Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-03-14

ter bonds, and 10 report on the con
dftiop OF the present system and the
cost OF operation, and the plans Tor
a future system, together with such
information as II might be enabled to
kathcr upon the subject. reports as
follows:
Cost OF Maintenance Of Present Sya-
TEN.
That their frst step was 10 inquire
into the cost Of maintenance and con,
dition of the present water system
For this purpose the whole committee
met soon after iis appointment IN
the ONCE OF the city clerk, aud by
request the water superintendent III,
tsndei and gave "A detailed report
On the opcration and condition Of the
present system, in response to anes'
tIunn put by the committee. Aboui
the snnie time the council called upon
It's proper committee aud the water
superintendent for report upon the
same subject. and n report was pre-
pared and submitted to the council.
which report hna been published and
copy OF which IL hereto attached
So far az the report goes as to the
maintenance and the present condi'
ton Of tho system. II comedies with
the facts disclosed TO your committee
IN It's Investigation.
The annual cost OF operation and
maintenance Of the present system
was found by taking the average es-
penditnrcn for the last three years.
This expenditure was found to aver
age ef.s02 per annnm, exclusive Of
interest on bonds, which amounts an
pualiy 10 the further sum of 4i.i55.
The various iteme which make up the
total are set mt In the report TO the
council above referred to and hereto
attached. The salaries paid the su.
pertntendent. engineer aud Bremen
have amounted to IS 800 per annum ,
other labor the greater part OF which
We understand Ia upon the mains,
etc, to ts00 80, cost of coal 81 .sSs. 20 Z,
material. supplies and ropairn, ST..
ab3. insurance and lights. t3eD In
1898 and part OF 1899. being about
half the time covered by the period
taken for an average, the coal cost
ton for the same quality. md 1t is
likely the annual cont Of coal will In
the next period exceed the average
for the past three years.
The condition fof the proscni plant
In detailed In the report of the water
superintendent To which we refer.
Your committee made minute maui.
rIes OF the superintendent upon this
point and were surprised 10 learn
that the supply pipe running from
the pump to the reservoir is barely
sufficient for the present needs. aud
that the reservoir has a capacity of
only one and unefourth million gal
Ions, equal only to the daily GA honrsI
pumping capacity Of the Worthing
ton pump now al the plant. and hard.
ly more than one days supply In sum.
mer. Without any increased demand
for water. ordinar, precaution would
seem TO demand that another pump
be gotten to DO ready in case OF ao-
tidcnt to or break down of the pres.
ent one. and that the reservoir capac-
ity be Increased II pumping plant
" 10 be retained, Tho water super
intendent estimates the cost OF new
pump OF one and ona-half million
gallons capacity at st.?bo. aud the cost
n, enlarslng the reservoir at $4,000
more. II the demand Increases ma
terally n new pipe win probably be
necessary from the pump TO the res.
ervoir. The present pipe is eight
inches, and the water superintendent
do .,tx Ia. a..
the cost of which he estimates Mt
tl6.S00, Your committee do not un.
dertsnnd that such new pipe Is indis-
pensable unlcss there is an increased
demand for water Some expendi-
lures will probably have to be made
for boiler and u new pumping sta
tion building ought To be built. as
the present one Ia mere shell OF
practically no value. Based on the
estimates Of the wator superintend.
ent. these improvements (which We
consider must soon be made II the
present plant is to be continuodl will
In the aggregate cost not less than
$4,000.
Putting In meters aud mechanical
filters will improve the system. but
we should regret TO see the expsndi-
ture necessary therefor undertaken
n this time.
In view of these conditions your
committee estimates that In the next
three years to maintain and operate
the present plant. and without incrcas-
ing the supply OF water or improving
its quality. an average annual cxpcn-