The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-06-30
D. B. GOODSELI, 4: N ls.a8's.:s' a, n ,!1ss :'.,-


city increases in size; making a total
Of $4,000 year, for which thu city
has nothing to show except receipts.
Some Pertinent Figures.
Four years ago, according to re-
port of the Marion Water Company
the said company was receiving from
private consumers, $21, 900 a year which
was ncreastDG. materially each year.
We believe that we are safe In stating
that there are / 900 to 1000 consumers
of electricity which at an average OF
$3.50 month, would amount to $780,
900 a year Adding these two items
TO what the city pays. makes a grand
total of $4,000 annually paid by tile
citizens of Marion for fire protection
and electric lighting. mai
How many business men In this city,
or any other place, would pay an,
nually $4,000 when by the expenditure
-pf s$a5D. 900 or even s5OO.OOO they could
get shut of this drain. For at per
cent, per anpnm! only 100000, would be
necessary TO pay the interest on the
ssOO0OO Of borrowed money leaving n
surplus of $4,000 for the liquidation
of the debt. OF course the maintain
eroe, etc, must be taken into con-
sIderqtiop. but eyen, figuring j$25,gD1 ner
year, for the cost or operation. MAIN
itahence,etc., At leaves 100000 surplus
for that purpose, And upon a basis
Of $25O, 900, the interest would amount
to but $4,000, and a maintenance and
operating expense OF $25 900 would
leave $4,000 for the liquidation of
the bond issue, making It possible to
pay of bond issue Of $25O,0o0 In less
than eight years, after which time
the plant would be asource OF revenue
to the city .l u
What Other Cities DO.
We will now turn to figures given
us, by other Ohio towns, of approx
mately th,s same size as Marion.
Lancaster, Ohio, with population
of $1,000 owns its own water works.
They furnish, free of charge, water
for all public buildings, public parks.
schools. and fire protection. Their
meter rates for water, are 10 cents per
thousand for the first 10000 gallons,
and Ave cents per thousand for all
over that amount. Their water plant
originally cost Sl5O,OOO. Their opera
ting expenses for 1919 were approxi-
mately $4,000 and their net receipts for
the same year $4,000. You will see
from this statement that the citizens
of Lancaster, pay less for their water
thln we do. when using as a private
consumer. and they are not taxed 10
pay for fire protection, and the use ol
water in public buildings etc. ana
are able to pay off the bonds. much
more rapidly than they become due.
The city OF Elyrla, another city OF
about the same size, pumps It's water
from Lake Erie. a distance OF eight
miles, and have to elevate II l6o teet
above the lake. They furnish the
water, free Of charge for fire pro-
lection, public buildings, etc. the
same as Lancaster
They charge rate of 20 cents per
thousand, per quarter, on the hrst
l5O, 900 gallons, thlrty-cight, IL IL
cents for the next 100000 gallons, 10
cents for the next 100000 gallons, and
eight cents per thousand for all over
that. Their average daily pumpase
for 1910 was about 100000 gallons. For
the year 1910 their receipts for water
rent was over $62. 700 and their bal
ance on hand. January l. 1870 over
$4,000.