Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-24
WEBSTER Will SCI
GLUCOSE OFFICIALS
Selected by the Council to Pre-
sent City's Case Before
the Company
WANT PLANT HERE REoPENEo
Will Explain Situation and Conditions
and See What Can Be Done-council
wrestIes With the New Water Rate
Ordinance and Passes It to Second
Reading.
Reading.

While the consideration Of the new
water ordinance was the purpose 1of
which the special meeting of the coun-
ell was held on Thursday evening, pub
Ills interest will center in the appoint
ment of Councilman Webster as
committee of one to visit the officials of
the Glucose Sugar Refining Company.
in Chicago and impress upon them the
desire Of this city that the works here
be opened.
Mr.. Greene brought this matter be-
fore the council and in explaining his
motion said that in view of the fact
that a large portion of the chicago
plant of the glucose concern had been
recently destroyed by fire, he did not
doubt but that the disaster might III
some way affect the opening OF the
plant here. He went on to say he
thought it but right that the city should
send some member of the council tn
Chicago to lay before the glucose Off
Gals the conditions that existed here.
Mr.. Greene stated that 1t would be
his idea for the one appointed to max"
1t especially plain to the Chicago
gentlemen that the corn crop OF Iowa
would be large and would be ready
for use by the time the plant in this
city could be made in readiness He
also thought that the glucose people
should be reminded of the fact that the
sewage disposal plant is completed and
ready at any time to take care OF the
sewage, and they should also
be reminded of the existing contract
this city and the company,
bearing on the operation of the plant.
The motion met with immediate ap-
prevail of the council and on the sug-
gestion Of Mr.. Greene, Mr.. Byron Web
ster was appointed. MI. Webster will
leave the city tonight for Chicago.
Tho Water Ordinance.
The water ordinance was brought
up and read in full ard later passed
to it's second reading, when it was
opened for discussion. This new or
dinance is most lengthy document
and the reading of it required over an
hours time. 1t covers everything that
has to do with the city water system.
rates, meters, service, etc. 1t repre-
sents the work of several weeks and
has been compiled by taking an aver
age of the cost of water to consumers
and other details covered by it, in about
twenty or thirty cities OF the size of
Marshalltown which own their own
water systems. Mr.. Greene stated that
he was free to confess that SO far as
the fiat rates, as outlined by the or
dinance, were CONCERNED, they We're
little more than gfess work and werA
based on similar charges for like ser
vices In other cities. 1t is the wish OF
the council that just as soon as it is
possible the entire city may be placed
under meters. This is one OF the pur-
poses Of the ordinance for 1t is realized
by all that by measuring water con
sumed by meter the consumer not only
will get his water cheaper but the city
will be benefited in that the water that
is now wasted will not have to be
pumped. The ordinance provides that
the city will furnish all users Of citv
water with a meter at cost, or will
rent them to those desiring them for
nominal remuneration. 1t is estimated
that the cost Of a meter will be about
SO, and in addition to this the cost for
setting the same will be about $3.50.
Meter Rate Will Be Higher.
The document is of too great length
to even mention in detail very many of
its important parts. Those that will
interest the largest number is the meter
rate to the small consumer This rate
has been lowered, and it is estimated
that the saving to each household, If
one is used, will be several dollars
each year. To the large consumer, the
big factories and the railroads, which
use millions of gallons each year, the
rate has been raised. In fact it is more
than doubled. The rate under the old
ordinance for this service was 3h cents
per thousand gallons, and the new
measure provides that the rate shall be
7R cents for the same amount.
Cause Of the lncrease.
At first glance this increase seems
enormous but from figures secured on
the cost of pumping for the past three
years 1t has been ascertained that it
costs the city 6 AS cents for every
thousand gallons it forces thru the
mains. At the old rate the city was
losing money. The method of determin-
ing the cost was arrived at by taking
the amount of 100000 that the city
has invested in the pumping station,
and the average amount of water
pumped for the past three years. which
Is over 513,000,000 gallons. The cost of
the plant not only represents the actual
amount tied up in machinery and
mains, but also the interest on the mon
ey invested and the cost Of mainte-
nance.
Will Purchase Meters.