, 1906-04-16
WATER WORKS.

manner tnhl many people Vi Lal ahiiS
and n majority living east of the track
favor an improved system Of water
works. As n unit the people recognize
that something should be done looking
to a better distribution system.
In order that Improvement may be
carried on without a Lond issue, The
Republican T this solution of the
problem:
Let the city council pass an ordin-
ance controlling and regulating the wa,
ter system and providing for it's ex-
tension Divide the city at Grand ave
nue and pemrit each street TO the north
and south thereof to constitute a sep.
arate water district. Upon petition
from a majority of the lot owners on
any street asking for a new main or
an extension of an old main, let the
council order the same and assess the
cost against the abutting property in
proportion 20 the frontage. Such
mains should certainly not be less than
four-inch nor more than eight.lnch, OPP
tional with the property-owners on
the street to be served. AS
they would bear the burden they
should be permitted to say what the ox-
pense should be above a reasonable
minimum. The Republican believes no
street main should be less than four
inches in diameter. A four-inch main
will carry almost twice the water that
a three inch main will, hence practi-
cally all our present service would be
doubled by a change TO four-inch pipes.
Lot owners in a particular block should
be required to carry the main to the
middle of the streets north II south
of their property.
Under such a system those of our
people who believe they have as good
a water supply as their means war
rant would be permitted to go on with
the old system. unless they were in
the minority on u street whereon the
majority by petition asked for improve
ment. In the latter event they would
of course be compelled to pay whether
they liked it or not. The majority in
each water division would control.
For the benefit of all the property
wne of the city at present, the mu-
n~icipality might construct two mains
east and west to connect up all the
north and south mains. One of these
two mains should run from Second to
Tenth street on Park avenue and the
other from the easternmost main on
Clark street to Second street. Such
mains iced not be more thar four
inches in diameter and could be extend
ed from time to time as the city pro
crossed. To begin with four thousand
dollars would unquestionably meet the
expense of these east and west mains.
Two thousand of this could be taker
from the general fun n year and two
thousand the next, %obviating the ne
cessity of issuing bonds.
What would be the cost per lot? In
the city of Sheridan contractors laid
four-inch pipe, with all connections pro-
vided for, at the rate of 10 cents per
foot. We can do as well. Our blocks
are 264 feet and our streets are 80
feet or a total of 354 feet. AT 10 cents |
per o the total per block would be
S27s.66 or approximately sS5 per lot.
Vacant lots should be made to pay
Just the same as improved lots. for
the reason that they would share equal.
ly in the enhanced value occasioned
by good street mains.
1t should be distinctly set forth that |
all new mains and all extensions of |
mains hereafter made shall be the
property of the city, and the city
should be responsible for the care and
maintenance thereof, except actual re-
newal, which should fall upon the own.
of abutting property
If found desirable % extend the pay
ment of the cost of street mains over
a period of two or three years. proba.
bly, some system could be figured out
under our present laws by which tax
bills could be issued as a lein upon
lots, bearing say 6 per cent interest.
Contractors would be willing to take
this paper, for the very good reason
that 1t would be backed up by the tax.
W of the city and would GER.
tainly be accepted by our banks at par
vi course those who desired to pay
cash would not have any tax leins !
against their lots, If our present laws {
are inadequate for such a system Of
financing the proposition, the lesisla- !,
'ure might be appealed to for an en-
aiding act. 1t will meet next winter.
Ihere would not be many cases where
a lot owner would not prefer to nav