The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-28
CITY STANDS FIRM
NO TROUBLE ABOUT WATER SUP
PLY OR PRESSURE.
FACTS AND FIGURES
PRESENTED TO CHAMBER OF CON-
MERGE COMMITTEE.

Mnyor Myers Says Southeastern Tar
iH Association Is Giant Trust.
Not "a single Case in Five Years
where There Has Not Been SufIl-
cient Water at n Fire-Increased
Pressure InstantaneOus-SaVa
naIl's Record of Fire Losses Will
Compare with Any City in the
Country-Facts to BE Given Tariff
Association.
Did it ever strike you that we are
dealing with one of the most gigantic
trusts in the country; for the South
eastern Tariff Association is a great
trust" Mayor Herman Myers.
"Give me volume and III give you
all the pressure you want. 1 don't
care if the pressure is only five pounds,
if I've got the volume I'll attend to
want" Fire Chief Mcguire.
ut doesn't take fifteen seconds by
the watch to increase the pressure in
Savannah, and I've timed it," Alder
man James NJ. Dixon.
1.-THE increase in pressure is instan-
taneous:" Supt. 1. U. Kinsey of the
water-works.
I'VE have the records for the past
ave years, and they can't be question
ed We've got the tools and we have
done the work." Alderman r. j. Da-
want.
I'VE should not sit down and tamely
submit to such arbitrary proceedings"
Mr.. F. c. Battey.
IF there is plenty of water why do
the insurance companies complaint"
Mr.. Leopold Adler.
Because they want that extra Is
cents" In chorus.
For an hour and a half last night
Chairman Leopold Adler. Mr.. William
Kehoe Mr.. F. c.. Battey and Mr.. Lee
Roy Myers, representing the Chamber
of Commerce, discussed the question
of high insurance rates in Savannah
with City Council, Fire Chief Mcguire
and Supt. Kinsey of the water-works,
and the above were some of the com
ments and expressions of opinion dur
ing the discussion.
Mayor Myers and members of Coun-
Gil expressed willingness to do ev-
erything in their power to have the in
surance rate in Savannah reduced, but
insisted that they could only point to
the record of the losses for the past I'VE
years. They declared that the figures
charges of lack of water This will be
the argument used in the effort that
will be made to have this amount taken
off by the Southeastern Tariff Associa-
ton.
Mr.. Adler explained that the insur-
ance people have Is cents charged
against Savannah for past record, lack
OF water, and poor pressure. He said
that if it were true that there was not
enough pressure, and a poor flow OF
water, then the city should try and
rectify the trouble. The chairman of
the committee from the Chamber of
Commerce explained that no fight was
being made, and that it was only de-
sired to have the Objectionable Is cents
taken off. IT, by increasing the sup
ply and pressure of water this could
be accomplished, then he asked that
the city do something in this direction.
five years at single fire in Savannah,
there was a lack of water?" asked
Mayor Myers of Mr.. Adler There are
good companies in New York that write
insurance for firms in Savannah and
leave the Objectionable Is cents off. The
insurance agents haven't and can't
show a single case where there has not
been sufficient supply of water here
in five years"
nonnasts.. Not h
Domestic pressure doesn't enter in
TO the subject" said Alderman Davant
who is an insurance agent THE plug
pressure is what counts and the pres
sure at the plugs can be Increased
in two minutes"
1T is up to the insurance people
to tell us just what we have done
wrong during the past five years." sug-
gested Alderman Dixon. I'VE have
done all that we know and we in
sist that we have plenty of water.
If all of these things are true then
these people are simply arbitrary" said
Mr.. Battey. THE trouble is we are
accustomed to doing the easiest things
rather than fight. The people of
Atlanta wouldn't stand for what we
are getting and Wen continue to get
this until we show fight Mr.. S. p.
Shotter asked for a reduction and
threatened to get his insurance in Eu-
rope, If necessary, and this great big
trust gave him a special rate"
Fire Chief Mcguire was loaded down
with facts and figures that went to
show that Savannah compares favor
ably with other cities in both pressure
and supply. Chief Mcguire declared
that often there is only a pressure of
1--WE pounds in New York city and that
he has been there upon such occasions.
Then why is our rate so much
higher than the New York rate"
asked Mr.. Adler.
That's a mystery to me-" said the
fire chief.
Because they want that Is cents
extra suggested Alderman Dixon,
land I'm like Mr.. Battey they'll get
1t as long as we stand for it"
''If the Tariff Association is in
clined to do the right thing it will
take the record for the past five
years" said Mayor Myers.
"Our pressure is from forty-five to
fifty pounds, and it is never two
pounds out of the way" said Supt.
Kinsey.
The Pressure All Right.
THE pressure is there when we get
to the hydrants," said Chief Mcguire
in the territory south of Gwinnett
send a stream of water over any
house in that section of the city,
1.-THE tank on the third floor of my
residence was full to-day for the first
time in ten days" said Mr.. Kehoe.