Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-06
SUGGESTS INVESTING
CITY WATER SURPLUS
Commissioner Bowman Thinks
$780, of Net Earnings Could
Be Put Into Dept. Bonds
COMPETITIVE BIDDING CAUSE
Dlscounting of Notes Also Helped; !;
1904. 4.l97,9O0 Gallons of
Water Filtered During Year

Harrisburg's water department be-
gan the present year with surplus of
SSO.915.S3. the largest in the history
OF the city. according to the first an
nual report of City Commissioner
Harry f. Bowman, superintendent of
public safety, which was submitted to
Council this afternoon for the year
ending December 81, 1914.
In reporting upon this feature Com
missioner Bowman suggests that Coun-
ell authorize the investing of at least
$4,000 in water Department. bonds.
The receipts for 1914 were
S2O7, 7,039.21 and the expenditures were
sd26,12S.2S The surplus of more than
$4,000 over the earnings. plus $4,000
Interest on the $4,000 worth of per
cent. bonds and SS07.2S of the balance
remaining after the construction of
the high service station at Reservoir
less the deficiency December 81, 1913,
of s1,661.91, left the total net cash of
SS4.441.25. The expenditures for the
previous year G913) totaled $685..
60S.99.
How Profit Was Made
The report fills nineteen pages and
deals with every phase of the depart
mental work. including the improve
ments. the results of Mr.. Bowman's s
competitive bidding scheme, the
amount of water and coal consumed
the cost to the consumer and the hun
dred and one other items relative to
the conduct of the bureau. Attached
TO the report is the annual report of
DR.. George r. Moffitt. city bacteri-
ologist, the new department created
by the department of public safety.
Most of the profit was made" re-
ported Commissioner Bowman. lin
purchasing supplies and in making
repairs and improvements. Every
effort was made to buy all supplies
with the least possible outlay of time
and money. This result was accom-
pllshed by competitive bidding and by
discounting payment of bills"
Saving In Coal Bills
commissioner Bowman refers to the
saving of coal made possible by the
pumping station. In 1918 5,537.O5
tons were used: in 1914 the total ton
mage was 4,720.36. The coal cost S1.25
a ton in 1913 and S5 cents in 1914.
a total saving of S2.909.03. The in
stallation of the new boilers cost
$2.531.
The water furnished free to chart
table institutions amounted to S46.-
o4S.Sl, While the amount of unpaid
water rent on the departmental books
az the end of the year was S6S,065.62.
These. together with the cash receipts
ran the total earnings up to $321.
163.1 The returns in water rentals
to those who paid pipe assessments
from 1880 TO 1914 total $2S5.292.16.
The Water That Was Used
The daily average run at the pumping
station was 2f hours and 10 minutes.
Ihe total pumpage was 2,S24,4S5.60O
gallons and the average daily con-
sumption was 7,751, ,052 gallons. Thirty
three fire hydrants were placed on new
llnes during the year, which gives Har-
rlsburg more fire protection per mile
OF streets than any city in the United
States. The pressure varies from A
TO 81 pounds. All told 500 meters
were repaired. 767 We're reset and aga
new ones were installed. In all
2;9O4, $4,000 gallons of water were
Uttered at total cost per million gal
Ions of s6.10. All the turhidity and
s9.S4 per cent. of the bacteria was re-
moved. leaving an average of only
bacteria in the filtered water for the
entire year.