Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-03-08
A BUSINESS MATTER
Veteran City Official Writes About
Public Utilities.


Than the Cities Csn-Faets and Ar
suEents to Support His Views By
JOHN w. Hill, Chief Engineer Of the
Cincinnati wstsrwOrks.
In veuturn. 10 speak on the subject
OF munici,,aI ownership of pnhlic utili-
ties NY opinion is based upon long as
Soc.alian with works 81 public water
sunny. with which have been con
nrciri as designer, builder aud opera
tor during nearly my whole profcS-
sinml career Recognizing III" analogy
ia many respects of waterworkS. gas
works. e,r.,r.c light WORKS. street rail-
ways and other public utilities, such
opinion a. may he cipr" ''''d upon hlu-
niriual ownership Of works OF pubic
water supply VIII have an application
10 other puAl'c utilities.
NV eXprr.auc, teaches me that prl-
vale rorpprat.uas en.agcd in Guldin"
ana oprraiiug watprwOrks systems al
most invariably secure better results
in construct ON and operation than are
obtained 10y municipal corporations
subject 10 mpi ~ changll" political m
fiueaer; and whose pubic utilities are
used. I'll, they are bound 10 bc used. a.
nesting places for active politicians
whose chief claim FIR favor rests upon
political services rather than upon mer.
il and experience in the conduct of any
branch of public water supply.
That there are exceptions To this RUE
Is Tot surprising. There is one city in
the United States which enjoys a INST
ropplitau v"tcr supply under the cen
troll of the state The governor NJ
points the commissioners. and the com
miSsioners and all their employees can
EXPECT to hold office for life or during
good behavior. In this instance polit-
zeal influence is removed from the de
sign. construction and operation of the
works Of public water supply, The
commissioners and all their employees
deal with the waterwOrks us Il matter
of business. aud | am Informed that no
political test is ever applied to any
man appointed to n position under this
board This is the only city in this
country which now recall where such
coalition exists.
The relations between the officers
ana capitalists of Il private water com
pauy are precisely tire same as those
between amy set of responsible men in
Il commercial or manufacturing bust
ness. Plans are mutually stuiiel TO
secure the best results mt least cost.
In securing bids for work the lowest
prices are usually obtained by private
parties. because none Of the usual legal
: restrictions and red tape which per
wade all transactions in municipal gov
ernmcnts is permitted to enter into the
+ operation of private company. and
better prices and better terms can be
matte In behalf of responsible pri.
/ waite corporation than in behalf of Il
municipal corporation. | speak OF this
matter from actual experience and
/ have had occasion TO state to the Off
/ GERS of municipal corporations that
money and time could he saved the
taxpayers or water takers If tue par
tiCular works under conSid"ra ton
could be constructed us IL private Ell,
terprise
In the operation of n munlc pal wa
tcrWurkS there can be no doubt that
II company can secure better results
than municipal corporation II ! eX-
cept The single city in this country re
ferred - above. \ private corporation
is bound TO supply water in quantity
and quality NJ to the terms Of its con
tract and 70 the satisfaction of IL; pa
irons In II measure II Is required t.
do business with the citizens very
much rs any local manufacturing OF
commercial company would be required
to conduct its business If 1t depended
entirely upon local patronage. 1t must
satisfy lis customers. How few OF
the larger cities of the country satisfy
the requirements of the water con
sumerS.
y private water company is constant,
~ seeking business. 1t Is bound ia
conduct its service and adjust its
water rates 10 secure this. and while
the matter Of profit is necessarily al!
ways in view and properly kept in
view by the private water company
nevertheless no company can be SO in
different TO its own interests as to re
fuse to listen to the just demands OF
the community which il is serving.
believe the trend of sentiment to
day Is distinctly against municipal
ownership Of works of public water
supply and of some other public util
tiles ANA more emphatcally against
the operation Of such works by munici
pal corporations. In fact. | believe
that the less municipal corporation
GahbleS in lines Of business which ex
rcrieHce has demonstrated prirat,
parties are able to conduct successful
~ the greater will be the advantage tc
the people.
While believe that the ownership
construction and operation of works OF
public water supply and other public
utilities should be In the hands of pr
vate corporations. do not mean by
this that they should not be subject t.
proper municipal control Every water
company should he required to supply
water in quantity ana quality to NEE
The most eXactin% requirements of it
|. patrons; it should be required to main
tain its physical works in good con
dltion: it should be required to develol
It's resources contempOraneous with Of
IN advance Of the requirements of the
community; it should he required t.
sell its product at rate which. after
paying the operating and maintenance,
charges and fixed charges on the In