The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-01-11
The Waterworks Meeting.

The meeting called by Mayor Brad
ham to hear the report OF the commit
tee, charged with securing ln1ormatlon
with regard to the cost OF waterworKs
system for the town, was held last, Mon
day night. and the attendance was not
as large as such an important matter
warrants. However. Messrs. A Lew
and w. S. Harvin for the committee
gave to the meeting what information
they had been able to secure, which
was in effect. that plant for this town
would cost from $4,000 to 23,OOO to
install. without the cost of maintenance
Major Levi read letters from towns op-
Grating waterworks, and Mr.. Harvln
had letters from engineers and manu-
facturers OF waterworhs machinery:
one OF there concerns suggested that
town employ a competent civil engineer,
which they offered to furnish $40. per
dav and expenses, who would make a
thorough survey Of the town, make the
necessary estimates, and furnish sue h
information as Will give the Council
and the taxpayers an intelligent idea
of the cost maintenance, etc. Alter
considerable discussion it was ascer-
tanned that unless the town put IN a
sewerage system in connection with the
waterworks, opposition would be made
to the issuance OF bonds, and the whole
scheme would fall through. It was also
ascertained that there was a dlsposltlon
to confne the waterworks to the ousl-
ness portion, the moment this was IN
timated several protested vigorously
and gave notice that no such project
would be submitted to. The majority,
however. will oppose taxing the citi-
zens for waterworks, unless the whole
town is to be under the protection OF
the system. 1t was finally decided to
REQUEST Council to secure the services
of civil engineer whose business it IS
to make surveys and estimates Tor such
plants, and when his plans and estl-
mates are furnished, to submit same to
the people for their information before
they are called upon to hold the cleo
ton. From what we could gather from
the information given by the commit
tee and from the discussions, to put IN
a waterworks and sewerage system
bere will necessitate> a bond issue OF
not less than $4,000, and we do
not believe the people can stand it,
taxes would become so burdensome as
to make property values oepreciate,
and the cost OF doing business here
would effect its business interest very
materially. There is not enough prop
erty in Manning to Stand a bond issue
of $50. 900, at per cent. It would re-
ouire 81, 800 to pay the interest, with
out taking into consideration the cost
of maintaining the plant. repairs, etc,
and should anything happen to the dis
pensary, which is more than likely,
and we be deprived of the revenue
from that source, it would be impossible
to get from our taxable property
enough money to pay the interest on
the bonds, pay police and keep up the
town. In our opinion, the prospect for
a bond issue of $4,000 is very, very
remote, and the only chance for our
business district to get fire protection,
is for the property owners, and their
tenants to make up sufficient sum OF
money by each paving according to
to the amount of property owned. ard
build a tank with pumps, and pipes to
be owned and operated by those who
pay their money. The town is not able
to undertake to shoulder the debt that
a waterworks and sewerage system
would entail.