The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-11-15

considered the matter ~ ignoring
the Blackfoot water works and drill
ing new wells and laying new sys-
tenn, and have decided against it for
the fol lowing reasons: They might
drill new wells and not be SO fortu-
sIiate In securing an infallible supply
as MT. johnson sshas been, and the
town is Zoo small to divide the bust
ness between two firms There would
be an overlapping of service in some
places and il one firIr took ore side
81 town and the other took the other
side there would not be enough to
make 1t profitable Tor either one.
The Public. I Utilities Commission
would probably Iefuse to grant a
permit for the city to establish a
plant under" such conditions. The
Blackfoot water works have a fran
chise, but II. Is not an exclusive fran
chise. ItaisgthS policy and duty OF
the commission to protect invest
ments that are already made. There
fore they might deny the city the
permission of installing water sys-
tenn to supply itself at profit just
the same as they would probably
deny a new corporation from estab-
fishing a system to come in conpe.
tition with the municipal plaintiff
the city now owned thea present
plant, When the state accepts this
principle that investments already
made are entitled to protection, the
water committee also accepts that
principle and ask the people Of
Blackfoot to accept it. and to con,
slider that the investment Of sixty OF
seventy thousand dollars alread!
made and furnishing a useful service
to the public is entitled to recogni
ton and protection. The town hal
no right to make another investment
and DESTROY the other one alrcad,
made. Aside from that there is nj
desire on the part of the water com
mittee to favor Mr.. Johnson or t.
cause him any loss.
| VIII Not Make Taxes Higher.
The franchise of the Blackfoo
| water works expires in 1928 and i
the city buys the right and has alb
solute control of its own affairs IL
making as much improvement as thu
city may wish or as little as 1t MAJ
wish. One water system is sufficient
The present plant Is sufficiently pro
fitable. SO it can be purchased by {
bond issue and the revenue from thu
system will pay the interest on thu
bonds and eventually pay off tn.
bonds. Therefore the taxpayers vii
not be called upon to pay any add
-tional taxes by reason of the pur
chase, excepting the small expense
of conducting the bond election, tina
expense amounting to possibly $500
which will be paid out of the curren
expense fund.
Will Reduce the Taxes.
There will be an advantage K
| the taxpayer in this: Under thu
present condition he is called upon
to pay his share of the monthly water
bills of the b4ackfoot Water com
pany to the city of Blackfoot amount
ing to over $250.00 per month fol
the use of water for street sprink
ling, for drinking fountains and fol
what is known as the hydrant charge
Of $500 per month for each fire
hydrant maintained in the city. The
tax payers at large pay this $3.50
per month or $4,000 per year re.
CARELESS of whether they ever draw
any water from the hydrants or not
The water committee believes that
under the new management the city
will not have to charge itself $500
per month or any other amount. fol
supplying water to MIGRANTS al
ready installed. They will simply
stand as a part of the system and
when there is necessity to draw
water thru a hydrant to fight fire
the pumps at the central station will
merely be speeded up faster until
the fire is out. The street sprink
ling and the drinking fountains will
still use some water and there viii