The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-03
The Water Bonds.
A million dollars is lot of money

III Estimating our population in Mime
apolis at 100000, which is certainly not
very far wrong, it is 81 per capita On
an assessed valuation of $135,000,000 it
is about 71a tenths Of l per cent. The
interest at per cent would be little
less than 30 cents year on each thou
sand dollars of valuation, and the
amount of obligation per thousand of
assessed valuation, if thai sum were
borrowed, would be $40.
That is what it is proposed to do
/, borrow 100000 to help build filtra-
! ton plant for the purpose of purifying
our water supply. Throwing the propo-
sition into the different forms given
! above does not diminish the loan or
! make it any easier to pay. 1t only
helps the Individual property owner and
taxpayer to calculate at once what II
involves of financial obligation to him
: Individually.
The people of Minneapolis are going
to be asked next Tuesday whether they
want to make this loan Or not. 1t is
q very important matter-ln some re-
spects the most important that will
come before the, voters of this city at
the pproaching election. 1t calls for
, deliberate action. We 90 not want TO
l make any mistakes about it one way%o'rrs
the other. @:,42- =
4 \ The history of this project will be
readily recalled. A year ago Mlnneapo-
# lis was seriously alarmed by the prev
j alence of typhoid fever. The death
rate was appalling. A vulnerable point
of attack was the public schools Chill
dren REQUIRE great deal of drinking
I water In most cases there was moth
j ING to give them but the Mississippi
4 river water Parents became alarmed.
The women Of the Minneapolis Improve
ment league, many of whom had chill
j dren in the schools, took the matter up
1 in defense of the lives of their own
I children and the children of other par
(. ents who had not learned of the danger
or were not so able to protect their
4 children from danger. Public meetings
were held, and the health officer anc
other experts were called upon for ad
vice.
& AS a result of that campaign last
/ spring the council provided for specia
commission, consisting of City Engineer
Il Rinker, Mr. Cappelen, formerly city en-
4 gineer, and Mr.. Hazen Of New York
whose speciality is sanitary engineering
d and who has had experience in installing
both sand and mechanical filtration
plants.
The commission after several month
Of study Of the subject reported in ia
vor sand filtration beds and gravit,
filtration, the plant to be located nea
the present reservoirs.
The cost was estimated at ST ,276,O0C
without counting the cost of the lan6
+ Mr.. Lowry very generously offered t
give the necessary land to the city
valued at approximately 100000. It
p proposed to raise 100000 by sellin
bonds, and the balance from the rev
ij5. enues of the water service and by taxa
tion. The main thing is the bonds. -
II Of course, everyone understood whe
we started out to purify our water SUI
ply that it would cost something. Their
is no reason as yet to expect that it ca
IS done cheaper than has been estimate
by the three experts. Shall we e
ahead with the undertaking or wal
awhile? The installation of the pump
at the new northeast station has in
Il proved the water somewhat and typhoi
81 lis not so prevalent as before that wa
IL done, but the confidence of the publ
In the water supply has not been m;
terially strengthened. The schools al
supplied again as they were the latte
part of last year from the Glass bloc
artesian well, and it is doubtful if an,
one who was buying spring or sdistille
waters for drinking purposes has di
continued it on account of the startir
Of the new pumps.
Furthermore, if our water supply
less liable to contamination now than
was before the new pumping static
was opened it cannot be guaranteed f
II ANY definite length of time.
In short our water supply is still e
titled to be, and is, regarded with 81
picion. This fact alone when the CT
comes to take account Of all it's asse
of property and healthfulness of loo
tion and attractiveness, it's superior c
slcational advantages, ETC., must be S
down as a liability, 50 to speak, viii
Can never be discharged till we ha
provided ourselves with public wat
supply that is pure and wholesome
4hc highest practicable degree. It
practical business question wheth