The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-03-21
The Jury Finds CambbeHs
Are GUILTY In Orphan Case
THE MAYOR DEFENDS
CITY WATER BOARD

We have the following communica-
ton from Mayor Brumby with re-
quest that it be published as his an
swer to critics of the water board
of the city:
To the Citizens and Taxpayers of
Marietta:
1t gives me a great deal of pleasure
to reply thru the press of Marietta
to the two articles appearing in last
weeks issues of the Cobb County
Times and Marietta Journal. am
glad to set Mr.. j. D. Black right in
regards to the ''rumors" he has heard
and to have the opportunity to tell
the public, without appearing vain,
just how well the Water Board is
doing and has been doing since /
took charge as Treasurer and Mana
ger.
I will say for the Cobb County
Times that the information contained
in their every complimentary" ar
ticle, which Mr.. McNeel took excep-
ton to, was obtained from the records
of the Water Board contained in the
last Auditors reports, and are PUB
Lie property, as are ALL the records
of the City Government and Water
Board. 1t will be pleasure to show
the records and all books to any one
who is interested enough to call and
see them. There is no reason for
"rumors" as the city has COMPLETE
RECORDS.
Mr.. McNeel stated that he was be-
fore the Water Board the "early"
part of January, after this audit was
made and that at that meeting the
board admitted it is in financial
straits" The facts are that this audit
was not completed until January %,
and was not submitted to the board
until February. The board at that
meeting could not have stated they
were. in financial straits" but did
tell Mr.. McNeel that they had no
funds to seek the kind of water sup
ply that che" wanted. Why should
the Water Board spend more money
digging wells or attempting to go to
a creek for water when our supply
now is over 100000 gallons per
month in excess of the demand in ex-
treme dry weather such as we had last
summer? Because we haven't $780,
900 'loose cash in the drawer" to
build another water system that is
not needed, is no sign that we are in
financial straits" 1t is just as RI
diculous a statement as the one that
the city is dependent on ONE well
for supply of water.
Since when did the other seven go
dry? Does single citizen remember
the day prior to the present Water
Boards" administration when one
we'll could be shut down without ev-
cry one suffering for water? Any
one we'll of the five shut down then
would have left the town dry.
Now we have two wells shut down
(only resting), running four others
seven or eight hours in the twenty
four and the new we'll at Marietta
Knitting company's plant only twelve
hours in the twenty-four-and the
standpipe runs over every morning.
Just read that again.
Simple figures by the Underwriters
Insurance companies, and they only
accept FACTS, show that our supply
of water is now 432 gallons per min
ute as against las per minute before
the three new wells were dug, and
these are paid for complete with the
pumps.
AS for the McNeel Marble COM
pany's plant sinking, ask Mr.. McNeel
to show you sample of the decayed
wood and leaves, about three feet
thick, on which it's foundations rest.
If he won't, 1 can. Worse than
building on sand"
Regarding the insurance rates, Mr..
McNeel has the facts entirely re-
versed. The rates, Mr.. Mcneil has
the facts entirely reversed. The rates
were raised when the cold board"
was in charge, the first week of my
administration as mayor. The inn
provements made in the system and
increased water supply obtained I'M
der the present boards" administra-
ton has caused the Underwriters En-
gineering Department to recommend
to the rate department that the rates
now be reduced and we expect an
early publication of the new rates.
They recommend the reduction on ac-
count of the Increased water sup
ply"
Mr.. McNeel complains of the in
creased rate on water to the manu-
! facturers. The former rate of $1,000
per 100000 gallons was less than the
actual cost to the board for pumping,
and the masses of the people were
paying a higher rate to Offset this loss.
The new scale of rates is lower to the
small consumer, who are in the large
majority, and the only increase is on
the large consumer to cover actual
cost. The new rates yield no more
revenue to the Board per month than
the former rates, but no favoritism