The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-07-15
CUT WATER EXPENSE.
Council Voted to Reduce Water Allow
ance Twenty Dollars per Mo nth.

Council Voted to Reduce Water Allow
ance Twenty Dollars per Mo nth.
At a, meeting Monday night, the
city council voted unanimously to
reduce the allowance to the Water
Company for water furnished the
city from S53. 50 per month oS33 80
per month The action was taken
after brief discussion of the report
of the special water committee,
which recommended such course.
The reduced allowance is intended
by the council to cover all the water
used by the city, including the
flushing of sewers. 1t was passed
without a dissenting vote, and un-
doubtedly represents the united
sentiment of the councilmen.
The report of the special water
committee, which caused the action
was submitted to the council two
weeks ago. 1t was laid on the
table to be taken up for consider
alton at the regular meeting which
occurred Monday night. 1t cites
that there are seven hydrants, all
in good condition except the one on
Seventh street, located at Bryson's
corner and continues: There are
seven cisterns, located as follows:
three on Second street, two on
Fourth, one on Fifth and one On
Seventh The cisterns located on
Fourth, Fifth and Seventh streets
are very small and would be of
little value in case Of fire, and all of
said cisterns are fed by 'three-quar-
ter inch pipe. None of these els
terms have been used in years by
the city in case of fire, except one
or two and they soon gave out
when used. In fact the entire els
tern plan, together with the present
hand engine. is of little use as a
protection against fire, and we
consider that the present $21 per
month now paid by the city for
maintaining the sane as so much
money lost; and would therefore
recommend that a committee be ap-
pointed by the council to ascertain
if the present hand engine cannot
be sold for sufficient money to war
rant the city in exchanging it and
paving the difference for a chemi-
cal engine. 1t is patent to the
council, no doubt that the present
system of extinguishing fires is in
efectual, and large portion of the
city without protection; and we
consider that with a chemical en-
gine, every part of the town would
have much better service than the
most favorable portion now has.
Your committee is of the opinion
that the present city council should
pay the present Water Company no
more than $500 annually for the
use of water for all. city purposes,
including the flushing of sewers tor
the following reasons:
"That the present system is very
ineffective, and does not supply
the water that is necessary for
fire protection, and extending over
but small portion of the city; and
the capital invested in the present
plant is very small. Taking all
these things into consideration, the
$500 proposed would be sufficient
and ample to pay for the amount of
service rendered" ..
The discussion brought out the
fact that councilmen agreed with
the committee that the system of
cisterns is practically worthless
so far as fire protection is concern
ed, and that it is waste of moneyto
continue to pay So per month
for each of them. One coun
Gilman declared that several of the
cisterns had never been used at all,
and that such others as had been
used had been pumped dry within
a period of but few minutes. The
reduction from $3.50 per month to
$33.3 per month, which is equal
to a reduction from S642 per year
to $500 psr year. was based On the
elimination of pay to the Water
Company for the cisterns.
The council also adopted the.
recommendation of the special wa
ter committee with reference to a
chemical fire engine, and instruct
ed the chief engineer to enter at
once into correspondence with
dealers to ascertain upon what
terms an exchange of the hand en-
gine for chemical engine could be
secured. The cost of such chem
ica1 engine as would be required
in Corvallis is $3.50. There are
statistics to the, effect that rs per
cent of the fires during the past
year were extinguished by chem
ica1 engines. Thew ,1se solution