Evening journal., 1912-11-18
vsyanrm Ounxr
WANl lily
WATER RATES
UNCHANGED
Board Of Trade and Real ES-
tate Association Quiz
Board on Subject
LETTER SHOWS PURPOSE
OF THE DEPARTMENT

Committees from the Board Of Trade
and from the Real Estate Brokers' As
sociation appeared before the Board
OF Water Commissioners today and
we're given hearing as to the pro-
posed change In the city water rates,
as announced last week. The COM
mittees we're headed by A. B. Moore,
who is president OF the Real Estate
Brokers' Association and chairman of
the Real Estate Committee Of the Will
rnington Board of Trade
1t was stated by Mr.. Moore that
the committees had come to the meet
ing to learn just what the proposed
changes in the water rates would
mean to the manufacturers of the city
and to the property owners in gem
eral.
j. Writ Willis, of the New Castle
Leather Company, stated that last
year his company paid the city ST.
280.27 for water and that this year,
until September 25, it's water from
five meters, had cost 81, 1895.
Chief Engineer Keinle explained to
Mr. Willis that under the proposed
new charge the cost of water to his
company would be about / $40 per
cent. greater than under the old
charge Mr. Keinle explained that
at the plant Of the Hilles and Jones
Company there are ten meters while
at the plant of the Harlan and HOl-
ligsworth Corporation there are only
two.
Mr.. Moore stated that at the present
time a consumer pays for the water
that he uses.
I'VE represent a good portion of the
income of this department" said Mr..
Moore. 1T seems to me that the rates
are crude, but if they are right we
want to go before the public and tell
them that the rates are right and the
department is doing the fair thing.
This question is a matter Of public in
terest and should be weighed most
carefully; if you raise the rates, you
will raise the rents throughout the
city. It will be a hardship on seven
or eight thousand working people as
the property owners will not pay for
the water which their tenants use
without adding it to the rent of the
house"
Mr.. Kienle asked if lowering the
water rates would lower rents in the
city. Mr. Moore said that he did not
NAAAh ~ WOulQ 90 AthNC WNAN cboAA 40
low as they could possibly be at the
present time.
Mr.. Poole stated that the object OF
the department was not to raise the
rates but to prevent waste and that
the water would not cast any more
under the change
It was suggested that motors be in
stalled and everyone pay for the
amount of water used
tIt was brought out that a leather
concern in this city which is one of
the largest in the country pays about
$4,000 for its water each year while
its competitor in Philadelphia pays
only $1,000. Mr. Keinle said that
cost of water in different cities is
bound to be different owing to cost
of production and condition not being
alike
eff the waste is not stopped inside
of a few years the consumption will
increase so that the city will have
to enlarge its plant.
George II. McGOvern. of the Board
of Trade, said that he thought man
had a right to allow water to run on
his premises in cold weather to pre-
vent It from freezing, the same as he
had a right to use it to extinguish a
fire, so Ions as he paid for the water
The board seemed to think that this
was a waste of water and the tenant
or property owner should keep his
house warm enough to prevent it from
freezing
Mr. McGovern replied that in his
own house the water meter was next
to a thin cellar door and that it was
necessary to let the water run to pre-
vent it freezing and flooding the eel
lar
Mr. Poole said that such conditions
could b, remedied by moving the
meter and pipes.
Mr.. Moore stated that the rates
might be adjusted but the majority oi
people, the people who did not waste
water, should not be made to suffer
He said the fiat meter rate did no
appear just to him.
The following letter written to a
property owner was given out by the
board as showing the contention OF
the Water Department.
Recalling your statement at com
mittee meeting relative to your no
using the amount of water allowed
YOU for the minimum, 1 have taker
the opportunity to investigate the ac
tual conditions as they existed in tn,
calendar year, 1911.
y"I find the following statement o
your account upon our ledger.
'1911.-March quarter-Cubic feet
1000; amount, 75c; June quarter
Cubic feet, 1900; amount, 90c; Sep
tember quarter-Cubic feet, 300
amount, 23c; December quarter
Cubic feet, 300; amount 2Se' Tota
cubic feet, $500; amount, S2.11
credit-Unused cubic feet, 1850
amount, $3.50. Total-14,4OO; amount
SO.
In other words, you paid $40, lesl
5 per cent discount for $500 cubic
feet of water used, or at the rate o
1857 per 1000 cubic feet.
Undoubtedly you used as mucl
water as you had actual need for ye
under our present system OF rating
your allowance permitted you TO bur
den the city with a needless waste o
II 500 Gu. Ft at a value of SlSs, be
fore this department could collec
any additional revenue from you.
Now compare the above with th'
effect upon your conditions under th'
proposed new rating system You
service charge for 5-S in. meter woulC
be So representing your proportion
ate legitimate share of this depart
ment fixed expenses or the cost o
doing business with you. The quan