The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-02-16
Citizens Take Control of Meeting From Council1en
and Indulge in Personalities and Many Motions=.
Mrs. JOeeny Repeatedly Cheered

cilmen by deciding that only the
recommendations in the report be
read
When the clerk finished reading the
recommendations there was a call for
Engineer Weile, but to the disappoint-
ment of the commission supporters,
not present.
Mr.. Pratt, at the conclusion Of the
reading, suggested that the commit
tee from the joint meeting of the
taxpayers and chamber of commerce
be heard. At this it was announced
Der of commerce would read the re-
port of the committee of %, which
closed with the following resolution:
Resolved, That we, the taxpayers
of the city of Spokane, most earnest
ly recommend and request the city
council to adopt and put into opera
ton the report above referred to, ex-
cepting that portion of the engineers
report having reference to water
meters, as speedily as the laws of
the state and the ordinances of the
city of Spokane will permit, and also
take such further steps Immediately
as are necessary to procure the fund
to prosecute the work with the ut
most vigor and Dispatch
j. M. Comstock then took the floor
to support the water commission re-
port. lie said
After going thoroughly over this
report, l believe the plan proposed.
If adopted, will. so far as it goes--it
has within it the ability to supply
this city with water for the next
10 or 10 years. We may have to add
to 1t ntime, but it will not neces-
state tearing out
Some years ago / asked an insur-
ance agent what was the amount of
insurance paid by Spokane. He told
me then that it was $325,0OO. l ask
ed again the other day and was told
that it was something over $500, 900
and in addition we are asked to pay,
under the pink slip put on us, 20 per
cent in addition to the old rates.
This means that clean $50. 900 is be-
ing paid as a penalty for not having
enough water for fire protection. 1t
means now the payment of per cent
on $1,200,000. If it increases to $780,
600, it means you are paying per
cent on $1,600,000 daily.
Now for these reasons you are
,,,,, u, a
an amount for one year which would
pay the interest for 3la years on
water bonds, What we are paying in
IA single year for extra insurance
would pay the interest for three or
four years on the money necessary
to put in an adequate water plant.
Il ask you to as speedily as posi-
BILE put in this plant and save that
insurance money. If you don't want
wooden pipes, why use the other pipe
use steel pipe. But I earnestly beg
of you to proceed and proceed hasti-
ly."
r. A. Hutchinson asked that the
portion of the commission report re-
fcrrinG to water meters be read Mr..
Hutchinson's request was repeated
by him several times and until the
water meter recommendations were
read.
DR.. Byrne said: What Mr.. Com
stock said is true. We must put the
city into Il position to have plenty
of water.
But l don't see what the eXpendi-
ture of half million of dollars,
$4,000 correctly speaking-the do
ing away with "a inch mains which
pipe cost $4,000, and not adding a
single gallon to the pumping capacity
is going to do for us.
THE capacity of the present pump
ing plant is 17,5O0,000 gallons. Now
If you put in that extra pipe and do
not put in extra pumps l don't see
where we are to be benefited. Those
pumps can pump only so much. The
"a inch pipes are capable OF handling
more water than the pumps give us.
Now i consider the water meter
plans eliminated, as does every sensi-
bic citizen. | do not want to speak
But half a million dollars is call
ed for under these plans and not one
gallon more water is promised. 1t is
useless waste OF money"
Councilman Funk: THE water
meters would increase the supply
through saving the waste When you
cut the water meters out of these
plans it doesn't give any additional
supply. That water meter report Is
interesting reading | think"
w. 5. Norman: 1T is the all i'm
portant thing-this question of water
that Is available during the hot
period. Last summer during the hot
period there was at no time during
some six days that 1t would equal 81
pounds pressure. Now the engineers
may advise all sorts of plans, bu,
II your pumps can't get so pounds
pressure with the present "a incl
pipes. how are you going to get II,
pounds pressure with larger pipes