The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-14
TO SAIL NOVEMBER q
TAFTs PARTY TO EMBARK FROM
 PENSACOLA THAT DAY.
VIII Proceed From New Orleans to Florida Fort on the Dofphin.--At Latter Place Board the
 C0lumbia,

Pensacoia, Fla, NOV. 1S.---lt Is Ofn- cially announced that Secretary Taft and party will not sail from this city until November q. the delay having net officer to finish his annual report that 1t may be transmitted to Congress early in the session.
 The program is for the distinguish ed party of the war secretary to go to New Orleans, there board the dispatch boat Dolphin and sail for Pensacola. At this port the entire party will go aboard the cruiser Columbia, 1t being impossible for the cruiser to get up to the Crescent City by way of the Mis- sissippi river.
 . Preparations have been made here to receive and entertain the distinguish ed party. but in light of the informa- tion now at hand 1t would seem that there will be but a short time spent in Pensacola. It Is given out, however. that they will return this way and Pensacola citizens are anticipating the pleasure of then acting as hosts.
 
 Merchant Marine Commission.
 The Merchant Marine Commission Is to hold two sessions here Wednesday next. the sessions possibly to take place at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce. It Is thought that all the business will be completed In two ses- sions. and the party will leave that evening for Brunswick, Ga. Among those composing the commission, and who will be in Pensacola. are: Senator J.. H. Gallinger of New Hampshire; Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massa- chusetts, Senator Boise Penrose of Pennsylvania; Senator Thomas s. Mar Tn nf D Mallory of Florida; Representative Charles Grosvenor of Ohio; Represent tative William Minor of Wisconsin. Representative William E. Humphrey of Washington; Representative Thom- as Spight of Mississippi; and Repre- sentative Allen McDermott of New Jersey.
 Winthrop L. Marvin of Boston. the secretary of the commission. has made arrangements through Senator Mallory for the meeting here. Senator Mallory himself is at present attending the ses- sfons of the body now sitting in Gal
 " "a. -
 Excessive Water Rates;
 There has been a great deal of inter- est attached to a statement here that for the last ten years or more the wa ter company has been collecting ten times as much for the use of water as the ordinance allowed. The ordinance as originally framed, it is represented. made the water rent at the rate of three cents per thousand, while the company has been collecting thirty cents per thousand gallons.
 This state of affairs led to an inves- tigation by an enterprising newspaper writer in this city and the result was the discovery that one of the ciphers in the 1000" dn the minute book of the council had been erased, and that 1t was made to read " three cents per 10O." which rate the citizens are now paying.
 This fact was aired in the local press and the mayor at the time the present charter was granted, who was Col. s. 8. Harvey, now in Cuba, read the ar ticles. In letter to one of the city papers. he stated emphatically that in the discussion of the water rates in the council, when the charter was be- ing granted, there was nothing but thousands talked of and not hundreds at all" which goes to show that some crooked work has been done with the books.
 The clerk of the city at the time the law was passed, has refused to talk Of the matter, saying that he would reply to questions when required to do so in court of law. The water company goes on collecting the same rate,