Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-02-20
WANT
A LOWER RATE
Chemical Works Ask Water
Board. Would Affect Others.

The Board of Water Commission
ers has under consideration 8 re-
quest from the Roessler and Hass-
lacher Chemical Company to grant
a combined minimum rate for water
consumed at it's three o. four plants.
Pending a decision the company Ia
being allowed the benefit of such a
combined rate and the city Is losing
about 1874 a month thereby. The
decision OF the board on this sub
ject is OF vital Importance to a num-
Der of large manufactures and tndi-
vidual property wne as we'll.
Under the present basis OF estab-
fishing rates, the larger the con-
sumption the lower the rate. The
water commissioners seem opposed
to giving the large consumers any
lower rate than they have been pay
ing, for they contend the smaller
consumers are paying too much for
water in comparison with the
charges against the big consumers.
The subject was discussed at length
at the regular meeting Of the Board
of Water Commissioners last night,
after it had been preached by Su-
p~ertntendent A. H. Crowell. A mo-
ton was passed, requesting the su-
perintendent to communicate with
other cities and learn of practices in
connection Herewith.
The Roessler and Hasslacher
Chemical Company controls three
chemical factories and the General
Bakelite plant In this city. They
are extending and Mr.. Crowell esti-
mates they will eventually become
the largest consumers of water in the
city. Under the present combined
rate they paid six cents per~1,99 4 9
gallQQsS water last month. Had
each plant been rated separately, the
rate for n plant alone at Buck
ingham venue and High street
would have been fourteen cents.
Superintendent Crowell said no
other corporation was getting the
benefit of such a combined rate, de-
spite the fact that there were sew
eral who owned q number of plants
in this city. He stated the American
Smelling and Refining Company and
the United Lead Company had asked
to come under a combined rate.
claiming the United Lead concern
to be q subsidiary company OF the
smelling concern. He said the Bar
Der Asphalt Company owned two
plants, the National Ffreprooing
Company had several plants and so
on there were others who would be
affected by the boards ruling on the
subject. 1t was stated the decision
would also largely affect the income
Of the city.
Commissioner Grieve spoke In be-
half of the small consumers, who
he said, 1t was always contended,
were paying toe much for water in
comparison with the low rates Sc
cured by large users. He said the
new request brought up the old sub
iect of rates to large consumers be-
coming too low.
The board practically decided to
abandon dead ends on mains In Cort-
landt and two adjoining streets in
northern part of the city, so as to at
ford cleaner water for users In that
section. Rev. Francis Gross, pas
tor of the Church of Our Lady OF
Hungary, at 697 Cortlandt street,
complained to the board of the mud
dy condition Of water taken from the
wi Il DIV Ct uIdkhs ~ odAu II
resembled coffee at times and was
unfit for drinking and cooking pur-
poses. The pastor declared it was
especially unhealthy for the hun
dreds of children who went to school
No. S in Cortlandt street.
AS a remedy, the pastor suggested
that the board abandon the dead end
by connecting the six inch main in
Cortlandt street with the main in
Easton street. The secretary was
instructed to notify the writer that
the proposition would be taken up as
soon as frost was out of the ground.
Superintendent Croweil said there
were two other mains there with
dead ends. He stated they were Of
| ten blown out, as had been done re-
Gently, but sediment settled quickly.
The proposition to make improve
ments was referred to the committee
on pipe.
NJ. S. Goldberger again complain
ed to the board that the charge for
water for his three family house at
391 Division street had been too
large in the past two years. The
commissioners Recently acted uDOn