Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-19
Water.

Editors of the heIlueDec Journal.
| have read with much interest the
flamboyant circular put out by the
agents of the water company in q last
desperate attempt to win popular sun
port for the Portland corporation which
owns our water plant. 1t is headed
IAN honest supply-an honest owner
ship" That is precisely what the peo-
pie want An honest supply from some
other source than the Kennebec river
and an honest ownership by all of the
people-an ownership located in Au-
gusta and not in Portland.
The circular states that when the
present water plant was installed Mr..
Heath supported and voted for it. Very
likely. SO did hundreds of our citizens
who are going to vote for ownership
by the people, next Monday. They
have learned something about Kenne-
and their present position is in every
way creditable to them. AS Scion
Chase we'll says: ''Wise men sometimes
change their minds-mules, never"
1t must be remembered, furthermore,
that the citizens who voted for the
water company at that time did so with
the distinct understanding that the city
could take over the plant whenever it
desired to do so.
1t is amusing, isn't it, to see how
afraid this Portland company is that
the people of Augusta will incur debt
by owning and operating their own
water system? They neglect to state
that in every city where a water plant
is owned by the people it has been a
money maker for the people. If this
water plant is such a bad property,
why Is this corporation so anxious to
hold it-even breaking it's solemn
PROMISE last spring, to our mayor and
others, that if the election were post
poned until June it would offer no OPP
position to the transfer of this plant
to our people, who have a right to own
it? There is just one answer: They
don't want to give up their dividends.
1t is amusing to see how hard this
circular lodges the figures of the Au-
about half as high as those in this
city, and are putting into their treasury
every year thousands of dollars in net
profits.
The circular is obliged to admit that
the Augusta Water District would have
no power under the laws to levy taxes
but declares that it will. Why should
it? 1t has not been done in any of
the other Maine cities that own their
water plants. Why should it be done
in Augusta which has one of the best
paying plants of it's size in all New
England? Water plants owned by the
people have been money makers for
the people. What reason is there why
the plant in Augusta, which has al
ways paid handsome dividends to its
Portland owners. should cease to be a
money maker when it comes into the
possession of the people?
The water circular states that the
annual income is represented by 600
note that they do not state that it
is $685. 900. Add to these figures the
1000 received from Togus and the
State and we have an annual income
of $4,000, on their own showing. In
his letter to the Journal Mr.. Manley
stated that his company had 1900 water
takers in Augusta. Hundreds of our
houses have three or four faucets, in
addition to sill-cocks, bath rooms,
stable service and set tubs.
all this service with rates at IS per
faucet only amounts to $4,000. Peo
pie who have looked into the matter
express the opinion that the annual in
come of this company from all sources
will be good deal nearer $4,000
than $4,000.
If the income is so unimportant
why is the company SO anxious to hold
onto it?
The company's circular gives q table
of typhoid fever cases with the list OF
deaths, but fails to tell of the hundreds
who have suffered from this dread dis
ease, and been fortunate enough to re-
cover from it.
Tables like this will not deceive or
mslead the intelligent voters of Au-
gusta.
If this is the strongest case the water
company can present, their condition
is indeed a desperate one. and it may
be stated in n general way, that it is
usually losing cause that feels obliged
to resort to Il handful crusade.
VOTER