Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-10-07


IOtal ........ $37, %
We find that the amount paid labor
is $3.50 per day for common labor
which corresponds with the wages
paid by contractors for labor Of a
similar nature: that the labor paid
for pipe filters varies from $275 to
1925. We find that all labor in this
department which is paid monthly
is allowed a holiday Of ten days each
year at the city's expense.
We call attention to the employ.
ment Of blacksmith in this depart.
ment at 1925 per day, which is GOV.
cred in a report on another depart.
ment.
Upon investigation at the pumping
station, we find that there has been
a great saving in the amount Of wa.
ter pumped for the month of Au-
gust, as compared to the same month
for previous years, due to the fact
that the waste Of water has been
very materially reduced at the pres
ent time. as compared to previous
years. Taking this year as an ex-
ample. the surplus reservoir has not
been touched at all, and there has
been more than sufficient water in
the dam at the pumping station to
take care of the needs of the city
We are; of the opinion that there
is sufficient water supply at the
present time. owned by the City, if
properly conserved, to take care Of
the needs of this City for the next
ten years. even admitting the growth
Of the City to be 100 per cent in that
time. We do not believe 1t is the
opportune time for this city to spend
large sum of money exploiting the
Wynoochie river as a source of water
supply.
We suggest that work on the new
reservoir and site be prosecuted only
to such an extent as the present con.
tracts demand.
We find that in order to fill the
reservoir and keep it properly sup
piled with water that we should have
a new pump installed at the pump
ing station; also a new boiler; which
would probably cost in excess of $780,
100000; for the reason that the pres
ent pumping system is inadequate to
take care of the wants of the City
and at the same time supply the res
ervoir.
Your attention is called to the ap-
parent anticipated earnings of the
Water Department, amounting to $16,-
100000, which is carried into the Es-
Receipts of the City, thus hav-
ing the appearance of making our
City $16.O0OOO better off than it real
ly is. We do not believe this item
should be entered in the Estimated
Receipts.
City Engineers Office
In the city engineers Office the
published budget calls for an expend-
iture of s13.OOO.0O for wages in that
1t has been the practice
in the city( and we think properly
enough) to charge up the entire sal.
airy account of the engineers Office to
the different local improvement dis
tricts of the city, so that cut In
the salary budget of the engineers
office would not necessarily mean
corresponding reduction in the
amount to be raised by general taxes.
nevertheless we deem it proper to
include the salaries of this Office in
our report
The following is statement of the
amounts paid for salaries in the city
engineers office since and including
the year 1909, viz: 1909, $9.751.2O;
1910, $11,444.22; 1911. s12,615.SO;
1912, $11,476.55; eight months of
1913. $7.4s2.45.
The salary and wage account in
the city engineers Office necessarily
fluctuates with fluctuations in the
amount of street improvements being
carried on. The amount Of street
work and like public improvements
in Aberdeen has been diminishing
since 1911. such improvements hav-
ing reached the highest point in that
year. The committee anticipates that
there will be and there should be a
decided falling off in this class Of
work for the ensuing year. and for