The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1906-10-18
WATER AND SEWERAGE.


Without going into statistics derived
from the experience OF cities and towns
which has adopted municipal owner
ship of their public utilities, it may be
stated as a fact that perhaps in the
great majority if lot all the instances
the method has been found to not only
save money to the city or town, but to
furnish service greater superior to
that derived from contract. The sup
position that Marietta would, in the
light OF these facts, prove an exception
to the rule cannot for moment be en-
| tertalned. The fact is the plan would
from the very moment that 1t should
be placed in operation, be success if
properly managed. The waterworks
would prove to be a source OF great
revenue to the city. The city would
secure her water for fire purposes free
of charge, and after laying aside GER
tam sum of money every year derived
from the profits of the plant, which
sum wonld be used to pay the interest
on the bonds and as sinking fund for
repairs, ETC., the remainder of the prof.
It's would go into the city treasury to
help meet the expenses OF the city gov
eminent. Water would consequently
either be furnished private consumers
at the lowest possible figure; or if the
present rates are charged the profits
would be so large that taxation could
be reduced which would have the eff
feet of allowing private consumers to
have their water free.
lit is argued that the amount with
which it is proposed to bond the city
for the waterworks and sewers is large
($l10,O0O) it may be replied that the
bonds will have long terms to run, the
first Of the series maturing probably in
ten or fifteen years and the last in thir-
ty. Ten years hence Marietta will
probably have population of between
fifteen and twenty thousand, and with
the vast amount of taxable property
that would be added to the town in
that length of time, bonds amounting
to perhaps fifteen Thousand dollars
would with the assistance of the sink
ing fund set aside from the profits of
the plant enable the city to discharge
them without anyone feeling the act.
This would be repeated for all the SUBJ
sequent bonds, only they would be
much more easily discharged because
Of the city's constant growth, adding
continually more taxable property to
its possessions and causing constant
ly greater number Of people to use the
water thus continually increasing the
profits Of the plant. At the end of
thirty years the city would have its
plant unincumbered with debt, and in
the meantime the people would have
the advantages of the best service, pure
filtered water for drinking purposes, q
reliable pressure in case of fire, and q
rate Of perhaps less than dollar per
month for all the water that an aver
age family could use. The rate for an
average family might not be more than
nifty cents per month Without mu-
nicipal ownership the city, at the expi-
ration Of thirty years, would have only
a lot of receipts to show tor the service,
and the city and the private consumers
would in the meantime pay more for it
and secure not as good service as would
be the case under municipal owner
snip.
1t is said that our city is ruled by a
factional spirit and that no matter how
meritorlous movement may be, begun
by one faction having in view the good
OF the city, the other faction is sure to
oppose it simply to be contrary. This
L do not, cannot believe. Think, fellow
citizens, especially you with large yards
with wells full of sparkling and pure
water, or you who have expensive dis
tilling or filtering appearances. of the
injustice you would do to others not
similarly situated, by rejecting this
proposition of sanitary appliances for
our place. Do not drink Gods health
giving draught yourself and at the
same time present the cups of corrup-
ton to the more unfortunate. Do not
risk robbing the parents of their dear
children or the children Of the care and
support of their parents. Let us all