Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-20
Council Bluffs
COST OF WATER WORKS PLANT
Expert Burns Continues in Court,
Giving Testimony.
HALF MIIIION DOILAR EsTnGATE
Expense Of Psving AIone streets In
whIch Mains Are Laid f. Taken
Into confederation.

-
Anorher DAY of hard and earnest work
vas Yesterday devoted to valuing the
property Of The city water plant. and when
the court adjourned At o'clock there was
s,Hl apparently three days work before
Expert Burns before the city closes its
testimony on direct examination Although
exact totals have not been computed. the
phi, steal valuation 80 far totals 100000, IN
round numbers There is to be added TO
this the cost OF the paving above all pipes
on paved streets the cost OF engineering
and superintondance when the plant was
constructed and which must still be taken
into account. These items and the numeri
Gus other incidentals will bring the ag.
grepate above $4,000. from which the
depreeistions must be computed and de-
Quoted
Another effort was made yesterday after
noon By the Judges to secure an earlier
} our for beginning court IN the morning
and $50 was suggested to the Omaha at
torneys representing the water company,
Messrs, Webster. McHugh and Stout and
they viii give an answer Monday. The
late hour OF beginning and continuing until
3 O'Clock Is placing serious strain upon
Court Reporter Jasper Ferguson who is
compelled to extend his shorthand notes
daily. This has kept him debating to the
phonogra phs until after 1 O'Clock each
night
Theiiudges again compllmented Attorneys
Kimball and FINLEY upon the splendid
manner in which they we're presenting the
clty's case declaring that II relieved the
court Of half the work that would other
srrf.- -. T.. 81.
Figures ny Burns.
Engineer Burns yesterday continued his
valuation of the Broadway pumping sta
lion. including the reservoirs. He had pre-
viously given the value of the pumping
machinery in round numbers at $1,000, and
Yesterday gave the final details. making II
fl555S36. Added 10 this are the boiler plant
ls.s55Bs; feed pipes. t55l; condenslng pumps,
P96222; afr tanks. ts4i siphon we'll. 1858;
wagon scales, SIS; engineers cottage on
Broadway. 1880 stock and tool sheds,
nzi.5o; reservoirs, lSs 7Oa.O7; sewerage and
drains, t1i1ss.eO. The last item includes
5000 feet OF oak nume built as an intake
from the river at a cost Of q, 800. II was
used one year and abandoned and is now
decayed and worthless. requiring the de-
duction OF the full cost. Engineer Kier-
sted's valuation Of the reservoirs for the
city IN 1908 was 50 300
The work OF laying the foundation to
show the depreciations of the property and
It's present values was begun when the
city placed Contractors John ]. Myrtue and
J. Chris Jensen on the stand to give the
present values Of the buildings The build
ing housing the Broadway pumping station
was placed At s7,1O7.so; the new building
completed last fall for the publication
plant. t2.s4s.6o; engineers cottage on Broad
way. yi,Os4; custodian's cottage at Glendale
reservoir. tozl.ss. store and tool house, S72.
These Expectations indicate some Of the
percentages OF depreciation that will be
insisted upon BY tine city. Following are
some Of the larger items valued by Mr..
Burns since the beginning OF his testimony,
and which will be reduced by the per-
oentages Of depreciation to be fixed later