Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-09-19

PHmps -....==.-=-.-..,. ..... 20, ,GOt 1-2 of boilers .......-....--.... 9 00t i Meters and service pipes z..5.... 4o,o0( {: 1869 00t
 The gross operating revenue from ! city and consumers, he gave as fol- : lows:
 1 1909 ................ S44.473.4S 1910 $4S,33333
 MT. Bridges said the gross operat- ing expenses were:
 1 1909 ..-..-............ ........... S22, ,4O7. .OO 1910 $27 0o7.S6 1911 S2S o40.37 President Bridges said they had fig ured taxes and 15 per cent depre- citation on city scrip into these charges, but that they did not in- clude interest charges and deprecia- tion on equipment
 The net operating revenues for the three years, he gave as follows: 1909 ............. ............ S22, ,O66. AS 1910 ......-......... $21 3S7 26 1911 .............. $23,321.47 Mr. Bridges said that these figures, from which no deduction had been made for depreciation of the plant and interest on bonds, would show his company has been making less than six per cent.
 MT. Bridges gave other figures that are Of interest. He said the average yearly amount paid by consumers of all classes, excepting the city, for water Service, was:
 1910 $2l. .0O l5ll @l?.91 He went on to say that the majority of consumers in 1909 were on a flat rate, while in 1911 practically ali were on meter basis. He took No vember 1911 as an average for the year and offered that in that month there were 593 consumers who paid the minimum charge of 75 cents and l73 whose bill did not exceed $1.00.
 Weil's Speech. 1 Alderman Wells f rst point was that the water company has 10 right 10 force meters on the publ c, tnat it should have abided by the flat rate.
 He said he had consulted an en- gineer, who was entirely disinterest- ed and who gave him figures to show that q water plant operating four ten ;nch wells and having 3S miles of ma ms, as the Pine Bluff Company has, could be installed for $24400t and could be operated for $15,000 a year in town this size. He said such a pan could produce and dis tribute water for four cents thous and gallons with a centrifugal puml and ;ol eight cents without, and tha a charge amounting to S2 cents thousand gallons was outrageous ant i he was aga ns,. it.
 MT. Well said he had been con ser vativa in his est mates, and, as he knew nothing about machinery. hat depended entirely upon information given Ii m by his engineer. He wen on to say that the water rates I this ely made it prohibitive for poo people 10 bqthe.
 Afer referring to the water ra.e: in effect in five cities, which aver aged 1S2 cents, MT. Veil advocated the immediate establishment of thu following rates for Pine Bluff:
 200 thousand up to 30,O0O gal.
 1Sc thousand, 60 to 90 thousand.
 15c a thousand, 90 to 120 thousand.
 12 1-2c a thousand over 120 thous and.
 MT. Veil said the council has thu legal right to fix the rates and wanted a reduction made at oace. Aldermen Fred Fox, E. A. Sheppard and others desired to have more time to investi gate the matter, MT. Fox said he fel sure it was not the intention of th' council to work an injustice on tn Pine Bluff Company any more thai they would permit the people to b' imposed. on. The committee adjourn ed at 1o:sO, further action n. sh' matter being deferred until the nex