The Caucasian., 1913-10-23
APPRAISERS REPORT.
The Estimated Value Of the Water
works and Sewerage Plant Fixed
at St,354, ,273-Rejected by Council.
A Municipal Plant Suggested.

A Municipal Plant Suggested.
The report of the committee OF
appraisers named to estimate the
value of the waterworks and sew
erage plant, was submitted to the
CITY Council Wednesday. The ap-
praisers as appointed are: Il. b.
Black, by the City of Shreveport;
George w. Fuller by the Shreveport
Waterworks Company, with Wyn-
koop kiersted, referee.
The cost to the city for ascertain
ing the value of this plant approx
mates $3.50, of which $3.50 has been
paid to Mr.. Black and $4,000 has
been budgeted to cover the services
of the appraising and the lnciden-
tails connected with the appraIse-
ment.
In the ordinance providing the
contract of thirty years between the
city and the Shreveport Water
works Company, adopted August ~
1886, it is stipulated that "at the ex-
piration of the term of thirty years
| for which this franchise is granted,
the city. if it shall so elect, shall
have the right to purchase salt
works at a price fixed by apprals-
ers."
# should be noted that this con-
tract should expire on August u,
1916. but the company has secured
an extension of one year, from Au-
gust II, 1887, when it began actlVe
operations. This contract between
the city and the water and sewerage
lcomnanv will not end before Au-
gust IL, 1917.
In preceding the stipulation OF the
| ordinance of August IL, 1886, apply
ing to the purchase OF the water
works and sewerage plant @at thf
exniration of thirty years for which
|this franchise is granted" the pres
ent Council anticipated reasonable
appralsement that would JUSTLY
their recommendation OF the pur-
! chase of the plant by the city. Ano
there was an incentive OF encour-
agement on the appraisemcnt o'
s56i 1893 by Worley & Black in 1911
lit would seem that since this ap-
! praisenent the Shreveport water
works and sewerage plant has pro.
: crossed in value S793,075, and as TO-
!, talized by the appraisers at this dat'
lis Si.354,273. At this ratio OF IN
/. crease the purchase price OF the cor
= poration will have reached severa
millions of dollars of its present ap
: nraisement when the limitation o
). it's existence shall have bee
I reached, and yet at that time it ma
A, not be practically as valuable by
| half if not less than its appralse
ment of today.
isl There is feature of this repor
nj which is in a sense peculiar and
" strikingly at variance with the pre-
n yious estimate of the city's repre-
r sentative, but which may be ex
# planned that his signing the repol
fixing the appraisement at 81 ,35a,2'
Instead of 1851, 1893, is due to his be
ing in hopeless minority and n
"A had to conform to the estimate
-. the other appraiser and the refere
In the report of the appralse
Towering 338 pages typewriter Q
letter size paper are detailed value
and estimates which were not int
m mated in the previous estimate
nj the year 1911, many of which a
l. technical and could probably be r
gs iected, but which have operated
IN the swelling of the appraised val
as of a plant which has been subject
all to natural depreciation in wear a
II tear in it's general use, irrespectl
ed of the improvements which ha
ng been added to keep this plant in o
ire GRAFTON to fulfill its contract.
. 1t may be said that he is bt
man who would question the CO
clusions reached by experts
Dol whatever profession or calling tn
an decision is reached, but the co
tn mon sense opinion of an intelligt
the community could not be made
en- believe that a plant erected TWEEN
seven years ago to supply town
about fifteen thousand lnhabita
lis so valuable as has been fixed
,,1s this appraisement of today. If t
.h. report were not submitted seriou
= lit could be criticised as a joke,
- - it is because it is serious that
w. action of the City Council in reJe
ing it unanimously is commenda
The water problem is all-lmpc
ant. An adequate supply OF drl
ttr-v n n n fFl