Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-05
HYDRANTs WILL BE REMOVED
Company VIM Not Contest the order
of CITY.

Of City.
No official notice that the city would
not pay further rental on ~thirty-nine fire
hydrants which It is asserted by the COM
mittee on fire and light did not meet the
requirements of the city ordinance has
been served, up to last evening. on e. w.
Hart, received of the Council Bluffs City
Water Works
AS soon as formal notice Is served the
company will discontinue service at such
hydrants and the hydrants will probably
be emove with as little delay as possible,
Receiver Hart stated YESTERDAY. There we're
several reasons why the company would
do this said Mr.. Hart.
Discussing the action of the city council
Monday night in naming thlrty-nine hy-
drants for which the city would refuse
to pay for the rental Mr.. Hart said:
There is, I think, no question OF the
councils right to cut down the number Of
fire hydrants to be used by the city. The
city Is not required to buy water from the
company unless 1t wishes to do so. In this
respect It Is in the same position az any
private consumer.
81 believe, however, that members of the
oouncil ave in a measure misrepresented
the water works company's position will
respect to the fire hydrsnts in some of
the hill districts. The company did not
make any false pretenses when these hy-
drants were installed. 1t was understood
by every one hat they would not come up
to the test required by the ordinance, but
It was thought that they would be better
than one at all.
Moreover, in these places the company
has not installed hydrants every 400 feet,
as 1t is allowed to, and thus the amount
the city has had to pay has been cut
down. Fol instance, there is a stretch OF
street 100 feet long with only two hy-
drants instead OF three. For this service
the city has had TO pay only $50 a year,
the rental Of each hydrant being $75, in
stead of t25, the amount that could have
been charged IL three hydrants had been
Installed there"
Discussing the effect on the revenue OF
the company Mr.. Hart said: Admitting
that the city has the right to discontinue
paying for such MIGRANTS as it deems fit,
this company cannot be required to operate
at a loss. The loss from the depleted hy-
drant rental paid by the city will have to
be made up from some other source and
that other source naturally will be the
private, consumer. The court, now that the
company lie in the hands of a receiver. will
not permit 1t to be operated at a loss and
a Encouragement of rates will of a neces-
sity have to be made to provide a revenue
sufficient to meet the cost of operation
and other obligations, otherwise the plant
will have to be shut down. The burden
will naturally fall. upon the private con-
sumner and il. is likely that a minimum
meter rate will be established. This mini
mum meter rate is in force in Sioux City,
Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, and in fact in
practically every city where the plant is
owned and operated by the municipality"
Insurance men do not take kindly to this
action OF the city council, and a leading
insurance agent said yesterday that II these
MIGRANTS were discontinued the companies
carrying risks in those sections OF the city
would undoubtedly raise the rates. "The
removal or discontinuance of the service
from these MIGRANTS will result in the in
surance companies probably being COM
| PEELED to enforce in those particular Sec
lions of the city what Is known as 'coun-
try rates II will be hard on the property
owner but the insurance companies will not
be to blame" said the insurance agent.
The Children's Sons Manufacturing com.
pany, It was stated yesterday, would file
a vigorous protest against the hydrant or
South avenue, in front of it's plant. being
discontinued The company. it was said
would appeal to the courts II necessary.