South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-30
Commission Insists That City
Stop Grating on Private
Consumers in Matter of
Water Supply.
BOARD OF WORKS WILL
ASK FOR PROPERTY TAX
Burden of Fighting Fire. and
Supplying Public Buildings,
Schools and Churches to be
Taken From WaSherWomen.

Due to demand on the part or the
state public service commission that
all municipal and privately owned
utilities be subjected 20 the same rules
of accounting. and that AN injustices
in rates. and discrimination in SER
vice be eliminated. the board OF pub
lie works has taken steps TO revise the
system OF maintenance of the South
Bend water plant The injustice of
water consumers bearing all the burr
den OF plant maintenance. not only iu
supply OF water, construction and de
probation. but of extra pressure and
a thousand hydrants for fire protec-
ton, besides supplying free water 90
city buildings, schools. churches
parks. etc, is 10 be given "a shake-up.
revised schedule OF rates FOR wa
ter use for residences, business places.
public buildings. factories. schools.
churches, fire hydrants. etc. have been
submitted TO the commission the
charges for public buildings. schools
and hydrants 10 be charged against
the public as a property tax. thus leS-
senlng the rate TO residence and buSi-
ness consumers, according Co the plan
being devised
1t is alleged that 40 pounds water
purposes. but that an S4-pound pres
sure must be maintained for use i'm
case of fire. This extra expense has
fallen upon the water consumer eN-
clusively. they being the only water
taxpayers. Many OF the thousand hv-
drants. upwards of 100. are inside fac
tories and factory Yards. of exclusive
service To the plants i'm case of FIRE.
sometimes true where the factory has
a water plant of its own. and has no
use for city water except in case Of
fire, paying no water tax at ALL
City To Quit Grating.
II is 10 shift this burden from WASH
erwOmen. for instance. TO property.
and leave the washerwoman to pay
only for the water she consumes iu
her washing. that the readjustment is
being planned. The city viii pay for
its water that il uses in public build
ings. and TO fight fire. the same as
though it were buying it of a private
water company, instead OF hencerOrIh
grating il off the public.
Water supply for churches. hOspi-
tails, schools fire department houses.
hydrants, water fountains and tanks.
city buildings and all municipal water
viii be accounted for and a rate VIII
be assessed for each. Each corpora
ton Will be required 20 pay its water
bill City water VIII be paid for hy
the taxpayer and an account viii bee
kent of oVorv o211On Of wafer ueed
churches b0sDitaIs and schools as
well as other buiIdings have been ox-
ennnt from pav;ng for city water In
tho nae+ tho e,Dense having bean
horne bv raising the rates OF the Dri-
vate water consumers The new plau
viii lover the rates and water used
for nublio purnoses will ba maid for
through the taxes.
According 10 estimates i'm the report
Of 1q12 a total of Sgq1gg worth Of
water was consumed for public pur-
noses and the exnense met bv the con-
sunoer OF water. Public schools used
water s,yorth s2541.gq. parochiaI
schools used S7g9.91: fire department
houses used s293.2I municipal huiia-
ings. sewers. flush tanks, water
trougbs. fountains etc. used Sf8.664-
81 and hvdrants used S45.90H. and
from other citv uses the supply
amounted 20 S99.1g945.
A cost rate has been suggested %
the public service commission for
schools. hospitals and such corpora
tions probably S cents per 1000 feet
Churches viii pay the regular rate.
An account viii be kept Of an the wa
ter used and it j. hoped through the
plan 20 be able 20 ascertain whether
the new plant is "a saving 20 the CITY
Taking plant Inventory
superintendent Joync ls making an
effort 10 get an exact value of the
plant All the parts VIII he assessed
and il Is hoped 70 get ph}S Slcai es.--
mate Of the value of the plant ln the
future coal viii be purchased ON tne
thermal unit basis. the plant having
hpou pQufuncd for that purpose.