Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-05-16
THE SEWER DEAL.


any danger that the sewer company will
te -gcs'jbliekc.le" by tie "a, I ~ ely
undertakes 10 buy the sewer proprriy.
IL therefore sess no particular need Of
warning the public in general and the
sewer people i'm particular that the city
is ~insolvent and could not pay for the
system if the council attempted To make
the purchase. In the first place, the
Herald assumes, "a the average citizen
at Brownsville has a right to assume,
that the stockholders of the sewer cssn.
pany have passed their homage in mat
tiers Of business and are no, likely 10 be
%entrapped into a deal by which they, are
certain to lose their property. Further
more, we find il hard 10 believe that the
gentlemen of the town board are the sort
of people 10 contrac@ a debt which they
know they cannot pay. In fact. II seems
rather absurd Ia worr! In advance about
a deal which has never bees closed;
which we may be- sure never VIII he
closed unless the parties can satisfy
AhI2 ~ w wv - "
deal. In this case il ma, safely he taken
for granted that all the necessary wor-
ryinp about the solyency of the city IN
fhis connection has alrcSud, LeeH done or
il being done al this monIcn by the Per
aons most concerned. Ii may he sHgge~t.
ed, however. that I'M Important ecoromic
proposition like the consolidation Of the
water and sewer ~systmns il worth some
worry on the part of the rate payers.
AS we understand il. il il proposed Ia aP-
propriate money now available fs tho
purpose from the water and light ,c
partment for a necessary advance pay
ment. III there is no suck money. the sp-
propriation can not he made. and there
il the end of the matter. That is u small
business detail which the sewer people
wilLperhaps lock into. With the advance
payment so made. il il expected ts pay
the balance from the earnings ~ the
water aud light plant. That is he whole
story. II the proposiNon looks good I" MI
concerned the deal will he closed. oalcr
wise ii will not be closed.
As To the s~olycncy Of the city We have
the authority Of some of the best bu>i
ness men on the town board For the
statement that the city j. not bankrupt
Its resources will enable il To take ears
of every dollar il owes. There are time
in the life of every town aud in the lifr
Of every business institution when Their
il a shortage Of ready money available,
for Immediate needs. That does not mead
bankruptcy-e-pccially when men arf
ready 10 extend credit kised en the 10
sets of the city or of the firm. Browns
yille's credit il sufficiently good Ia a
able IL "a dispose of its paper IN OK
change for rash ~ w have seen lately
Credit, of eosrse. H. a delicate thing
While the able business mea who mr.,
trying 10 dispose of cit, script 10 the
best possible advantage. are negotiating
with capitalists. enough citisssz 81
Brownsville, if they are disposed 10 dc
81. by talking often enough aud Luc
enough. might Al last prevent the conSuni
nation Of business arrangements Hlai
will save the city from that insolvenc,
which has a. vet no actual existence.
As e. the sewer deal there il one point
which must be woll weighed. The town
council cannot make a valid orlinanc,
which will compel any citizen to connect
his property with = sewer owned by 4
private corporation. any more han IL
can ,omplet hi INTO make a given l~sfsinesS
deal with any other private citizen. Ii
n man must find an cutie, for his sew.
perage il j. surel, the duty Of the city e.
provide such an outlet for him. This
may he tho sort of law known as chin
ney corner law" but for the people OF
the chimney corner IL looks fair aud rs,
sonablc. and any other programme will
look unreasonable; aud therefore rs long
as the present system continues IL j. 90
ing "a be- difficult aud costly Ia ~cnfsrcc
sewer regulations.