Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-02-13
COUNCIL FOR
GRAVITY PLAN
Report Of Acting City Engineer Was.
nansdorff on the Proposed New
Water Works syhtem.
viii Cost $30,oOO-CounciI Adopts
Report and Plan Will be vot.
ed on in April.

The much discussed project of Civ.
ing Lewistown a gravity water works
system has at last been presented to
the city council in definite form, and
IN such detail that the merits of the
plan may be seen at glance. The
report was prepared by Acting City
Engineer Otto F. Wasmansdorff, who
has given the matter careful study,
ana it is tne result of thorough inves-
tisation by him into every phase of
the question. To summarize the re-
port, it may be said that the engineer
fiEds no real difficulty in carrying out
the plan either from an engineering
point Of view or considered from it's
financial aspect, while the benefits to
be derived from it are manifold.
The report was received at tine last
special meeting of the city council,
held Tor that purpose, and unanimous
ly adopted. 1t will now be submitted
to the taxpayers at the election to
be held in April, and if approved, the
necessary steps will be taken to carry
II out without any unnecessary delay.
Following is the text of the report:
The Engineers Report.
Gentlemen: Acting upon an order
from the mayor of this city l have
begun the surveys necessary for esti-
mating the probable cost of a gravity
pipe line from the upper springs of
Big Spring creek to connect with the
present distributing system of the
city OF Lewistown. | report herewith
that the proposed line is entirely fea-
sible. within the reach of the city's
purse and affording quality of water
fresh from the fountain-head. which
Is infinitely better than the source of
supply in present use.
The several factors which have been
considered in making the above report
will review in order of their i'm.
pOrtance. The first step, of course,
is to ascertain the bonding capacity
Of the city, that is, the sum of money
the city is capable of borrowing on
its assessed valuation for such mu-
nicipal improvements. The assessed
valuation of I.ewistown is today about
81 600, 10000, which is about One-half
OF its actual valuation. It's present
bonded debt is $60,000.OO, and this
$50 100000 was raised on an assessed
valuation of 1851 ,061 90 Usually a
city can bond itself for three per cent
OF its assessed valuation and by
favorable vote of majority of the
tax payers it can increase this bonded
Gebt not to exceed an additional 10
per cent. At the time our water
works system was constructed the city
council availed itself of portion of
this additional ten per cent. On this
basis by vote of a majority of the
taxpayers with the present increased
assessed valuation the city can bond
itself for an additional sum of more
than $50, 10000 without exceeding the
constitutional and statutory limits, or
in any way increasing the ratio of the
bonded debt to the assessed valuation
which existed at the time the original
water works system was put in one 10
Ia. | find the present tax rate to be
IL per cent. The running expenses
OF the pumping plant. including the
purchase of power from Mr.. ]. l..
Bright, wages of pump man, oil, waste,
average repairs during the year for
the pumping plant and the provision
OF 10 per cent sinking fund for the
replacing of the present pump in ten
years by a new one, making a total of
100000, which is the interest money
at five per cent of 100000. Thus
you see that the money We spend
annually for operating expenses of the
pumping plant and which can be saw.
ed If the gravity line is put in is more
than enough to pay the interest on the
new bonded Indebtedness hereafter
mentioned. The proposed system will
give the city permanent supply of
water as pure as natures labratOry
can manufacture, which, being perma.
nent. subject to no leases, possible
breakage of pumps or breaking out
of power bitches, should decrease in
marked way the present insurance
rates. not increase the present rate
OF taxation one cent, and last, but not
least in importance, give the city
about five times the amount of water
that the present system supplies. This
means supply sufficient for a town of
10000 to $4,000 inhabitants. I con-
clude from the facts above enumerated
that there are positive advantages
for the gravity system:
l. Providing it can be built for a
sum within the limits of the city's
bonding capacity.
2. That there can be positively no
objections if it can be built for $780,
100000, which will not increase the tax
alton one cent.
3. That it will be a very good
stroke of business on the part of the
city if it can be built for less than
$50. 100000 as it will then actually save
money annually for the city; never
losing sight of the essential features
of pure supply, increased supply, in
dependence of the will of any one
man, or association of men, or Of q
corporation; decreased insurance
rates, and greater immunity from
natural calamities and breakdowns.
The next questions naturally are.
what are the obstacles to be over.
come in construction and what will 1t
cost to build this addition to our pres
ent system.
We must first acquire a water right