Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1917-03-13

provide interest and sinking fund to
retire the bonds when due? In case
the revenue would not be sufficient
to do this, what amount of tax
would it be necessary to impose to
liquidate the city's Indebtedness on
the plant at the time the bonds ma
ture? Shall IAN election be called
to put this matter before the tax
payers?
Would Be Ideal System.
These are a few of the questions
now before the city council follow
ing the submission to the council at
last Tuesdays meeting of plans for
a gravity water system, the plans
being the work of c. H. Green, en-
gineeer of Spokane. If a system
is built according to the plans as
drawn by Mr.. Green, Boomers Ferry
would have an ideal water system.
These plans include the building of
crib dam on Snow creek about
nine miles south of the city. At
this point the diversion works for
the system would be built, the wa
ter being taken into the pipeline
five feet below the surface thus es-
A 22-inch wooden pipe-stave con-
would convey the water from the
dam to the reservoir within the city.
This would be placed at the top
of the hill at the south end of Main
street, would be of concrete con-
struction and would have a capacity
of 10000 gallons. On the North
side a similar reservoir would be con-
structed and would be filled from
the one on the south side. These
would act as distributing reservoirs
for the entire city. The distributing
system would be built of steel pipe
The dam will provide $50 feet static
head of water and the reservoirs will
give a pressure of 43 pounds to the
square inch on Park addition hill
and 80 pounds on the flat The plant
is capable of supply $4,000 gallons
of water a day but the city would
not use to exceed $4,000 daily fol
years to come. The pipe line would
follow the county road so as to be
accessible at all times.
Mr.. Green also submitted plan:
for an electric plant that would b
a model of its kind. These con
template a power house a short dis
lance below the dam to be equipped
with two generators of $50 and 25(
h. D. capacity, with all necessary
modern appliances, together with ;
complete street lighting and distrib
uting system throughout the town
This would cost 100000.
Power Plant Too Expensive.
Engineer Green strongly recon-
mended building the water system
at once but as emphatically recon-
mended against constructing thu
power and lighting system. Thi
because of the eXorbitant prices tina
are now asked for all electrical
equipment and the great difficult!
in securing delivery. He stated thi
plant in normal times should cos
about $4,000.
The engineer backed up his rec
concentrations as to building tn
water system with a statement a
to estimated revenue and expendi
ture of the plant if constructed. H
stated that there is a ready sal
for all municipal bonds at presen
and that Bonners Ferry 20-yea
bonds would probably sell at abou
l112 at 6 per cent. Allowing for thi
premium and for the lessening 0
the principal each year due to tn
amortization plan, it would be safe
he said, to figure the bonds at
per cent interest. That would Civ
yearly interest charge of S425C
He stated that one man would b
amply sufficient to take care of tn
system and do all office work a
the system would need practicall
no attention. He figured this ma,
! at 500 a month or $1,000 a year
He also stated that the upkeep woul
be practically nothing for the frs
= 10 or Is years. Thus there woul
be a gross expense charge of S545
yearly for the first 10 year:
, Against this he estimated a MONTH
gross revenue from the system o
/ between $500 and $500 "a month
or, at the lower figure, $500
year, leaving a net balance abov
: expenses of $2950 d year. Mos
bonds require payment to begin a
5 the end of 10 years. This surplu
) accommodating for 10 years would Civ
{ S29, 800 to apply on principal and re
duce it if so desired at that time
/ This would leave bonds outstand
: ing of approximately $4,000. Fror
this time on it might require a sma
! tax levy to meet the obligation, sa
). from eight to 10 mills, but if tn
= city enjoys a normal growth thi
: might largely be taken care of b
increased revenue from the plant.
An Election May Be Called.
These figures undoubtedly woul