The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-07
T. C. Mcdonald Says Ken drick Has Never Said Plant
 Would Cost Only $4,5OO,OOO
REMOVING PAVEMENT
 WILL BE PROBLEM
Meters Will Amount to S750, ,009. Thinks Plant of Company Should Be Purchased On Business and
 Not Political Basis

That in his opinion the construction and equipment of a municipal waterworks plant will cost ss0O00oo is the gist of an interview with T. c. McDonald former city official and present member of the legislature. He says:
 T neny that Candidate Weatherlyss l friend, w. D. Hankins. answered my let | ter of the 26th ulto. or course if 1t takes s4,5oo,0Oo to build the new waterworks plant. and one preliminary year and three others. the interest will not be s1,0o00Q0 If the money from the bond issue is eol- lected in installments and the interest on | such installments collected from the time of each installment. the interest would not be as great.
 "I have the utmost confidence in En. gineer Hendricks honesty and ability. but { he has never stated that the waterworlxt could be completed for s4.5O0o0a; but that | this estimate was preliminary one. lt l Is rare for any big project to be put through on the first estimate of the en- gineer With the obstacles confronting this enterprise I don't believe 1t could be put through under six years, and with less than $s,000000. Of course, I write as a
  city has expended it's first bond issue and the taxpayers are committed to the naterworks proposition they will have tc spit in their hands and take new hold and call another bond issue and the $1.000.000 interest will be very much in evi- dence before the plant is completed
 Removing the Pavement
 Removing and replacing the pavement in order to lay the pipes. will cost approxi- mately from s2 to s yard according to the class of the pavement in the paved district of the city. This cost will be im- mense. This will be something that the present company did not have to com tend with. Candidate Weathery's friend says that 27,500 house connections can be made for $75O0o. I think this is not possible. If so. they would have to leave the ditches where the pipes would be laid open until the plant was completed and the water ready to turn on. This would be imperative. for they could not cut off q citizens water and attach his pipes to dry ones. If they would leave the dtches open in the city of Birmingham the con ditions would be awful. If they fill the ditches as they lay them and have to open them to make connections. how far would Candidate Weatherly's friends $7s,- 900 ge toward making the 27.500 connec- tions?
 Speaking of financial ability. l want to show that some of Candidate Weather ys useless and expensive suits brought about by him against the waterworks company have resulted in return to flat
 
 the consumers. If they all fare as I have. I own a piece of property which this year on fiat rates cost me an increase of 6s per cent per annum over last year at meter rates. Another, this year. at flat rates cost an increase of 300 per cent per annum over last year on meter. If the money spent on useless suits had been used to employ more fire inspectors and for tho betterment generally of the fire department. the taxpayers would be re- lieved of paying $i35000 per annum in in- creased fire insurance. Premiums paid in Birmingham last year was s900.0O0. The increase of 16 per cent per annum on the same property will make the premiums paid this year $1.035,000
 $687,5OO for Meters
 ''I believe the only honest way to buy anC sell is by weight and meaure If the city builds its waterworks, I suppose the meter system will be adopted. A meter can't be bought and installed for less than $25 average cost. It would take 27,5U0 meters to supply Birmingham This num- her would cost $6S7, 800. I believe the present waterworks could be bought for less than it would take to build new system. If this Is fact, why bond is- sue? The present plant is already bonded and all we would have to do would be to assume the indebtedness and as soon as the trade should be consummated the in- terest would begin to come in. believe in municipal ownership of waterworka Let's go at 1t in sane and business-liko way. not making a political matter of q thing so important to the people" when they desire and command the man lxets of the world. Fourth, That the name and location of every such warehouse and copy 0k the true signatures of its officers and of It's official fnspectors all bo reefneera2