarily lead to
greater increase in domestic use of water
In connection with the suggestion in
the action of the board that the location
of new manufactures was discouraged
by the high water rates, Mr.. Scranton
asked that some specific case of manu-
factory kept out of Scranton by the
water rates be named The committee
stated, in substance that many factors
entered into the decision of the question
of any proposed location of manufactor-
les here, and that it would not be possi-
BILE to cite any specific case in which that
consideration, and that alone, led to a
negative decision, but that it was fair to
say that in all proposed locations Of
manufactures here objection was at once
raised TO the high water rates, and that
the eXorbitant character of those rates
was frequently assigned as a principal,
If not controlling, reason for refusing
to come here. During the discussion Mr..
Scranton expressed a willingness to sub
stitute for the present meter rates the
following sliding scale:
Maximum rate: 10 cents per thousand
gallons on first 100000 gallons used per
month
10 cents per thousand on next 100000
gallons.
s cents per thousand on next 25O, 900
gallons, and for anything beyond that
amount, cents per thousand gallons.
The committee were not prepared to
express any opinion upon the acceptable
ity or reasonableness of this scale. AT
ter considering it, however, they are
satisfied that while it might prove OF
some benefit to manufacturers using q
small amount of water, it would greatly
increase the cost of water to large con-
sumers.
The committee made no suggestion or
request that special rates be made to
new manufactures different from those
given to manufactures already estab-
lished It's only request of Mr.. Scranton
was for a lower and uniform rate to all,
In a general wsy, Mr., Scranton indicated
an unwillingness to comply with the re-
quest of the board, at the same time
stating that he was willing to consider
any definite case of any particular man
ufactory which was talking of locating
here, but was deferred by the high water
rates, and also saying that he did not
see why his company should stand all
the difference, and expressing an opinion
that the city or the board of trade might
properly make up any deficit in profits
which would result from the present
rates. (Signed)
]. II. Torrey.
Thomas II. Dale,
j. A. Lansing,
The legal status Of the Scranton Gas