The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-03-11

All being municipal plants except
Hood River.
Oregon City, Willamette river
wster. g. Gd. per capita. rer anunm.
Baker City, 81 % per capita per an
nun.
Pendleton, s292, per capita per
anDuIn.
Tha Dalles. 800 per capita per
anuum. Ashland, s3.22 per capita
per suBum
Hood River. 81 IS per capita FER,
8BnuU.
The much quoted Asblsnd rate
ct sts the con,u - ceuis per aunum
more Ier cspila iuT water than Hood
River They have a meter rate o, ~
per 1000 gallons for those who think
the HAT rate is 100 high tor power and
irrigation purposes This is the low.
meter rate we have seen publish d
anl IL applied to the Hood River
system, without increasing the sup
ply. would produce gross revenue
Of about $50, 900 per auuum. Ihis is
about double cur most sanguine an
ticipations and, as We have written
previously. whenever this agitation
appears to he at an end for reason
able length Of time We EXP ect to make
another % cent reduction, but can
not aft ord 20 make it until we have
some assurance that We are not going
to have to scrap with a competitive
municipal plant for customers
II any crime has heen committed in
Hood River in the public service 1t
has been the stole Indifference of some
OF the city fathers rs to the needs oil
more adequate system OF fire pro-
lection. There is plenty of water at
good pressure, but it needs the eX.
penditure of from 5000 to $40, 600 for
reservoirs, large pipe lines, hose, etc,
tor equipping toe volunteer fire de-
paItment. We have offered many
times to provide this protection for
about one third to Cne fourth or the
net saving in fire insurance premiums
hich are paid annually TO the big
companies and are heavy drain and
total loss To the community. We
prefer not to build the system at our
own expense, as EBy changes We have
proposed to make would not be a pro-
utdbIb lBNbcl anu tul lulb lCucAh
We have proposed in he past many
times, 10 fu nish the water free to
the city an let the city make the
necessary improvements. 1t is not
necessary to go to fuckers Spring or
any other distant point for water for
fire protection, as we have an Gbund
anoe right here IN the city which can
he had for the taking for the term of
one day or one hundred ytars, aC-
cording to the Tequireme uts Of The
city.
This agitation has continued for
some five years, originating from the
same source and with the same ap-
parent motive. The agitbtOrs have
always used the patriotic plea Of
municipal ownership without having
produced fact or Ugure to show any
benefit whatsoever II compensation
for the Investment, aud through the
influence OF certain responsible
Institution the city council has been
in Guided to hold up the establishment
Of an adequate system OF fire pToteC-
tion aud then used the argument that
there Was no fire protection, as one
means Of manufacturing prejudice
against the water company.
Now in conclusion: Before we
spent thousands of dollars poviding
this system and improving it, we
assumed as business proposition,
that the average man was tair mind.
ed, willing to Goncede justice to any
honest Investment. and today we are
continuing necessary improvements
willis CerHin INSCRIPTIONS indiVid
uals are laughing up thei' sleeves and
making statements iu pull G places
that it is foolish for us to continue to
make necessary improvements to TIo-
vide water to those dependent upon
us tor supply How many people
are there in the city of Hood River
who approve of this sort of conduct.
record iii Il short time Oh this matter,
and the world as we'll as the writer
will then learn whether or not our
confidence has been misplaced The
foregoing Is only preface to II story
reciting certain acts which date
back over several yeuls OF the bust
ness history of Hood River, which
the writer Is 10th to pu. in print, but
unless he signs of the times change,
we will during the next two weeks
prepare sCme matter OF an interesting
character for publication in the col
umn of this paper, but If tha senti
ment does not correspond with tie
ideas of the editor, we will submit it
to the public IN another form. hope
it will be unnecessary, bur this con
stant prodding is getting to be un-
pleasant
Ii F.. Davidson. President Hood
River Electric Light Power IL Water
Company.