The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-09-28

therein is one of the very few commodities the
price of which has not been raised for many
years, although the elements entering into the
cost of the production and distribution OF the wa
ter by this company have very greatly increased.
In this connection it is suggested that the money
of the CITY could be better spent in constructing
and maintaining rest rooms, comfort stations
ETC." than in carrying ill-advised litigation.
1t is not true that this company occupies, or has
ever occupied 'publc be damned attitude. 1t
is fact that though this company has no fran
chse in the city of Des Moines, and therefore is in
ves,ing its money at it's peril, it has since April l.
1912 and prior to January L. 1917, expended more
than four hundred forty-fve thousand dollars
(S445 COO.OW in extensions and additions to Its
plant and if it is permitted and is not harassed by
useless and vexatious restrictions and htlgauons'
it expects to so maintain its plant in the future
than its present high standard of service Will pc
continued.
The Corporation Counsel attaches to his COM
Imunicaton list of the orders which have been en-
acted by your Honorable Body since October Ii
1916 requiring the laying of MAINS and complains
that these orders have not all been complied with
With respect to this matter several things are to
be said.
The present market price of cast iron pipe and
all other items entering into the construction and
LAYING of mains, is abnormally hi gh and the ma
eria is very hard to get even at these prices AS
shown by the testimony in the case OF City OF Des
Moines VS. Des Moines Water Company (the con-
demnation proceedings). the average cost of cast
iron pipe such as is used for water mains, f. o. b.
Des Moines, for the period of five years prior to
April /, 1912, was approximately twenty-eight dol
lars (S2SOO per ton. The last pipe purchased by
this company Gin August of this Year, cost the
company seventy-two and 30-1O0 dollars (S723O)
per ton f. o. b. Des Mones. The cost of all other
Materials entering into the construction OF water
mains has advanced in substantially the same pro-
r.t;o has seemed
able both from the standpoint of this company
and the standpoint of the city, to construct water
mains during these abnormay high prices, eX-
cept at such places they were absolutely neces-
Sary.
j Notwithstanding the advance in the price of
material, this company in February of this year
contracted for one thousand Q,O0O) tons Of cast
iron pipe with the necessary specials and fixtures
(cnough to lay about eight miles of pipe), for inn
mediate delivery Although we have constantly
urged delivery of this pipe, up to this time we have
only been able to obtain about five hundred TONS
This we have been using to fill the orders which
your Honorable Body have urged upon us as the
most important and the balance will be used to till
other orders fast as the pipe can be obtained.
y Eliminating from the list of orders attached
to the communication of counsel such pipe as has
already been laid; eliminating also such orders as
appear to be duplicates, and such orders as are
so indefinite to be impossible to locate. and such
orders as cannot be complied with because the city
has no title to the ground upon which they are to
be laid, and adding to the list such pipe as will
be necessary to lay in order to connect the isolated
orders with our present system we find that to
comply with all of these orders would require the
LAYING of 1868 feet of main pipe and 1920 feet
of hyclrant branches. We have made careful
estimate of the cost of laying this pipe and with
out taking into consideration the cost of engin-
ecring or overhead charges, we estimate the total
cost to be three hundred fiftytwo thousand, three
hundred ninety-nine and 72-10O dollars ($352399.-
I72), in addition to which the city would have to
,Iexpend the sum of twenty thousand, nine hundred
eighty two dollars ($20,9820O for fire MIGRANTS
While supply and pumping system is fully
adequate for present purposes. yet the continued
and rapid growth of the city of Des Moines to
which we all looking forward, will require not
only large expenditures for the extension OF our
distributing SYSTEM but much larger expenditures
f for the enlargement and development OF our
source of supply and pumping station.
From the foregoing it must be perfectly apparent
to you that to keep up with the growth OF the city
of Des Mones and continue to supply adequate
water facilities requires constant investment OF
new capital, which can only be obtained by going
out upon the market. You are also we'll aware tina
f the franchise of the Des Moines Water Company
has expired. You must also know that it is i'm
possible to borrow money for the extension and
improvement of a public utility which does moi
have a franchise. For this reason it has been the
intention of the officials of the wafer company tc
ask of your Honorable Body and of the citizens OF
Fl Des Moincs, the enactment of franchise ordl
o. r a.. q q. 4. 81. 81 Il.