Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-04-10
Franchise Granted to Water,
u sandIA eht Company and the
Towns Interests Looked
After.
COMPANY 10 BEGIN preliminary

GUMPRNl III btGlN PRELlMlHhRl
Work at Once-iHsuFahoe Rates SO Mate.
rally Reduced as to Save aaors than Cost
Of Water and Lights for Municipal Use.
For the past few years Walhalla has
been more interested In the subject of
waite and lights than anything else.
Recently the shadow that has so long
lowered over the town has cleared away
and the reality presented itself.
Afranchise was granted to a local CON-
pany, who organized, and have since
completed their plans to such an extent
that they are now ready for all prelimi-
nary arrangements.
An agreement was reached between the
City Council and the company on March
10th, by which It was stipulated that the
town should be lighted by electricity on
or before August lat, and q tax Of two
mills was levied for the purpose Of pay
ing for municipal water and lights, as this
was thought better than creating o debt
for rents from August LIST, 1907, to June
lat, 1908, the month of May being the
time for collecting municipal taxes. Some
citizens objected to this, and rather than
create dissatisfaction and sulking in
various quarters the Council on the sec
ond of April rescinded the two mill tax
and gave the water and light people one
year within which to put into operation
the water and light plants.
1t is to be hoped that the whole body
of citizens can get together and work
together for the good Of the town. Ger.
tainly there is nothing needed that will
add'so materially to the prosperity and
progress Of Walhalla al the installation.
of water and light plants. The franchise
granted the company looks to the inte-
rests OF the town, and contains q CLAUSE
whereby the town, should 1t desire to do
60 at any time, may become the owner Of
tho plants by purchase at actual cost with
seven per cent added.
Figures were presented to the City
Council to the effect that between $1,000
and $1,000 ia paid out annually in pre-
miums on fire insurance policies In Wal
haila. 1t was also estimated that upon
the installation of the water plant the
readjusted insurance rates would be
about 423 per cent lower than at present.
Taking the present insurance premiums
to be $1,000 per year the reduction of 42}
per cent would mean a saving Of 5 1895,
or in round figures about $500 more,than
the combined cost of both water and
lights for the town. Would anybody be
hurt by such q propositions 1t seems to
us that the proposed water and light
plants are bound to prove of decided ad-
vantage to every citizen. i
At o special meeting of the City Coun.
oil, held last Friday night, an agreement
was reached by that body ON the number
Of hydrants and arc lights needed for the
town at the beginning, and they were 30
located on Main street and the streets
running north and south as to give the
best possible service to the entire CON-
munity. There are to be q hydrants and
10 arc lights, distributed so as to light
the entire town and furnish fire protec-
ton to all citizens.
There was, of course, no provision ,lade
for arc lights or hydrants where property
stands vacant-that is, on such streets as
appear on tho town plat, but have not
been opened. There is q provision, how
ever, in the contract with the company,
that as property Is improved and she
need for water and lights extended, the
City Council can designate whore new
hydrsnts and arc lights shall be placed,
so that as the town grows no section
need be out off from the advantages
given the business and residence portions
at the time of the first operation Of the
plants.
The company proposes to 90 to work
at once with plens, specification, etc.,
with It's engineer. The location Of the
hydrants and lights by the town authori-
ties was for the purpose Of giving the
engineer a definite outline for the proper
location of water mains and light wires to
combine economy In construction and
efficiency In service.
The water furnished by the company
is to be the same as is used by every citi.
zen in town to-day, to be secured by q
system Of wells sufficient In every way to
meet the requirements of the town for
all purposes.
A great deal has been said in one way
and another about the fire protection, or
the inability of q company to furnish
sufficient pressure from o standpipe to
supply adequate FIRE protection. The
company proposes to have q pressure
sufficient TO throw a stream of water
through 200 feet of standard hose with
0na-inCh nnkzla To a hainht of 1N feet