Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-15
DEFENDS WATER TAX0THER NATIONS Lead
Order of Increase Justified by America Far Behind in Military
Commissioner Judson. Use of AeropIanes.
WILL NOT BE LOWERED NEED OF MORE AvIAT0RS|
District Official Would Rather Be Chief Signal Officer Calls for al
Right Than to Enjoy Popularity. Larger Force.
MAKES REPLY TO CRITICISM ADVANCE MADE PAST YEAR
Washington and in to in ermany /
Cities England.
WILL NOT BE LOWERED
District Official Would Rather Be
Right Than to Enjoy Popularity.
MAKES REPLY TO CRITICISM
Comparison of the Cost of Water in
Washington and in Other
Cities.

Tt u.der for water rate increase and
several other recent official acts of the
District Commissioners, all of which have
met with adverse criticism, were de-
Tended by Maj. William Y. Judson, En-
gineer Commissioner, in an address be-
fore the Lincoln Park Citizens Associa-
ton last evening at Ingram Memorial
Church, 10th street and Massachusetts,
avenue northeast Besides uphold ng the
water rate increase he defended the or
ders for the removal of lights along the
Country roads,
II would rather do the best for you all
as Commissioner than be popular" Maj
Judson told the association in the course
of his address.
The Engineer Commissioner declared
the water department was being operated
at loss and that the plan of the Com
missioners to install meters was a step
which other cities regarded as conServa-
tive. With the present rate of increase
of the population of the District, and the
proportionate increase in the water con-
sumption, he said, one of two things must
happen. Either the waste of water must
be prevented or a new and larger water
plant butt. A new plant, he said, would
require many years to build and would
cost about $1,000, 900. With the installa-
ton of motors. however, the present sup
ply would last until the population had
increased to about 100000. he declared.
which he believed would take about
twenty-five years.
Future Probabilities.
That this was but the beginning Of
series of raises in the water rates Maj.
Judson denied. ell was certain, he said,
that there would be no need Of further
a. xI,4w f,,Hy r. 1or,h t4I
he said. If it would come while he was
member of the board OF Commissioners.
But he said, Il will make a prophecy.
and that Is that the rate will never again
be lowered. When it is changed again,
1t will go upward"
If meters had been given the District
under the old rate. he asserted, the city
would have gone bankrupt. The new
rate would be much less than any city
of about the size of this one, he contend
ed. He named Buffalo. Chicago. Cincin-
natl, Columbus. Ohio; Detroit Pittsburgh
and Philadelphia as examples Of cities
which were charging rates higher than
are proposed for the District. Under the
new rates in this city, he said. the small
consumer would have to pay slightly over
a cent day for water.
I'VE must take into consideration,
though he said, mot only that must
count, but also that the water is ready
for use at any time of night or day. We
have this in view In considering teh cost
of our street water hydrants. The same
thing is taken into consideration in the
telephone service. and surely water serv-
ice is more important than the phone. !
think the price of water should be COM
mensurate with the service furnished.
Many people believe water should be free
as air. That cannot be. We do not
wish to make the use of water par
simonious. but economical" The new
rate. he said, would include the cost of
the meter.