Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1902-10-18

To the Editor Of the Eagle.
Dear Sir-Why is It that the City
Engineer Of Chicago NO warmly advo.
Gates the Introduction Of the water
meter system into the households Of
every taxpayer in Chicago? find In
reading the city papers Of last Wed.
nestay the following item prominently
set forth:
"Clty Engineer Ericsson Is preparing
report on the resolution of Alderman
Race looking to the putting In Of meters
for all users Of water In order to
stop the waste row prevalent under
the frontage system Of assessing water
bills. The engineer Is warmly In fa-
vOr Of the plan and figures that 1t
would result In a grent saving to the
city.
He computes that there are now 2OO..
| 600 water tnps where the charge IL by
frontage rate, ana II would be ecOnomi.
cal to install meters In IS per cent. or
10000. The cost Of meters Is $15 each,
or $2,25O,OOO. The interest on this ut
3 per cent would be $67.5OO year. but
against this Mr.. Ericsson estimates that
the city would save mt least $12O.OOO Il
year In coal bills alone. More import.
ant than that, however, he regards the
saving In the cost Of new pumps re-
sulting from curtniling the waste of
water. Now the natural growth of the
city necessitates a new pump costing
$4,000 or more every few years"
This ls all very queer and In some
respects IL just about as clear as mud.
In the first place should like to know
how the City Engineer expects to make
n saying to the city OF .$12O.OOO year
In coal bills alone" through the install.
lntlon Of a general system Of water
meters?
In the next place. how the Engineer
considers a saving Of $4,000 for new
pump every few years as more import.
ant than u saving Of $4,000 a year
In coal bills Is something I confess
don't understand.
The total cost Of meters Ia set Mt S.
100000. Nothing is said as to who
would have to bear this rather startling
Item OF expense. 1t IL more than prob
able that the property owners would
have to bear 1t directly. but whether
directly or indirectly. 1t would Of course
fall upon the taxpayers ultimately.
Under all the circumstances, It IL
rather Interesting to know who IL 20.
Ing to he benefited by this proposition,
anyhow. Yours. HOUSEHOLDER,
Crhe Eagle has expressed its opinion
Of this ordinance In another column.
1t desires to add. however, that II con.
ours In the Views of its correspondent
ana would suggest that the taxpayers
should protest against the passage of
the measure or any one similar to II.
either by signed petitions or personally
1t the committee and Council meetings.
-";D
Editor Eagle.
Dear Sir-lt seems that the elevated
roads Tor some Of them mt least) are
never obliged to comply with the pro.
visions Of the ordinances under which
they operate. II l am not misinformed |
these ordinances provide that the trains |
on these roads shall be run ut stated |
times. but ! notice on certain branches
thnt trains are started out mt the term. |
iiiais only as often as the company or
Its operator calculates he has good
rat harvest OF passengers awaiting
them at the different stations. Some of |
our reforming ana public.spirited AL.
dermen might look into this with much
pr0fit to their constituents, particularly
on the West Side. Very respectfully.
j. Nee.
Through the efforts of President
John j. Hanberg of the County Board
there Is to be complete and thorough
OF the bookkeeping sys.
TEN ana the clerical work In general.
which has long been In vogue In the
County Treasurer's office. The firm of
expert accountants, Messrs. Stuart &.
Young, chosen for the work by the
County Board, Is well established
one, having been In business here since
1894. 1t annually audits the nc.
counts OF large number of some of
the biggest corporations of this and
neighboring cities, including the Chi
cago Telephone Company. the North
western Mutual Life Of Milwaukee.
and similar concerns. It is to the credit
Df Mr.. Hanberg and of the County
Board that they have thought 1t worth
while to give the work In this case to
capable. responsible and reputable
Chicago hrm. instead Of going outside !