The Forrest City times., 1902-05-09

l gations together with my recommen- dations and suggestions as to the changes that should be made.
 STREET LIGHTS.
 We are now paying S120.00 per month, or .00 per year for lighting | the streets. and to light the streets in the territory which has been recently added to the town, will require at least | fifteen additional lights at cost of | s2.OO per month for each light-thus increasing the monthly payment to | sl5000, and the annual expenditure l for this one item alone, to Sls00 O0. l This sum represents fully three-fourths of the entire revenue arising from the | levy of mill tax on the real and personal property of the town, and l i feel sure. that you will agree with me ! in the opinion, that this is more than the finances of the town justify us in paying for this one item of expense. The first plan for reducing this eX- pense which occurred to me, was that of placing an additional engine and dynamo in the pumping station now used by the water works, which would require an outlay of something like S2500 or S3000., and by doing the pump. l ing at night when the lights were need l ed. the cost of fuel and engineers services would be reduced to mini- mum, but to thIs plan there is the i objection that an electrician must be employed at a salary of about SI5 % per month and he would be idle fully 1 one-half Vf his time. In addition to this, if we withdraw this patronage from the local company which is now ligbtiug the town, It might have the effect of driving 1t out of business, entirely, or of in pairing it's service to tae residences and business houses of the town, where the occupants have incurred considerable expense in put ting in fixtures, etc. and desire to con- tnue using the light. l am reliably informed that the local company is making a net profit of about 5000 per annum, and if this is true, the plant will pay for itsels ill three or four years 1 recommend, therefore, that the present light plant be purchased by the town, provided satisfactory plice and terms of payment can be agreed upon, and believe that the matter can be so arranged, that the property can be purchased outright without increasing the present annual payment, which goes entirely as toll and is an abso lute loss to the town.
 IT the purchase Of the plant can not be effected upon satisfactory terms, 1 suggest that lower monthly rate be insisted upon.
 WATER WORKS.
 The monthly report of the water committee showing receipt of but little mn ha hu consumers of water indicates very clearly, the water is not taken by all the residents of the Improvement Dis. trict, and if the property belonged to a l private person or corporation, It would be considered an unprotitable invest ment. The plant cost originally about S2l000 00 and the monthly running ex- pense Is approximately S100 00. It is l therefore plain, that in order to realize even pr ct per annum on the original cost, the revenue from consumers should be at least S20O.00 per month We should not be content with the financial condition of the plant merely ! because 1t pays expenses.
 The Machinery Is all new at this time, and working satisfactorily, but tue time will come when repairs will
 
 or pumps must be bought, additional wells needed &c, and unless we antici- pa'e these dle!culties and prepare for them by creating sinking fund to meet such contingencies, 1t is safe to ] predict, that we, or our successors, will at some future time; meet with many difficulties i'll the running of the plant.
 In answer to the inquiry as to why d 1 n n Ina nf la 1 t.Nt 20 tue water, tue reason generally given Is that the cost of connecting with the mains is too great, and we should en- deaVor by some means to remove this cause for complaint. To meet this ob- lection, 1 suggest for your consideration the following plan: That whenever an application for water IS accompanied by cash advance payment, sufficient to cover the cost of tapping and con meeting with the main, the amount so paid be applied to that purpose, and tue applicant be credited with the amount, as so much paid on his month l y rate for the use of the water. This plan will of course require the commit tee to furnish water 10 such all appli. cant free of charge for perhaps several months, but when the monthly rate
 
 the advance payment which he made, from that time forward, he becomes a regular, and perhaps permanent, con- tributos.
 SEWERAGE.
 Quite number of water consumers are now using bath tubs and kitchen sinks, the drains from which empty lnto the street gutters, where 1t be comes staguant and offensive; and tc1mplaints as to the condition Ut such gutttrs. have already become numerous and frequent, and you VII soon be called upon to determine whether such nse of the water shall be prohibited, Oi whether the town will provide sewerage to accommodate such connections
 In this connection, recommend thai an ordinance be passed prohibiting the use ot privies, urinals, sinks &c, with. out water and sewer connections. m block b and Is, where ample sewerag, has been provided.