Graham guardian., 1910-03-25
RATES OF LEGAL ADVERTISING
MARCH rs, 1910.
THE WATER QUESTION

we near SOIIle klChllS ITOil ptO-
pie who are opposed to granting a
franchise for water supply for
Stafford. That is, we learn that
there are a few people in Stafford
who are opposed to water supply
on the ground that the price is too
high; that it will take money out OF
the town each month; that a meter
system should be used.
AS to the cost of securing water
in the homes of the people, the
price asked by grantee is not high
when one takes into consideration
that to secure water supply the
grantee must expend large sum
of money, perhaps, $150,000, and
that the population at present and
for some time to come will not be
large enough to give profit on the
water used, even if all take it, for a
long time. In order to secure a
water supply sufficient for all needs
and to store it up in reservoirs, it
will be necessary to start almost at
the top of the mountain. The cam
yon would be cleared entirely of all
underground and a cement dam at
outlet in front ard some distance
on each side. Below this a second
storage reservoir would be needed
and in this part, as we'll as in the
first part mentioned, all undergrow-
tn must be cleared to bedrock, the
front part damned to a height suf-
ficient to hold the water. A third
reservoir lower down is then abso-
lutely necessary. This would have
to be the strongest of all. A ce-
ment dam across the front must be
built, and this dam must be thick
enough to withstand all the pressure
of the impounded waters.
From this last reservoir a large
supply pipe would carry the water
to and thru the mains in the town
with sufficient pressure that would
send the water over the highest
building in the town.
Then one should consider the cost
of pipe, machinery for electric light
plant and labor.
One objector states that the
grantee would take out of the town
$4,000 a month. This could hardly
be true. If it takes several years
to accomplish the water works and
electric light system, a very large
sum of money must be expended
for labor, machinery, piping, ce-
ment, etc.
If $150,0O0 is spent by grantee to
get a storage sufficient to supply
every town in the valley with
water, to get the amount expended
back, at the rate of $4,000 a month,
would mean that 600 families would
have to take water at a cost, per
family, of $500 per month, and if
nothing else were accomplished, no
further money expended, it would
take four years and two months to
pay back to grantee the amount
he expended for the water system.
Then again, at cost, per family,
of $500 per month, it would take
1000 families to accomplish the
same object in the same length of
time.
If it takes full time, nearly three
years, to put in water system, i,
would be close to seven years be.
fore any profit could be assured.
At the rate of $500 per month
for 500 families, it would take eight
years and four months to pay back
to grantee the original cost OF
works, and in the meanwhile he is
keeping up the plant all this time
at an additional expense.
1t don't look as if there was any
money likely to go out of the town
or valley on account of the water
works. To expend $150,000 on the
work would mean over half for la