Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-03-24
PERRYSBURG PROGRESS
Continued from First Pnge)

hen Tor some un0NplaluSu ISoEOn,
several thousand dollars In bonds was
permitted to fall due in one year,
with the evident result that the VII !
age was unable to pay the same.
The council, evidently did not see |
fl to incur the necessary expense |
nat would be occasioned by refund |
Of this indebtedness, and consequent |
" the bonds are in the hands of the
oank. An excellent arrangement has
reen made with the local bank here
(Which by the way has the reputa-
lion of coming to the rescue when
ever needed concerning these same
bonds, whereby the former rate OF
six per cent has been reduced to five,
and arrangements been made making
il possible to pay any amount at any
ume at the option of the council.
By referring to the table herewith
we find that the village of Ottawa
had an Indebtedness of SG9,OOOOO
when the plant was proposed for that
town, but the town did not allow
little matter like that to cause them
any worry, but went ahead with the
construction, and new people are dai-
pay for everything, besides our sis
ter village of Maumee, with an in
debtedness of $77,0OOOO has already
plans prepared for a complete system
of water works.
At the present rate of paying off
the Indebtedness of the town, the
same would not all be cancelled un.
Ill about ten years from this time,
and with the town almost ten years
behind other towns already in the
matter of public improvements, it
does seem to us, about time that the
necessary something was being done
and that the attitude of waiting like
Micawber, for something to turn
up be substituted by that OF get
ung busy" and commencing to do
things, not dream them all day
long" We think you are already sat.
lsfied that the village is not too much
in debt, and we will take up the next
HuNS'iOiB NlA's ttS W hlINbutl tLlN pant
should be owned by the village or
private company.
We take the stand that the plant
should be installed by the village,
and for the following reasons:
First. 1t is taken for granted, that
no company would enter into a con-
tract with the village for supplying
the same with water, without the vii
lage would first agree to take a GER
lain number of hydrants at a certain
fixed price per annum. Any one who
has taken the trouble to investigate
will agree that the town should have,
at least fifty of these fire hydrants.
In the town of Bowling Green the wa
ter plant is owned by private COM
pany, and the town pays seventy-five
dollars per annum per hydrant, for
the first eighty, SG500 each for the
nexty twenty, and $4,000 each for the
balance, and for each 500 feet of eX-
tension of line ordered by the town
the water company is allowed to add
another hydrant. Now we will sup.
pose that this town could find a com.
pany that would be willing to in
stall plant for $4,000 per hydrant
per annum, and we are sure that no
better offer would be made by any
one, the town would then be obliged
10 pay TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUN.
DRED DOLLARS every year for its
lire protection, and that in face OF
the fact that the village admits itself
about ready to go into voluntary
bankruptcy on account of the $2.912.
90 per annum that it pays the elec
trio light company for the street
lights. OF course there would be all
kinds OF talk about the way the town
was being "robbed" by the water
company and the immense amount of
money the company was making each
year on its investent, and does it not
occur to you that 1t would be a very
nice plan to have the town maxine
this profit instead of some private
company, besides, now be honest
would you not feel more like using
the water yourself if you thought the
profit, II any, was going to the town,
we think you would; we know We
would.
Second. If the plant was owned
by the village, the consumers woul(
only be required to pay water rem
tai commensurate with the cost O
operating the plant, while il the plan
was owned by private company
lou would be compelled to pay tht
rate the company charged, regard
less OF whether the same suited You
ideas of fairness or not
We are told by those who favor
plant owned by private company
that If the town owns the plant, ther
will be SO much danger of "graf
GRAFT, graft, listen to the graft, a
much as to say, that there are no
three good, honest men in the entir
town, that they would be willing Il
entrust with the management of tn
plant. We know of no less thai
three citizens who have made tn
same statement about graft, yet no
one OF these would care to be toll
that he would not be a safe man q,
the Board of Public Affairs. Ther
iss yet another class of people who be
llnXn In InllninirAn1 -. 4