Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-04-22
WATERFOWL. JEFFERSON COUNTY. WIS.

This would supplement- other records.
The schedule il unsatisfactory, but
all matters of street lighting can be
corrected ut the expiration of the
contract in 1918.
THE wATERWORKS.
/ From running deficit to several
thousand dollars to the achievement of
constant balance on hand In the
wsterworks fund, is pleasing ac-
knolwedgment to make. The bal
ance is welcome and some of it is
certainly needed to replace old parts
in the BODY Of the plant itself and it
foretells lower and uniform rates
in the future. When one gives
thought to the evolution of the system
one may conclude that it is in the
nature of three-fold institution,
embracing waterworks, banking and
philanthropy. It i'll becomes me to
crit,cise adversely what seemed at the
time proper, it is only experience and
not theory that finds these things.
The necessity in the beginning was to
get AS many consumers AS possible
and to poLularize the use of water.
also keep an abundant supply
fresh, by liberal use of water.
This was all done with full measure
Of liberality and without adequate
rscompense for the investment and
the product suld.
In speaking fairly of this. one
must tell that the control of the plant
of neighboring city was taken as
it's model because that one had a
statewide reputation as a "model
system, but it has since been
placed into the consideration of the
railroad commission in order to &C.
cure a rate adequate tc gather more
income. Its reversal also in the mat
ter of furnishing free service to
the curb is noticeable. 1t is now
considering the question of changing
special assessments for the extension
of water mains.
Watertown has wisely rescued It's
system. although still travelling along
much the same path. bur it can now
show it's solvency. Errors have beer
made and will be made-to err is hu-
man-but error without evil motives
or selfishness are excusable. Who is
and what is right at certain times
that is the Grub" Corrections have
been made bv means of stricter and
more intensified control. by the open
ing of new set of meter readings
and accounts, the installation of the
meter system, the insistance Of the
tabulation uf water used for different
uses, the search and discovery of
leakage and waste. strictness IN the
matter of permits and their return.
the nutations of fuel and material
used, the introduction of time and
labor saving devices. the freeing of
an imprisoned source of supply ana
additional help,
After all taps We're metered. there
came the further discovery that the
workings of many meters had been
neglected. the discovery of latent
defects and all of which operated for
short time to the luss of the city.
The addition of help has found enough
losses which have been corrected To
pay for it far IN advance.
by the Way of mention, the fol-
lowing were among the improve
ments made: Namely, the construc-
tion of concrete cistern for better
water supply, the laying of sidewalks
and concrete floors, toilet and sewer
age installed and plumbing corrected,
the pumping station thoroughly paint
ed. heating aud exhaust conditlons
materially improved, repairs on
machinery, parts scraped and painted
and big steam mains replaced.
| The impetus given the system by
the acquisition of 1000 consumers and
the kno~ledge tnat the city le pump
ing less water comparatively than be-
fore. brightens the prospect. Less
water pumped, more sold, the leakage
and waste reduced, expresses the
progress.
The comparative tables which are
now published yearly by the railroad
commission show that the present
rates are reasonably low when likes
are compared with likes We may
even assume the boldness to compare
our rates with those of Milwaukee