The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-03-05

Editor Pensacola Journal:
From an appearances the water
company has decided to keep that
fifteen dollars a letter" that was 10
shut me up" l am really sorry for
the people were anxious 10 hear from
the other side.
My last letter, showing the water
rates OF Detroit, was an "eye-opener''
for a great many of our people. Many
who were doubtful some months ago
now freely admit they see matters
clearer.
Minneapolis Water Rates.
While the Detroit, fat water rate
was an agreeable surprise 10 most of
our people, Minneapolis. however. fur
nishes water for $1-50 a year to fami-
lies occupying five roOms or less. Each
additional room costs 80 cents a year.
Meter rates in Minneapolis are 8
cents a thousand gallons irrespective
OF the amount used, but a minimum
rate is made of 81 a year Educa-
tional institutions get water at four
cents a thousand gallons.
These rates give. us something to
think over. A small family in Minnea-
polls gets water a whole year fo-
Sl.50, while the rate in Pensacola for
a single faucet is IS. The rate al
lowed by the ordinance is $40.
A family occupying ten rooms in
Minneapolis gets water for SO a year,
while the Pensacola rate is S14.
A family in Minneapolis occupying
fifteen rooms gets water for $3.50 a
year, while in Pensacola il would
have TO pay $1,000.
If the family occupied twenty rooms
it would only cost it Sc a year in.
Minneapolis. while in Pensacola ii
would cost S24O0.
Rates, Not Meters, are Wrong.
A great many Pensacola people
complain TO me of their enormous
water bills, claiming that they are
charged with too much water. / have
examined quite a number of bills and
am inclined TO think the quantity
Of water charged in most cases is
not unreasonable. II is. not the
amount of water that is wrong, but
the price of it.
Suppose a family is very economi-
cal with water and uses only fifty
thousand gallons in six months. In
NAooNCAa NnE NOSL hOulQ DG tlS.UV, I
while in Atlanta it would cost IS, and
In Minneapolis it would be only 81, I
and in Detroit it would only be S195. !
and in Philadelphia it would be ony
81. There are other places still
cheaper, but l do not care TO give too 1
strong a dose of even water. Now, if ].
the PensacOlian had a reasonable
water rate he would not be inclined /
to think the water company had
charged him with "too much water"
But experience shows that the aver
age family. where water is cheap.
uses over a hundred thousand gallons
in six months. This would cost in
Pensacola over thirty dollars. If it
only cost 81 as in Philadelphia. or
$500 as in Detroit. there would be no
excuse for grumbling.
Mr.. Bingham's Water Rates.
! do not like to refer to Mr.. Bing-
ham again as he has been so good and
quiet. I met him in Roch's two weeks
ago and had a quiet talk with him.
He promised a"Other letter, but like
ly thought better OF it. as it has not
yet appeared. ! told him that he had
no kick" on his water charges, but
l was convinced that his meter was
wrong, that I had wanted to write of
il but did not want TO be responsible
for Mr.. Pitt changing the meter and
thereby raising his water charge. He
assured me that / could do no harm
and | had his consent to write of the
matter.
His Meter Wrong.
That Mr.. Bingham's meter is wrong
is very evident to every one who will
take the pains to examine the matter.
His water bill for six months for two
houses was only Sc. or two thousand
gallons a month for-two houses, or
one thousand gallons month for onel
house. That is an average of 80 gal
Ions g day for family, about enough
for a good bath and a couple of racel
But Mr.. Bingham has