The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1913-07-19

same reserve for fire protection. But,
with no reserve for future growth Of
the city except at the expense of that
fire protection. Therefore, to continue
the present excessive waste is not only
more costly in the present, but means
as we'll an expenditure for additional
capacity in a very few years, to meet
the normal growth of population. or a
gradually diminished capacity for fire
protection, with an absolute incapacity
thereto periodically, due to eXtraordin-
ary uses of water during sprinkling
periods in very hot, dry weather
The direct income from water rents
was found to be less than three fifths
of the cost of this excessive produc-
ton, which necessitated the city to
provide a little over two-fifths this
cost by general taxation. Being about
$44,O0O-and $31,000-paid by water
consumers direct. and taxpayers,
through the city, respectively.
Economical production OF the
amount of water legitimately demand
ed through meters with that which al
ways slips away together with the cost
of maintaining meters, should reduce
the gross cost to about $65, ,000--or, about
$l0000--less than at present. About
$4,000 of this is for fixed charges
for interest, sinking funds and main
system, but not depreciation or main
tenance on the plants for filtration
and pumping.
Careful investigation and computa-
tion has convinced me that this last
sum should be at present appropriated
and paid by the city, through general
taxation, in payment for it's several,
general, uses of water; for fire protec-
ton, street and sewer flushing and
street sprinkling, and increase this
sum annually by at least $36 per an
mum, per hydrant, as added to those
now in use. Thus paying this wear
about $4,000 less that it would have
been obliged to do had the water
rates not been raised. This would
leave about $4,000 still to be collect
ed through meter rates and fiat rates,
per annum, direct from water consump
ton; which 1t is estimated would be
about 250,000,000 gallons per year il
present services were metered. And
thereby saving <the water rate PAYERS
about $4,000, per year less than the
fiat rates, before the raise They are
paying for about 540,000,000 gallons
per year., Of which they are not
legitimately using more than 25O,0O0,-
900. ssEa ~, -. .sss&G Gre,
l realized that, to effect such a small
saving as $4,000 per year, or $1,000
per quarter, as an immediate direct
saving, and when divided among 12,-
900 persons, 1T would appear too trivial
for serious consideration by many,
and only a few persons would care
to install and pay for meters to get
any such small direct benefit. Since
the reduction in rates of July, 1910,
took effect, we have been about on a
metered rate basis, without meters,
n wit H.,f
about the city. Hence, until we got
nearer to the actual costs of a fiat
rate basis the rates afforded no direct
incentive to install meters, and there
by eliminate the waste and conserve
the future reserve capacity of the
plant, Which we are encroaching upon
four times as fast as we really need,
and which capacity. il conserved and
sold gradually, by meter measurement.
as demanded for legitimate use, as the
city grows, will show a market value
OF over $4,000 and greatly reduce
water rates to every one.
This, with the reduction brought
about by gradually paying OFF $65 900
OF the bonded indebt tedness In install
ments each five years, thereby reduc-
ing the fixed charges for sinking fund
and interest, ought to give us a. very
low water rate within Ia few years and
induce n commercial consumption at
profitable rates; provided, we have
this reserved capacity for sale and are
not wasting 1t ourselves
Fifth Anniversary of II heir Wed Y. Il. /.
Compare that desired result. as
against adding to the present bonded
indebte tedness for plant extension, to
meet the demands Of normal growth,
or, the. gradual irroad upon our fire
protection. either one with its conse-
quences, of more fixed charges for