Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1912-11-27
CHANGES In
WATER RATES
AGAIN FOUGHT
contlnued From Flrst Page.


Those who participated in the con-
ference were George W, Sparks, presl-
dent Of the Directors Of the Street and
Sewer Department: Dr. Julian Adalr,
lpresident OF the Board OF Health, Will
liam p. Bancroft, president of the
Park Commission; Colonel W, ".
Slower, chairman Of the finance COM
mlttee OF City Council: Charles X,
Jones. president OF the Board of Po-
lice Commissioners; Councilman
James Kane, Water Commissioners
Poole and Knox. Chief Engineer J. A.
Kienle. OF that department There
also we're present In the Council
chamber several real estate men and
property owners.
The meeting was opened by the
reading Of a communication from Rep
resentatlve A. b Moore, member OF
the real estate Arm OF Gibbons and
Moore, in which the writer sets forth
that he did not believe the real facts
in the situation had been placed be-
fore the people and expressed the
belief that the Water department was
not proceeding in the right way to stop
water waste, which seems to DO the
only reason for the proposed change
in the rates.
Following the reading Of Mr..
Moores communication, Mayor How
ell said:
II believe that before the new
schedule is placed in operation cam
paign OF education should be waged
so that the cooperation Of the citi
zens can be secured. believe some
change Is necessary, and the present
one may be absolutely right, al
though il seems rather sudden. OF
course the board has the authority TO
make the change, but do not believe
they desire to do anything that is
not a mutually satisfactorily arrang-
} ed affair for the city. I want to see
the citizens treated in a manner that
is Justly fair"
Mr. Knox. IN reply to the Mayors
invitation to speak, said he believed
the Mayor received copies of the min
utes of their board meetings Il sub
nit" he continued. that your re-
marks Of yesterday were not quite
fair when you stated that you were
not officially informed OF our pro-
] posed action, and that they were like
~ to prejudice people. III our de-
. partment did secure sufficient infor-
nation by the junket to Louisville TO
( frame a satisfactory new schedule of
/ water rates then Il brought good re-
suits"
!, The Mayor interposed that he had
not referred TO the Louisville trip IN
q any manner as a junket
q Mr. Knox said the impression pre-
\ valent that their department is run
q at profit is false and instead there
: is a slight deficit. Mr. Sparks sale
: that Mr.. Gleason. who some year,
% ago made special audit of the Water
= Department, had admitted TO him pri
=, vately that il the department wer'
run by a private corporation, an in
. crease in water rates would be neces
j, sary TO pay expenses and meet tn
T. interest on their bonds.
: Mayor Howell replied that If tn
:, department faces a deficit they woul
be justified in raising water rates
= The Mayor also explained why he ha
X not previously seen copy OF IN
Water Board minutes containing th
new schedule. The Mayor contir
ued:
II It am here to do just exactly wbu
" think Is right and fair II I ar
d convinced that the rates should b
s. passed, then I shall support theu
* My present point is to secure tn
ed opinion of members Of this advisor
be board as to whether the citizens ar
ic ready for the change"
ne Mr.. Sparks said that as he ha
te been out Of the city he was not sui
l. iiciently familiar with the subject {
De discuss It.
Colonel Slower said that Counc
had withdrawn its opposition to tn
proposed change as Il was assure
H. that the transfers of moneys froI
r the Water Department to Counc
n would not be changed, the estimate
~ amount TO be received from the dc
he partment during the present fiscs
year having been fixed in the bulge
at the beginning of the year.
= DR.. Adair said that from the con
ment he heard the public seemed
be about evenly divided in its opir
ion on the proposed change
Mr.. Jones said he had reached th
4 conclusion that the Water Commits
/ sioners knew what they were doini
L Mr.. Bancroft declared the propose
\ change was a decided improvement
n over the present system and was
II move in the right direction
Councilman Kane did not discus
1 the subject saying he was not fi
n ulllldI WIN IT,
DR.. II. r. Spruance. who was anon
Il those present, asked several ques
tons concerning the Proposed rate
which were answered by the Waite
Commissioners. He asserted that IN
n landlord pays the water rental an
is at the mercy Of the tenant.
In response to a question of Nj
Sparks, Mr. Poole explained that 70
n the present sum Of $40 a consume
would receive only one-half as niue
4 water as he receives at present.
Chief Engineer Kienle then made
n statement in defence of the propose
change and declared that no effol
Il had been made to increase the revC
nue. of the water board. He explain
ed az length the difference betwee
increasing the water rates and in
creasing the bills the consumers pay.
The mayor questioned Mr.. Kienl
about the waste of water INQUIRE
through breaks in water mains an
4 pipes Mr.. Kienle explained that hi
force was at work at all times repair
4 ing breaks, and that such feakag
never would be stopped entirely
J. Bail PIERCE, a real estate deale
was then heard Mr.. PIERCE declare
4 that the cut from an allowance {
800 gallons per day to $50 at III
n aaua cocf .uac foo sudden and woul