The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-06
DISCUSSION OF
WATER PROBLEM
Continued from Fifth Paee).


duction. This process continued until
both companies were not only furnishing
absolutely free water, but were doing the
plumbing in addition, while one company
threw in chrome in the form of twenty
five cents in money. OF course time and
cost cured the parties of their madness
1t always does where money Is concerned
Both companies went into the hands OF
receivers and after the obsequies one
body was resurrected and now Denver has
only one water company. In Montgom-
cry, in our own state, when the present
works were built, there was in existence
an old system of works, acknowledged
to lie wholly inadequate and unsatisfac-
tory and yet the old company compelled
| the new to pay nearly one hundred thous-
and dollars in order to get them out OF
| the way, and although it was in the ma
| ture of bonus, for the physical proper
| ty was only worth it's value as scrar
IRON was splendid purchase.
Mobiles Experience.
In Mobile where competing works were
built, and where the conditions were far
! dlnerent from those existing here. and
! the opportunity for the construction OF
competing works was much more favor
able, the result is a disappointment.
nave IN my possession letter from q
prominent citizen of Mobile, one who is
known and honored all over the state
from which I make the following ouo.
| tations:
| There has been a very active comneti-
tlon since the city has put its plant into
operation, at very reduced rates. Proba-
! Oily the water company is making a lit.
tie more than its running expenses. but
certainly not enough to pay interest on
us ponds, have no definite knowledge
IN Ill.
doubt whatever that the competition is
Just about as bad as 1t is for the water
company. [ do not believe it can be
making enough to pay running expenses
and interest on the water bonds leaving
the accumulation of a sinking fund out
of the question. l think it is now univer-
sally admitted that the city should have
acquired the plant of the water company
in some way if it insisted upon municipal
ownership, and should not have put it.
self In the position it occupies. The fact
is that negotiations have lately been
taken up and are now pending. looking
to the purchase of the system of the
company by the city, which I confess
does not seem to me practicable, as | do
not believe that the city can meet that
expense in addition to what it has in
CURED in the construction of it's own
system.
AS citizen, If the situation were
such as when the difference commenced.
| should insist upon an arrangement with
the company for a water supply at rea-
sonable rates rather than to have NUM-
cipal ownership.
IF municipal ownership should be de-
termined upon | should then insist upon
the acquisition by purchase or condem-
nation OF the private system so as to
avoid competition.
"As indicated above. the old company
interferes most materially with the city
system. the income of the latter being
most disastrously reduced by this COM
petition
Now does anyone suppose that the re-
suit here will be any less disastrous?
Uncle Sam is the only Individual on
this continent who can afford to wholly
disregard financial consideration. Even
Jefferson county, great as it is cannot
do this
The Old Company.
The old company is here in possession
of the field. thoroughly entrenched bv a
system of mains extending throughout
the more populous portions of the coun-
ty. upon which there are now nearly 5000
service attachments. Whatever they NAV
have done in the past they will in the
future supply just as good water as can
Dc obtained from any other source, and
II 1t becomes a question of price. does
any sane man Lope that they will lose
any OF these consumers? Not one unless
they choose to do so. They will lose
only such as are Improbable, either to
themselves or to their competitors.
They have coal enough within a mile of
their pumping station to last forty or
fifty years, a seam four feet in thickness,
which can be mined and delivered In their
boiler room at a minimum of cost. They
have modern machinery of the most ap-
proved kind. operated by the most skill
full employees, among whom efficiency
alone, and not political pull, will be the
standard of excellence. the whole under
the most capable and economical man
agement. with unlimited means to back
such management. Does any one doubt
the result? l may be thought to be in
error as to judgment, but no one who
Will examine my tax list can have cause
TO question my loyalty to Birmingham.
The denominations of my life are invest
ed in and around Birmingham, largely in
real estate. which hope to transmit un-
encountered to my children, and cannot
without protest see the community COM
NIT an error so disastrous.
If Uncle Sam will foot the bills by all
means let him, but let us go slow with
the funds of city or county. One sug-
gestion made by Mr.. Van Hoose / concur
In fully. The water supply to the vari-
GUS municipalities of this county, like its
sewerage system. should be under ona