Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-06

When tn hearing was resumed ut
lo.43. TnoSt!3y, Geo. f. West of Port
land again took til" stand. The court
announced that it had decided to admit
TIE question asked of Mr.. West The
previous afternoon requesting his
opinion, as an owner of the total yllu,
of the liant. property ana franchise o..
the Augusta Water company. Upon
the admission of this question there
mad been long arguments. Monday
afternoon. In ansW cring TIE question
Nj. West said: II estimate the tota'
present value of this property al
SG2l COO. This is based on present in
come and expenses, and represents
S29.9'c capitalized At Az per cent wit,
Il surplus OF s. OPT. after interest is paid
on the above capitalization. The in
come has increased at an average o
81 ,O@' annually for the past five years
If the present owners should cOntinu
in control they would develop tn
plant and give q better supply of water
A slow sand filtration plant here woulC
give perfectly satisfactory water fo
drinking purposes. Such n plant wOul
cost $4,000 an acre and the system her,
would require q plant of one and on.
half acres costing S67, $50. TO operate
this filtration plant Woull cost $f3.
yearly. This cost includes maintnn
ance, depreciation and interest. 4 pur.
supply OF water would add $1,000 ycarl-
to the net increase in earnings, il
addition to the normal increase of $685.
surplus Of $4052 would be assured III
first year On this valuation. with $G0S
the second year. and $Sl22 the thrc
year. There are $50 houses in the cit
on our pipe lines not now supplied will
water and 101 beyond cur pipe lines
On crcSs examination by Mr.. Heath
Mr.. West testified as follows: 'On go
ling over the books with Mr.. Pride tn
special accountant of the District.
find items to a total of $?,CGS appearing
on both the construction account pu
in by .nyself ana that Fat in by MI
Manley. There were also items to
total OF 1863 omitted. This net chang
Of $500 leaves the construction acCOun
of the Water company. after Mr.
WescOtt turned over the property. q
$11.616. instead OF eS6.5l6 as shown b
earlier schedules put in evidence. TIL
present ownership of this company !
substantially rs when it was started
The reservoir was built by cuntrac
with Thomas Shanahan OF Portland
He died before twas completed and AL
WtScott finished IT, The original con
tract is lost. My estimate OF its cost
s3S.S5 is based on the engineers re
turns to our office. This Includes cos
e Ian 1.,ri1 # nj
supplementary expenses. The pipe
cost US So, per ton of 22i0 pounds. Tn
MIGRANTS cost $42 el,h h. The special
were u. cents per pouna. 1t cost 81
each to set the MIGRANTS which is no
IN unusual pI;ce. Have rot the origi
nal invoices Of the pipes. They Wer'
destroyed when we moved our Office
in Portland, n few years agp. tn,
weights come from our memoranda. or
statements AMI contracts. The state
ments agree with the orders given
the manufacturers. Til" pumpin.
house and filter house were built b.
contract. During the construction al
income from rates. etc. went to NJ,
Wo$Co:t. Tho property was turno
over to the company at the true con
tractors cost. plus the sapital stocl
The notes Of $4,000 given ii February
1883, were to balance the account o
construction. They We're paid 4 fey
years later. largely from the sale q
s, cond mortgage bonds. ana in par
from the net earnings. NJ figures an,
from the l,alance sheet wade when con
structiOn account was closed. Hav,
nothing now that will split thcs
totals into smaller or more detailr,
items. In starting the system hero W.
figured that Augusta. with its inStitu-
tons, was oil the level of a city of 25,01
people. There is Il great waste of wa
ter in the heating system at Togus
and also in the kitchen and hospital
The increase in bathtubs and waite;
closets in n stationary population
mainly among the well-tO-do people
rather than mill operatives. Was no
personally member of the origina
construction syndicate. Was Mr. West
colts book-kccper at that time W.
have mechanical filtration plants a
Biddefcrd and Ellsworth. The forme,
is Warren filter. as in this city. nv
1ielres IS to cost and operation o.
filtration plants were based on ques-
-;.,,,e on1 not on personal eyparienca