The San Francisco call., 1908-05-29
Charges of 1902 Will Remain
in Force, Despite Effort to
Increase Them
Merchants and Bankers Plead
With Supervisors for
Fire Protection
Members of Board Suddenly
Change Front and Vote 7
Against Own Report s.

A deadlock in the board of super.
visors has rendered impossible ths
passage of an ordinance regulating
the rates to be collected by the Sprins
Valley company during the coming
fiscal year and consumers will be
charged under the 1902 schedule,
which is still in force.
The rates fixed by the supervisors
in 1908 proved unsatisfactory to
Spring Valley and suit was begun to
prevent their enforcement. This suit
is still pending in the United States
circuit court and ever since. it was filed
the company has been collecting under
the 1902 schedule. The failure Of the
supervisors yesterday to agree on a
new rate bill means that there will be
no water legislation this year and the
company will continue to collect the
present tolls.
The termination OF the water rate
inquiry in deadlock came as a great
surprise. Eight members Of the board
had committed themselves to q report
recommending the re-enactment of the
1902 schedule with an additional al
lowance of s17s,OOO for water used by
the municipality and it was generally
believed that the recommendation
would be approved. But the surprise
port was nothing compared with that
which came when Broderick, Payot,
Comte, Johnston and Jennings, who
had signed it's report, voted on one
roll call to give the company Il Ia
per cent increase over the 1902 rates.
SACHS SENDS RESIGNATION
When the meeting was called to order
by Mayor Taylor yesterday afternoon
there were Is supervisors in their seats,
Sachs, HOchs and Bancroft being absent.
Sachs is travelling in Europe and hiS
resignation as a member of the board
was later announced by the mayop
George A. Connolly. appointed a few
days ago to succeed William G. Stat.
ford. who was forced by Ill health to
resign. was present. but was excused
from voting. as he said he was noi
sufficiently acquainted with the detai1s
of the inquiry to pass Judgment
Charles E. Havens. president Of tha
fire underwriters; j. Mcintosh OF the
Merchants association; William Bunker
of the chamber of commerce. A. Sbar-
boro of the manufacturers and pro.
ducers' association; j. H Wensley on
the merchants exchange; A ]. Rich Of
the real estate board; A. w. Scott Of
the Civic league and Colonel Heuer were
granted the privilege of the floor. They
did not suggest any rates to be fixed,
but pleaded with the supervisors to
take whatever action was necessary to
prevent a water famine. 1t was repre-
sented that unless the water supply OF
would be raised. the credit Of the city,
impaired and business injured They !,
viewed the situation with alarm. realiz-l
ing, as they said. that there was a lack
of proper fire protection
The fear was expressed by one of the
speakers that unless Spring Valley were
granted sufficient revenue to extend and
surance companies would withdraw
from this field.
ASK INCREASED RATES
Supervisor McAllister presented a. COM
munication signed by most OF the banks
of the city protesting against tha
adoption of the 1902 schedule and rec
ommending that the water company be
given 15 per cent increase over the
present rates. 100000 for depreciation
and new construction and a monthly
rate of s5 for each hydrant- The In
crease proposed by the banks would
have given the company an increased
yearly revenue of about ssss.o0o
Murphy. Johnston and Giannini op~
posed any raise in rates to consumers
inasmuch as Captain Payson, presidents
of the Spring Valley company. had In
formed the board at previous session.
when Is per cent increase was sug-
gested. that additional revenue secured
would be devoted to dividends instead
OF improvements
e. J. McCutcheon. attorney for ths
water company. said that during tha
last six years the stock holders had
received an average of about 1-95 per
cent interest on their Investments Hs
added that the company would not bind
itself to make any improvements
Murphy moved the passage TO princ
of the committee report. recommends
ing that the 1902 schedule be adopted.
with an additional allowance of s17s.-
600 for water furnished to the city,
McAlister moved as an amendment
that the rate to consumers be increased
rs per cent over the 1902 schedule aud