Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-01-03
Should It Ever Emerge from Committee a
Grand Jury Investigation Will Surely
Follow.
Injunction Proceedings May Also Be Brought
in Civil Courts on Good and Sufficient
Grounds.
Meantime the Query Is Still Every Tongue: "is There
a Water Meter Ring in the City
Ha?"

From all directions the Eagle has re-
ceived congratulations upon the stand
which 1t has taken In reference to the
latest proposed water meter deal.
Its lead has been followed by num-
Der of its contemporaries. and the note
of warning which it has sounded is
likely to be taken up by the taxpayers
and property owners In a way that the
promoters of the scheme will not relish.
The objections urged by the Eagle
to the passage of this measure are not
the only ones. For instance. the
Chronicle had this to say editorially In
recent edition:
Another effort Is being made to limit
the water supply of the householder
by the general installation of water
meters. The Chronicle opposed that
proposition when II was presented
some months ago and 1t opposes 1t now.
III there is anything whose use
should he encouraged II Is water. There
Is practically no such thing as wasting
IL. The water which runs from open
spigots flows into the sewers ana
tushes them out. thus carrying OH dis
easc-breeding filth and refuse. Except
where there Is obvious wantonness of
waste, there should be no restriction
upon the use Of water In the house
hold.
There is no need to put the screws
upon the modest domestic consumer.
who at the very worst can use only Il
relatively small quantity of water ana
who cannot steal any at all
~ccA
IL strikes the average unbiased oh.
server. however, that II Is not really an
oyerweenng anxiety for the water sup
ply or the use or waste thereof that
has caused all this agitation In certain
quarters and the consequent Outcry for
n Wholesale installation of water me-
tiers.
There is II suspicion that there IL n
water meter ring in the City Hall, and
that this ring Is going To benefit ma
tcrlally by the passage of such an or
dlnancc as that now pending.
should the so-called water meter or
dlnance over emerge from the com.
mittcc to which II has been consigned,
and should I'm attempt be made 10 pass
IL. something will drop.
There are citizens who are now pre-
pacrd 10 draw the whole business be-
fore the attention of the States Attor'
ncy ana the Grand Jury, and If ncces'
sary To- resort TO the courts for Il re-
strnlnlng order preventing the en-
furccmcnt of such an ordinance
ON the ground that It would cause ir
reparablc injury and damage 10 prop
crty IN this city.
Aprupos Of the talk about Il water
meter ring IN the City Hall, it may b'
well tu remind the readers of The
Eagle that cOlncidcnt with any lega
steps that might he taken To prevent
the enforcement of the ordinance If il
Were passed, an Investigation might
also be- called for into the methods il
vogue concerning the selection ano
purchase of water meters even undc!
present arrangements, and that, TOO
perhaps with good results To the tax
payers,
The present Commissioner of Public
Works, who l. eX-OtiiclO the head oi
the water department, is mn upright
and honorable official, but 1t may be
that h" found system already
inauGuratcd when ne took hold, fo'
which hc should not and could not b'
held responsible. But that Is no rca
son why, II the system Is a bad one
II should not be- changed. II Is claimc'
by those who pretend To have II thor
Ougl knowledge of what they ar
talking about that there ls no competi
tiOn IN the selection and purchase o
water meters; that the form Of Specl
ficatiOn for bids has been so arrange'
by former administration Of the De
partmcnt of Public Works as 10 prac
tically preclude all chance of competl
tiOn. II this Is so, the facts cOnccrnin.
It should be made public as well as III,
reason or reasons for II,
All Of these things and other matters
relating 10 them may receive a thor
ough ana beneficial airing should III.
water meter ordinance ever find III
way back into the City Council.
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