The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-01-29
Chairman w. III. SartOr
Gives Facts Concerning
City Water and Light
Plant = Progress and
Development Of These
Properties Stated in Full.

AS the citizens and taxpayers of
UNION will have the opportunity to
vote on the question of issuing twenty
five thousand dollars of bonds on Feb
ruary 10th for the purpose of increas-
ing the water supply for our city,
feel that it will not be out of place
for me, as a member of the board of
Public Works Commissioners since
the foundation of the plant, and as
chairman of this board for the last
eight years, to give the citizens of
Union some facts concerning its
growth and it's physical and financial
condition.
The consumption of water in the
period of the last four years has
increased from 100000 to 100000 gal
Ions per day. While the present sup
ply may have been sufficient four
years ago, you can readily see how it
might be entirely inadequate today.
AS a matter of fact, this large and
gratifying increase has brought us
face to face with a crisis, and prompt
and decisive action is imperative in
order to avoid possible calamits~
Another summer without larger wa
ter supply may mean not only de-
struction and ruin to your property
on account Of inability to give fire
protection, but typhoid fever and
other malignant diseases as con-
sequence of drinking impure water
l am reminded of what Grover G!eVe-
land said while president, when a
question vitality affecting the interests
of the people was being considered:
When | reflect on our condition
with reference to our water supply,
1t is not theory, but reality that
is confronting us, were his words
If the matter of increasing our water
supply and that before another sum-
mer is upon US, is not stern and
pressing reality, should like to have
a genuine reality pointed out to me-
I think I hear some one say that he
is opposed to voting bonds for any
purpose, and 1 will state that l too
am, opposed to bonding ourselves
except for imperative public needs
that cannot be provided for in any
other feasible manner. In the last
three years the Public Works Com
missioners, with the aid and cooper
alton of your faithful and efficient
superintendent, has reduced the cost
of lights to the consumers thirty
three and one-third per cent, in the
face of the loss of revenue from the
city for lights and water (Which has
heretofore amounted to $3,O00.0O per
year) at the same time increasing
the capacity and efficiency OF the
plant very materially. While | have
not gone into detailed investigation
of the matter, 1 dare say that the
savings thus affected, will amoun:
to far more to each consumer than
the increase in his or her taxes as
a result of this bond issue. While
on this question of cost, | will mako
the statement, without fear of sue
cessful contradiction, that there is not
a city within the borders of our state
whose citizens are taxed less for the
maintenance and support of its plant
than are you people of Union. For
your information, will give you
some comparisons with other cities
that you can easily verify. For in
stance, Rock Hill, city of approx
mately the size and rank of Union
(although they think they are much
larger). Their plant as it stands to-
day, cost them around $400, 100000
Our plant, including this issue of
IOyOUO JULIUS Ilo" aShSu ioiJ wa
stand us about 100000. Our plant
while costing less than one-fourth
that of Rock Hill, is as large, well
equipped and the equal in every re-
spect. Comparisons, equally advan-
tageous to our plant, can be made
with Orangeburg, Florence, and nu-
merous other cities in the state, OF
our size and rank. l am proud of
our plant and the wonderful progress
it has made, and I believe that a
fair and intelligent investigation by
any citizen, having the interest OF
our plant and the welfare of our
city at heart, will inspire such SEN
timents of pride in his breast
We invite your earnest investigation
We do not ask you to vote blindly
but we do ask that you look into the
matter so that you can vote intelli
gently, with full knowledge of al
the issues involved and not misled by
selfish or ingnorant objections thai
you may hear.
In conclusion, | will state that
have served you faithfully and hon
estly to the very best of my ability
without pay or hope of reward il
any manner whatsoever, since the
foundation of the plant. My scr
vices have been as freely given as
though paid handsome salary.
have watched with pride and deligh
your plant grow from a small be
ginning of less than $4,000 to it:
present magnificent size, worth in th'
neighborhood of a half million dol
lars, and I now announce that will
the expiration of my present tern