Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-10
ADVERTISE CITY 1
BY WATER system
CITY CLERK pERsv GIVES eus.
LiciTv 70 TOWN ~ LETTER
on WATER SUPPLY.
GIVES CLINTON Glimpse
OF MUNICIPAL PLANT
Secretary Of -csinten's Commercial
Club Seeks Information About 10.
cal Water systsm-Dsrby Sets Out
Advantages in Letter In Reply
Points to Lower Per Capita Tax.

| Excellent advertising Tor THIS city
is contained in the letter written to
c. +. Terhune. secretary Of the Com
mercial Club Of Clinton, by City Clerk
l.. Derby in response to an inquiry
made by the Clinton clubs secretary FOE
| information about this city's water
works system. Mr.. Terhune wrote the
would. be useful In preparing a new
water franchise for that city.
/! Clinton's water franchise is owned by
| the American Water Works Company.
! of Philadelphia. The franchise expires
: March l. 1914, and Clinton is preparing
| to vote new one.
While Mr.. Derby's letter In reply is
| of no aid to Clinton III supplying in
| formation to incorporate in a franchise.
| yet it does set out in concise form the
advantages and value of the local
municipal water system compared with
| private ownership. such as Clinton has.
Letter 10 Of Value.
! The letter. which is of value from
! city advertising standpoint, is as fol-
! lows:
Dear Sir: Your letter of the 10th
| inst regarding a water works tram
! chise. is at hand. For reasons which
Twill appear later, we are very ignorant
(! of water works franchises. and the
/ worst Of it is, that we do not wish for
| Information, gained by experience, on
! the subject.
You say that YOU are informed that
| we have something that is worth con-
but the argument is entirely against
| franchise and in favor of municipal.
ownership.
Eve have municipal water works
that is worth $3.50, 900. and would prob
ably sell for a good deal more than
that. 1t consists of pumping plant
! supplied from forty two wells connect
ed with reservoir Of one and one-half
! million gallons capacity. We have 1878
| miles Of water mains and. connected
to them, is an elevated tank $50 feet
| high, having capacity of 100000 gall
Ions. We have 80 fire hydrants, and
1900 service connections. about 1000
Of which are metered. Our lowest rate
is 5 cents 1000 gallons, and our high
est residence rate is .33 51-s cents a
1000 gallons. What is ca11ed the base
rate the rate for houss,of not more
than six rooms, with one. opening. is
! 81. "a per year net. The water rents
| collected last year amounted to $3s.5S9:
surplus on hand April /. 1912. $4,000.
The annual cost Of operation is APP
proximately $4,000. not including de-
probation and interest We have
1870 in bonds outstanding, which We
Will have the money to liquidate by the
end of the present year. This plant has
been in operation since 1876, and IL is
|a source of satisfaction and pride to
every citizen in Marshalltown.
aside from tho service it renders to
consumers who pay, 1t furnishes free
water for the fire hydraRts, for which
your city pays 500 month each. ac-
cording to the state auditors report;
it furnishes free water for. all churches
and parsonages in the city, for the Y.
NJ c. A., and supplies d small lake in
the cemetery.
Turning to the last report Of the
auditor OF state you will see that your
per capita rate Of taxes levied Is $7.l4.
Our per capita is SAIL. This difference,
think, is largely explained by the fact
that our water works department
brings in an annual revenue of 1915
per capita.
"MarShalltown is the fourteenth city
in population in Iowa. The average
rate of taxation per capita for these
fourteen cities is 1854. OF these cities
there are four that do not have NUM-
cipal water works. and the average
rate of taxation for those four cities is
1922 per capita which, it seems to me,
indicates in a very concise form, one
financial difference between cities
owning their own water works and
those that do not.
Another advantage Of our water
works plant is that, in connection with
it, we have an electric street lighting
plant SO that our arc lights cost about
$45 each q year instead of SOS which.
according to the auditors report, is
paid by the city Of Clinton.
Seeing that you are seeking infor-
nation relative to granting new
franchise. can not be of much assist
ance. but IL you were seeking argu-
ments in favor Of municipal owner
ship, you would be able to find them
under nearly every hat in MARSHALL
Yours very truly,
IL. DERBY,
City Clerk"