The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-03-05
THE WATER SERVICE

intention of submitting TO the peo'
pie, at the spring election, propo
sition for the extension and I'm
provement of our water service. II
is a we'll known fact that the service
is Just about as bum as could be I'M
agined and sorely needs improve
ment.
Were it a private corporation
furnishing the water, we would moi
stand it for holy minute. Yet, un
der city control the people have
been obliged to put up with and pay
far service that furnishes, practl
cally, no fire protection and water
that is only fit for hog wallow.
A filter system that will furnish us
reasonably pure water for use in our
homes, is necessity that we can
not afford much longer to ignore.
The health, to say nothing of the
annoyance of the people, is at
stake and something should have
been done long ago. AS to the
standpipe proposition, we have
thought for sometime that to be the
solution of the pressure difficulty,
bat recently, in talking with one OF
oar most wldeawake and progressive
councilmen we were Informed that
thestandpipe is unnecessary if proper
restrictions are thrown around the
consumers of water and the needless
waste stopped.
1t has also developed since the
city placed a meter on the Santa re
line that that company is using and
wasting together about $500 worth
of water per month at a S cent rate,
instead of the SITS worth they are
paying for.
If this company paid reasonable
price for the water furnished they
would take much less, Then it the
consumers all over the city could be
made pay for the water they need
lsssly waste, he thought our pres
snt plant would furnish abundant
water for all demands and that the
pressure would be abuadant for all
legitimate purposes.
The idea struck as as we'll worthy
of a careful investigation before the
expense of a standpipe is incurred
AS to the extension Of the system,
we think that has been too liberal
already. The city has extended
water lines on streets at the cost o.
several thousand dollars when there
were but two or three consumers,
and no liklihood of enough coming
in for years to pay reasonable per
cent on the investment. No private
corporation would waste money In
that way and no municipality should
invest the money of the people IN
this lavish manner, without reason
able show of remunerative returns
There may be some short eX
tensions needed bat we are abso
lutely opposed to any general ex
tension of the lines till there is
enough demand to justify the ex'
penditure. This city is now
furnishing both water aud gas to
certain consumers at less than cost
The city can no more afford this
than can a private corporation, and
this loss should be corrected on ev-
ery hand and then, possibly, we
NAV 6nd that we do not need any
stand pipe and that we may be able
to pay our obligations as they accrue
and check this everlasting tendency
to run in debt.
We know from bitter experience
that it is much easier to get into debt
than to get out. We do not wish to
he understood as opposing necessary
improvements for the clty's good
but a, absolutely opposed to an un-
necessary and lavish expenditure OF
the public funds where's careful ex-
animation of the needs might show
.....nd d;ture te be unnecessary.