Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-28
OTHER PLANS FOR METERS
Gradual Installation or Appropria.
tion by Congress.
ACTION BY BOARD AWAITS
No Vote Has Yet Been Taken by
Commissioners on Increase
of Rates.

| Decided opposition to the proposed in
crease In water rates is the stand that
| will be taken by the Chamber of Com
merce. if that body adopts a report which
| is to be submitted Saturday to a Special
| committee of the chamber which was ap-
| pointed to investigate the water rates
| raise question.
Chaplin Brown. chairman of the special
| committee, today called a meeting of the
committee for Saturday morning A re-
port. denouncing the plan Of the District
Commissioners to install water meters
with money obtained by raising the rates
| paid by consumers for the use of water,
| has been prepared and will be submitted
! to the committee. If adopted, it will go
| before the full chamber for final action
The members OF the committed in ad-
! diton to Mr.. Brown, are George Y.
| Wprthington. Charles Clagett, w. A.
| Foster. NJ. \. Leese. Albert Schulteis and
Thomas Grant. 1t is understood. that the
| report which has been prepared. meets
with the views of the majority, If not all,
| of the members Of the committee.
Cheap Water Favored.
| While the report has not been made
| public, it is said to be founded on the
general principle that water rates in the
District should be as low as possible.
commensurate with the needs of the
Water department. The suggestion that
meters be installed with the proceeds Sc
cured from raising rates is regarded by
the committee members, it is said, as not
being a need sufficiently urgent to re-
auire consumers to pay more for water
than they are at present.
II the Commissioners decide that the
service must be metered the report it
Is understood, will recommend two meth
DDS by which this may be accomplished
The first is the expenditure of the
present surplus of the water depart
ment and of other surpluses from year
to year, in gradual installa tion of
meters throughout the entire service.
The other plan favored by the report
should 1t be decided to install the me-
ters at one time. is the securing of an
appropriation for the Improvement
If the report meets with the approval of
the committee there is believed to be
little doubt but that the chamber will
| indorse it. 1t is likely that at Satur-
days meeting steps will be taken to have
the chamber get back of A vigorous cam
paign against the Commissioners carrying
out their suggestion with respect to in
creasinS the water rates.
Plan to Get Meters.
Chairman Brown is in favor of the plan
to install meters gradually and with the
surpluses Of the water department from
year to year. He pointed out today
that, according TO tho report Of the su-
perntendent Of the water department for
the last fiscal year. surplus of Ss1 l9s. A.
was left at the end Of the years opera
tions- 1t is his opinion that this amount
INr.
plan for the gradual installation of
meters, rather than that residents of
| the District Should pay more for water,
| so that the meters could be completely
| installed few years earlier than other
wise would he the case.
| The recent report of the superintendent
of the water department brings out nu-
merous facts which the Cha mber of Com
nerce committee. in al proba bility. viii
make use of in its effort to prevent the
proposed ipcrease in rates being ordered
According to this report, the installa-
ton Of 300 meters is anticipated during
the coming year This is a larger num-
ber than the department has planned to
install in several years. II shows, say
members of the Chamber of Commerce
committee, that the departments finances
are in fiourishing condition. and that
the department itself will feel the strain
of installing the meters less than will
taxpayers who may be called upon TO
pay an increased water rate.
When the attitude TO he taken by the
Chamber Of Commerce shall have been
determined it Is more than probable that
hearing the subject before the Com
missioners will be requested Az Vet tho
commissioners have not given any hear
ings on the rate question. but il is be
lieved that they would be willing to do so
With the Commissioners practically
through with the work of getting the
Districts estimates into shape for trans
| mission to the President. it is considered
probable that the next matter to which
they will give consideration will be th..
proposed increase in water rates.
Date of Veto Uncertain.
Engineer Commissioner Judson TODAY
would not indicate when vote will be
taken. but the disposal of the matter any
day would occasion little surprise This
situation is appreciated by the Chamber
| of Commerce representatives and for that
reason it was decided 10 call the special
| committee together saturday and lose no
| time in mapping out campaign of ac-
| tion
| 1t is generally understood that Com
| missioner Judson is in favor of the in
! crease in rates. Cuno II. Rudolph. prcsi-
dent of the Board of t'ommissi toner's has
not Indicated whether he will support th..
plan. commissioner Johnston, who re
| turned to the city today after an absence
of several wcehs. has not given recent
developments in the situation study and
| ii is not known what attitude he Will
take.
| II the Chamber Of Commerce decides
to enter an active protest against the
| raising of water rates its action un-
doubtedly will meet with widespread an
proval. if the large number of protests
against the plan that the Commissioners
have received from individuals and or
/ ganizations is any Indication of how resi-
dents generally feel in regard to thu
matter.
! From now on the water question prom
| iseS to overshadow all others both vii !
| the Commissioners and the Chamber 81
! Commerce Should the District heads
! decide to put the proposed Increase into
| effect they could do 80 without having ia
secure the permission of Congress Th.
increased rate. il is announced ii orlere1
will not go into effect before next year.