The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-14

new rates. Let us compare with above
the old and new rates on three room
mousse in Birmingham.
3-r. House. Bath. Closet. Total.
old fiat rate $500 $500 $500 a7O
New fiat rates. GEO 400 400 400
Water costs 75c more in a three room
house in Birmingham than it does in a
six room house in Mobile. This is a SPLEEN
did advertisement for Greater Birming-
ham.
Let us compare the meter rates of six
southern cities and then decide whether
the concession of the water company to
The consumers in the new rates is liberal
or illiberal.
Montgomery. per 1900 gallons Is cents.
Mobile. per 1000 gallons. Is cents.
New Orleans. per 1000 gallons, 10 cents.
Richmond per 1000 gallons, 1914 cents.
Atlanta, per 1000 gallons, 10 cents
Birmingham, per 1000 gallons 20 cents.
In Mobile and New Orleans you can ar
range to pay for the number of gallons
consumed IL you so desire. Why should
we not enjoy that universal principle of
business in Birmingham? If the water
company really wishes to sell water by
measure, why not adopt this fair princi-
pie of paying for what is bought and
sold. Why not abolish the minimum
charge which is confiscation of the money
u the tOilSutIti. mere is flO just ItdSOH
why the family that consumes 900 gal
Ions of water should pay for 125oo gallons
of water at $3.50 instead of 81. This is a
bonus of 80 cents paid into the treasury
Of the water company. Let us pay for
the water we consume, but not a cent of
tribute to the water company If we
must pay this extra tax it had better be
devoted to some of the deserving institu-
tons of the city
= to ~. ,a1 Ere
hydrants. 1t is pretty thing as exhibited
and manipulated on paper. What does
the concession amount to? Any money
saved? No, not dollar. The city is pay
ing S39, $40 annually to the water company
for fire hydrants. which is $52.16 per n.y.
drant. Fire hydrants are reduced to $35
piece to take effect two years from
row, when the water company will have
installed 375 additional fire MIGRANTS.
The city is to continue to pay s39,640 for
fife hydrants. II the reduction took place
immediately $4,000 year would be saved
10 the city for two years. The same
amount of money is divided by 76O hy-
drants now and 1913 hydrants two years
hence. but the water company gets the
money now and then, and the city saves
nothing. former mayor said in a pub
lie meeting some weeks ago that future
installation of fire MIGRANTS was an old
policy with the water company profita-
Bile policy. Surely, nobody is going to
vote for the contract on account of the
1913 fire hydrants In futurity.
When the city attempts to purchase the
waterworks in 1921 at the expiration of
the contract OF 1883. how much is the
water company going to demand for the
surrender of the suburban contracts ex-
tending to 1899? No well informed citi-
zen especially no lawyer, ought to live
Ia the city of Birmingham without read
Ing the water contracts with the subur-
ban towns now making a part of Greater
Birmingham. They will furnish any man
with a high order of training in con-
tracts, taxation. thrifty trading and the
art of municipal government. He will
learn in a most impressive way what a