The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-07-17

AAOoAC 40 huOWu 0o VIC CO0U OAOpCIoVAuS
the Kimball water-works and the In
come from the same, some facts and
figures will be of general interegt- and
particularly SO to members Of the
council who Individually and collec-
lively appear to know as little about 1t
as anyone. AS an illustration, one of
the council said to the writer not long
since that the city did not collect from
water consumers and for the sale of
water one-tifth the cost of operating
the plant. Another city official said
few days ago that it cost at least $50
month for gasoline alone for the en-
gine. Others have been so misled by
wild statements that the impression
has been general that the people who
use hose for sprinkling purposes used
all the water.
AS stated in these columns last week,
practically every city owning It's own
water plant charges half the cost OF
operating expenses to the general fund.
A city Of 5000 population in which
there is a water-works plant owned by
private parties pays about $1,000 an
nuaily for the use of fire hydrants
alone though there may not be a
dozen fires a year. Sioux City owns
its own water-works system. In the
report of the water-works published in
the Tribune few weeks ago the net
revenues from consumers is given as
$3l.92l, and the Tribune editorially
says that sSioux City's bill would be,
ifsthe works were privately owned,
from $25,0O0 to s3O,ooO.' Sioux City
has population Of about 80, 900 people,
and on the Tribune's estimate the
cost to the city for water for fire and.
public purposes is Appropriated at,
about 81 per capita. Figuring on this
basis Kimball could pay from general
taxation $500 annually and not be out
of proportion with scores of other;
cities. There is one water customer
in Sioux City to every eleven persons,
In Kimball there is one to every
twelve.
Kimball pays man s38 a month for
filling the duties Of water commission
er, street commissioner and marshal,
his principal duties being to operate
and care for the engine in the pump
house. In addition to this work, he
has to look after the street lamps and
do other old Jobs. 1t lis not likely that
were the water-works not in existence
that any man could be secured to fill
the position of street commissi sioner,
marshal and take care Of the street
lamps for less than Sl3 month"; be
could for that. Anyhow, it is un,
reasonable to charge against the water
works over s25 a month of his time, OF
$500 annually. The costof the gaso
line for the engine from July |, 1902 t.
July l, 1908, according to Auditor
4 lLumbard's figures, was sI77.71, al
average, by the way, Of less than on,
half $50 las the city official said i
was) monthly.
incidentally, the gasoline in th
street lamps for the same length Of tim
cost S7O.12, almost half as much as th
cost Of gasoline for the water plant
and they burning not more than hal
the time that is to say, the four Q
4 them.
The cost Of repairs on the engine j
a matter Of guess work, but if it wa
the right kind of an engine they woul
not amount to over IS annually, an
as IT. is probably s25 would cover it.
There are about forty "taps" fro1
the mains and approximately abou
that many consumers, running fe,
under that usually. But fignrin
forty at an average of IS each an
!, putting in the creamery and mil q
$35 (price the two institutions are no
paying) it would give the city a rev
nue. OF S270. To this can be added rev
nues from other sources. Last winte
the Milwaukee paid the city $40 Il
water. In view Of the fact that man
consumers have been paying as hig
as $40 annually and some of them 81
and Sl4 it would seem, with forty col
sumers or thereabouts, an average I
at least S5 ought to be collected.
The GRAPHIC believes that no or
should have the use Of the city watt
for less than 81 annually for any pu
pose whatever meter or no meter.
leaky service pipe or hydrant may los
that amount for the city every yea
And it would seem that with no 9th
water supply but from cistern ar
sometimes not that-s4 ought to }
cheap enough for any family or an
body-just for the convenience Of ]
1t is almost worth it for the use Of
COW or horse alone IN any two