The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-28

4 n since the recorder invited en-
pressions of opinion by citi-
zcns on the ndvisability of the city
owning It's own water supply. we yes
trrday received two unsolicited COM
munications on this subject. The first
Is from Mr.. Fred Schuman of the
South Side and Is us follows:
Editor of The Tribune.
sir.-l notice in your 'oday's Issue that there !!
Mt least one inah that tavors the sc:inton Gas
and Water company and says. lot vel enough
alone. | wished that this certain party wac IL.
siding on thc South Side. The water Il, that par.
has not been fl to use for hogs. and If there is
no rcinc!, soon We will have to call the matter
to the attention OF the board OF health as II will
certainly breed disease in this part VI the city.
As to the mntcr of water from the Snsqnchnro
river. and others say. let the Scranton Gas and
Water company keep their water II they want to.
we will he agreeable to the susquehanna
in preference. but let the taxpayers vote ON this
isSuc nest february and see how they feel, and
then 20 ahead accordingly think that lalrc
portion of the people that pay for wator will be
found willing 10 get out Of the clutches OF the
Gas and Water company and would bind them
selves 10 usr city water. no matter what the cost
would be at first. +. Sehumln.
Dec ~
The second letter came from a gem
tleman who for many years has been
prominent in the professional and
political life of this community but
Who for satisfactory reasons. desires
Editor of The Tribune
Sir: notice lligc prepondc,ancc of the
taxpayers who have responded To the recorders
circular arc in favor OF municipal ownership. but
many have msgivngs about ii. because OF fear
OF political niisinanagcmcnt. Is Scranton SO
much worse than It's nciglbors, Harrisburg.
'it;sburg. Allegheny. Ringhamton. Willilm,port
to say nothing OF New York and Philadelphia!
All these cities have for years owned and man.
aged their own water PLANTS, And SO have all The
large utics ot the world. indeed among iill.
inequalities having 100000 population and up.
wards. water plant in the hands of private
corporation is the exception. and this exception
Will grow more rare the years 90 by for obvi.
utls rcaSon> The first cf which Is ,hat an article
"t such vital necessity (" the public veal. in.
r"lving life health and sanitation. SHOULD never
he permitted to be IL matter OF irrrcaIdizc or
source OF profit: nor should IL be in the power
"t any property interest to ever curtal or cut
of the supply. ], should hr served to all alike
at th" actual roSt Of service and maintenance.
But. say these fearful souls. politics will make
answer is. other cities have not found it so. for
the plain reason that the people themselves
tho municipality. and its Officers will always he
,i> good a. the people want them to be. 4 mat;
ter so directly affecting the life Of everybody
will be sire to receive careful attention, and
such is the experience of cities owning their own
water plants. 'Maladninistation has been the
very rare exception. In conversation with one Of
the water commissioners Of ncighbcrins city
a inn nun I mot i.nI1 .rnp f,rli, ~
anxiety on his par, ior the welfare Of his plant,
and remarked upon it.
"icS, indrcI,'' said he. ~ car. hardly think
of anything else. | never tire at night without
final visit to the office, to be assured that
everything is all right. II anything should hap
pen that the people did not get their supply of
water, We would have to get out which was
but another way of saving that they were in
touch with the temper and feelings OF the people,
whose servants they we're. ilow different this,
from certain corporation management have
experienced whose motto seems to bc ''thc pco-
pie be d--,l"
second reason why every municipality
should own lis own water plant, is found in the
fact that il can control the wastcagc ot water.
aS II" private party can. The enormous waste
age Of water is the reason urecd for high rates
1t requires more than triple the quantity of
water actually used. to meet the daily needs
because nf the lroiigatc waste. and this waste
must he paid for. hence t.c higher rates. The
city o' Washington had an experience some ycals
ago. The whole OF the Potomac river seemed i'll
sufficient t" supply the city. The remedy was
found not III increasing the water supply. but
in stopping the waste. An ordinance WAS passed
forhiddin@ all unnecessary waste. and tvng fines
for wasting faucets. SO first ottcncc: SO Tor
second offence: so for third offence. and
fourth oicnsc. stoppag" OF water. Water insprr
tors were appointed to enforce this ordinance by
personal visitation to all properties. The result
WIS an attendance OF water for all legitimate
Use ever AFTER hut none to waste. This means
OF stopping waste Of water is no, open to pgi.
vat" purrcy"ls They can apply til" meter, but
this is only partial remedy, and moreover it.
tendency is to restrict a full and free proper
use of water in the interest. of economy.
There should be no restriction. Every one
Should feel AT liberty use every ounce OF water
thar any proper need may require. Wantun
waste should be stoppod. The faucet rarclcs,ly
left running or in Wller purpuscly, to prevent
freezing ,'hc ownrr bcin. too lazy or mprovi.
dent to fv it so that il cannot trenzr), and the
OF them constantly open. because own.
cIS are too lazy or imprnydcn' To replace worn.
"ui valves or washcrs-a mere trlng matter,
permits millions ri gallons OF water to escape
for which the more careful and providcnt are
obliged 10 pay. All this, I say. the city can
regulate; therefore the city ran supply water
cheaper aud more cconomicallv than private
panty. This is a tremendous advantage 10 he.
gin with, and to say that the city cannot man.
age the plant in other respects as car,ullv and
economically as private individual, is to contra.
diet demonstrated facts in numbcrlcss instances
of actual experience. -, Aqua pula
No doubt there are other citizens who
have arguments to present. If so, our
columns are omen