The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-05
AS Result of Statements Made and Statistics Presented
at Water Works Meeting Councilmen Begin to Be-
lieve Purchase Feature. Advocated by the
Administration Is Not Legal One.
MANY "OvERSGHTS" IN PROPOSAL FOUND
One, the Neglect of Including Clause Specifying What
Salaries Water Works Officials Would Receive, in
Event City Became Interested in the Corpor-
alton, Provoked Lively Discussion

to the rates Watson p O'Neil said
that the word maximum should be
placed in it. so that the company could
not raise the rates. lnasmuch as the
city is growing, he said. in ten or fif-
teen years the population may reach
$4,000 or $4,000 Inhabitants. the city
should have the right at that time to
readjust and lower the rates. He said
that public service corporations are
somewhat different from others and
under contracts granted by the city
the city should have something to say
about the rates whether the plant was
to be purchased or not.
Considerable acrimony Characters
ed an argument between B. B. John
son and Supt. Dill. Mr.. johnson In
explaining the rates under the propoa-
al said that for q six room house with
two faucets and washing machine
operated by water. and the privilege
of sprinkling in front Of lot 81 feet
wide it would cost more than SIS an
nually. Mr.. johnson said that this
could be taken as an average cost to
each citizen. Mr.. Dill took exceptions
to Mr.. Johnson's statement about this
and said that Mr.. johnson was wrong.
However, after looking over the pro-
posal 1t was found that Mr.. johnson
was correct.
Find Another Mistake
We'll, mistake has bsen made but
it was not intentional" said Mr.. Dill.
There. that's Just the troubls.
There are SO many things In this pro-
posal that have been made which are
saasaAoy b4 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. thsy are.
pointed out" Mr.. johnson causticaliy
replied.
Il don't deny that we make no mis-
takes" exclaimed Mr.. Dill. but I
should at least be given the credit Of
making an explanation"
'All OF these points prove that It 10
absolutely necessary that we take mp
these propositions section by section
and discuss them," continued Mr..
Johnson I'VE have to take 1t up just
this way
Protesting alphabetically Mr.. John
son said that the proposal did not pro-
vide for fair rates for the big consum-
ers. He said that his Ice plant con-
sumed 2.22S,OOO gallons OF water dur
ing the month Of July and that this
amount under the present franchise
cost $13S and under the proposed con-
tract would cost $17s. The munici-
pal water works plant at Anderson
furnishes water to big consumers at
3 cents per 100 cubic feet while tho
proposed rate here is 6 cents per 100
cubic feet, he states.
A Fictitious Valuation.
Councilman Won Pein declared that
500. 900 is fictitious valuation Of the
plant This IL the valuation given In
Engineer Maury's report. In answer
to Mr.. Won Pein's question - to
whether the city was contemplating
taking this. amount for the valuation
the mayor asserted that appraisers
would be appointed to fix the value.
In defense of Mr.. Maury. Supt. Dill
said that there Is not man Of higher
ability than Maury. He objected to
Mr. Johnson's statement that depre-
citation was figured In the valuation
of the plant Mr.. Dill said that he had
invited Maury to his house but Maury
refused to go because he said It
would not look right.
Again, as at Thursday evenings
meeting. Mr.. Dill asserted that the
rates must be raised In order to give
the city share In the profits. The
present rate is twenty-five cents per
1000 gallons. and the proposed rate
is twenty-six and two-thirds cents. al
though there will be no meter rent.
Suppose we eliminate the purchase
| clause would there be lower rates?
asked councilman Weishaupt. Mr..
Dill answered that this could not be
answered without investigation.
Councilman Bartel protested
| against the rates charged for motors.
The proposed rate for motors is SO.