The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1918-07-26
WATER and GAS
HEARING OVER;
MAYOR PLEASED.
Says City Made Good Show
ing And Doesn't Expect
Raise Here
MANY TESTIFY ON
CLOSING SESSION
Some Say Water Is Good And
Others Contend 1t IL Bad
And Pressure Weak

The water rate hearing before
Public Service Commissioner E. j
Bean was completed at noon yester'
day. Mayor Haas said every pos
sible effort to protect the interests
of the city had been made and he
felt that a good showing had been
made. The belief seems to be gnn-
eraI in the city that the mayor land
CITY council and their allies won a
victory and that the prospects of the
public service commission granting a
raise in rates to the utilities company
at this time are remote.
The hearing on the application for
an increase in the light and power
rate was deferred for thirty days
There will be no complaint made as
to the service and the testimony in
troduced will be to establish the
physical valuation of the Cape Girar-
deau plant. With the value Of the
plant established it will be possible
to determine an equitable rate, allow
ing for operating expenses and a
legitimate percentage of profit to the
company.
DR.. Rex Cunningham was on the
stand when the hearing adjourned
Friday evening, and as his testimony
was not all in he was recalled when
the hearing was resumed yesterday.
His evidence was introduced to prove
that the water furnished by the utll-
tiles company is sanitary.
The utilities company had other
witnesses present to testify as to the
purity of the water but they were not
used. The city officials made the
statement that they conceded the
water now furnished was sanitary
and that no further testimony to
substantiate this contention was nee
essary.
City Assessor w. III. Huters was
put on the stand to tell how the
plants of the utilities company hao
been assessed. In 1914 it was as
sessed at $4,000; in 1915 and 1916
$4,000; in 1917 $165 500. H. P.
Gaines had assessed the property IN
the years previous to 1917. Inc
attorney for the company insisted
that the taxes on the assessment
when made at full value, amounted
to $4,000 or more than the profits
of the company. 1t was brought out
in the discussion that the utilities
company values its property at s71O,,
600 and bases it's rate on these fig
ures.
Civil engineer Major Brooks and
contractor G.. w. Vaughn were called
to testify as to the possibility o
constructing the intake tower. Ma
ior Brooks said he thought it coul'
be done but that it might prove Il
be a difficult task. The pipe woulC
have to be laid on the solid rock be
meath the bed of the river. HI
thought that by using sheet pllinl
and tarpoleon a trech for tn
pipe could be excavated.
Mr.. Vaughn said the best way t
put in the pipe to the intake tower
according to his ideas, would be 7
drive it from the bank through tn
mud in the bottom of the river, sec
ton at a time. and with cap owe
the section in advance.
F.. A. Hart, local manager for tn
utilities company was on the stan
Yesterday morning and stated that b
was able to furnish as much pressur
as is needed in case Of fire. Their
is always sufficient water on hand, h
said, and when notified of a fir