The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1910-12-31
Mayor Buckingham Obtains Free Water For The City From
Hydraulic Company Making Saving To Taxpayers In Time
That The Contract Had To Run OF Approximately $3O00M

AS the result Of negotiations con-
luded today between De Yer III.
Warmer, representing the Bridgeport
Hydraulic Company, and Mayor E. T..
Buckingham, the substance Of the 20
years water contract. which still has
1s years to run. fell away, leaving
the instrument a mere husk in the
possession of the company.
The city Of Bridgeport will have its
supply Of water free of charge. ex-
cept that a small sum will st.l be
paid. for water taken through meters
in fire houses, school houses and other
public buildings. and for street
sprinlxling.
But the charge for hydrant service.
which is by far the larger part OF
the charge, will be entirely RENTED.
The charge for hydrant service last
year was $12,0e0. This charge would
continue to grow year by year, as
more hydrants were installed.
The charge for water taken through
meters is about $1,700 and will con-
finue.
streets is now small and will be-
come smaller as oil is used for
sprinkling instead of water.
Mayor Buckingham concluding these
negotlatfons has carried out the
pledges In his platform and his
promises to the people in respect Of
the 20 years water contract. He has
secured practically free water for the
city.
Under the circumstances, after many
conferences, the final one Of which
was held today, the Bridgeport Hy-
draulic company agreed to furnish
water for fire purposes free Of charge
Tn dc mi neYf
principal cost Of the contract to
Bridgeport
Mayor Buckingham assented to The
charge for metered water upon the
ground that 1t would be safer 10 sub
NIT to It than to take the chances
gether Win the possibility that the
city might not win its suit
Mayor Buckingham. having obtained
the concession of practically free wa
ter. consented to the small charge for
sprinInling as the safest way 20 a sure
The 70 year water contract was
made In 1906 IN such a way as to
create a scandal. because Of the sub
stance OF the contract. and because
sro"si II one nes sasescorn y x as defeat | Of
Mayor NJ. X Reynolds Tor renoruina-
ton followed. although he had. in
every other respect. an excellent rec
ord In ONCE. Practically every AL
dernnan who favored the contract was
OF these have since returned to office
by the accidents Of politics. but in the
main the justice Of the people has
been uniform. The agitation against
the contract was Immediately begun,
and has been urged continuously since.
in the columns Of The Farmer.
The fight was always directed with
especial energy at meetings of the|
Board Of Apportionnnent and Taxation.
when the item OF $4,000 for fire hy-
opposed to the contract being to pre-
vent the appropriation. while the Wa
ter Company fought to obtain the ap-
propriatton.
The Board Of Appor,fonment will
not appropriate for this item In 1911.
or Buckinsham In carrying out the
instructions Of the party that gave
The result obtained by Mayor Buck
angham was brought about after q Sc
ries Of conferences with Vice Presi-
dent Warner Of the Bridgeport Hy-
draulic Co. From the first the Mayor
has been guided In his deliberations
a. TO the legal questions involved. by
City Attorney Thomas NJ; Cullinan.
The Farmer has always held that the
contract Vas invalid. principally be-
cause Il dtd not give to the city water
= cheap % that furnished by the
New Haven Water Co. to New Ha-
ven. The Hydraulic Co. has con.
tended that the conditions here and
expressed the belief that they could
uphold the contract at tho end OF a
litigation.
The Farmer has never advocated
the plungsng OF the city into costly
sssssioS the SANE snds so1ld as nscsc be ssc
means. Mayor Buckingham deer
mined. upon taking the duties OF the
once Of Mayor. that he would devote
all Of the energies of his commission
from the people to secure tor the city
practically all of the ADVANTAGES hat
|smight accrue at the end ot success
|ful law suit. He realised that liti-
Igation II costly and resolved to get
|results Without having recourse to the
|courts.
this end is eurely a mat
tier OF congratulatton. IL is the big
|Eext thing Of municipal nature that
|has ever been gained ny ne city from
= public service corporation. II SIM
|ply shows what can bc accomplished
kvhen an able and resolute servant of
khe peorie sets out to keep faith with
The public.
Tn round numbers the concession
obtained by Mayor Buckingham from
khe Hydraulic Co, will approximate
Hose on 20 100000 I'm tho time that
The contract has TO run. since the
Instrument first went into effect each
SsucCccsling year has shown an In
.rcase of approximately 1000 I'm
k.hnrges for wnter. With the f6 years
Xt hns to run IL would mean that
his sum at the same ratio would int
rcnse enormously SO il IL not too
much to claim that Mayor Bucking-
ham has saved the tax PAYERS fully
k30O, 600. This is certainly an ac-
Eomplislulent Of nature that will
i've as long as the city's records con-
inuc to DC written.
AS to the spirit shown by Vice Pres !
kient Dever Fl. Warner, who acting
or his father conducted the nego ia
hons with the Mayor. the interview
rhich is published with tho Mayor in
Connection with this article will suf- !
ce.
AS long ago as weeks prior to the !
heeting of the Board of Apporton- |
hcnt OF one year ago. the Mayor had |
ezun spegot iatfons with the vice pres |
tent OF the Water Co.. looking to the |
bta!nment for the ely of free wa
kr While nothing came of the ne
pt'ations at that time and while the |
oard of Apportionlnent levied he
Bua1 appropriation for water for ''hv- 1
sants'' the Mayor determined that I
bring the year which was to fotow I
would leave no stone unturned to !
btain for .he city practically all that 1
luid be obtained ~-ovi@i-~ 49, 90.
ok the case into the courts and was
49,