Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-02-24
a Good Exam Pile.

A good example of municipal water
system when put in by practical men
and run on a business basis, is that at
Randolph.
One of the leading citizens of Bristol
wrote the chairman of the Randolph |
water board as to conditions there, asking
the following questions:
/. What was the cost of your system
complete?
@ About how many takers of water
have you?
3. What is the income from the sys-
tenn?
d. What per cent of net profit does
the system show per annum!
B. What was the rate of insurance on
your business streets previous to the IN
stallation of your water system!
6. What is the present rate of insur-
ance on your business streets!
Z. What are the water rates charged
to takers?
s. How far is it from village to source
of supply?
8. Are your townsmen in general
satisfied that municipal ownership of
water system is of benefit to the town:
The reply is full of interest and valu-
able information to every village in this
county that has or needs good supply
of water.
l. The original cost of the system was
about S21 900, but with the sundry eX-
tensions of supply and service MANS
the costs now stands at about So .OOO.
. We have about 300 water takers
exclusive of the village itself which has
40 bvdrunts for fire service.
3 Income for year to May /, 1904,
S2950 10
4. Net profit, after paying all ex-
penses, little more than per cent.
and g. The writer was absent at
the time when the water system was
installed and is not informed as to in
surance rates at that time. but upon IN
ouiry it appears that the rates have
been reduced about 80 per cent since and
consequent upon said installation.
7. The rates charged to takers has
been reduced from time to time so that
at present they are less than 80 per cent
of the original rates. and are as follows:
Family of five persons, So per year;
each additional person. 37ic; water
closet, 81. 90; bath room, $3.50; store or
office, SD: barber shop, So; hotel, $3.50;
mills, all purposes. $40.
s. Source of supply, two to hve miles
distant from reservoir which Is some
800 rods from village center
8. Our citizens are fully satisfied that
municipal ownership of water system Is
of benefit to the village. The writer
has never met single exception to last
statement. On the contrary, the sentl
ment of our citizens in relation to the
matter is indicated by the remark Otter
heard, that our village could not afford
to sell the franchise covering Its wate
supply to private party for any none.
and certainly not for twice what 1t ha
cost. But the franchise is not for sale
at any price. In relation to water rate
-- it should be added that in order tina
property which is benefited by reduc
n ton of insurance rates should bear al
4 equitable portion of water expense tn
81 rate for fire hydrants paid by the VII
q lage is 81 l.25 each per year. Our BOND
4 ed debt on account of water supply
4 SIP 900 at 81 per cent; principal payable
& at our option at any seml-annual perlo
u and is being paid at the rate of $500
Il per year.
1 The editor of this paper was residen
q of Randolph at the time the system wa
a installed and he knows that the abov
n statement is too conservative by far.
The first cost was $l9,S91. =
= The village voted to bond for $4,000
so the system was put in ready to use
including reservoir, hydrants, etc. for les
than the appropriation.
There were 1903 takers at the start
d Randolph then compared very closel
with Bristol to-day, in population, bus
ness, etc.
4. The universal verdict is that the wat'
=. system did more to make Randolp
grow than everything else combined.
The supply is wholly from springs, I
q. brook water. At first it all came fro
m Braintree % miles away. A few yeal
later an extension was made in an Of
: posite direction to springs at RandolI
Center, miles away, at cost of $500
This, with extensions in the village
y keep up with its growth made cost
system $27, 900,
Insurance rates were reduced 20 p
cent the first year.
The best investment any village CT
mske is a good water system. 1t W
,ol surely pay.
ed ACARD.
ne We. the undersigned, do hereby agr