The Republican journal., 1919-01-16
A. l. BROWN. Editor,
WATER

When the contract for supplying Bel
fast with water was made the present
editor of The journal was member of
The city government. During the pre-
limlnary consideration of the matters in
volved, the representatives of Parks and
Wheeler explained explicitly to the mayor,
aldermen and councillors that several
years would elapSe before the income de-
rived from the use of water by residents
of the city would pay dividends and dur
ing the first years would not suffice to
pay current expenses, After water Tor
household use had become general, after
sewers had been laid and bath rooms
had been established, we were told IT
would be reasonable to expect and would
doubtless follow that the revenue from
water takers would maintain good ser
vice, pay overhead charges and satisfac-
tory dividends. We do not claim that
the above is the exact language used, but
it is the exact purport of what the city
government was repeatedly told by the
representatives of the water company,
In view of this entirely reasonable situa-
ton the proposition was made that the
city should pay certain annual rental
for specified number of hydrants during
a specified number of years and that at
and after the expiration of the period
during which the city was to pay this
hydrant rental, this hydrant rental should
be free. Not the slightest intimation
was given that after the expiration of
this period the company would charge
this rental to the inhabitants of the city
instead of to the city itself Had such
an intimation been made, negotiations
would have closed at once. The mem
bers Of the city government gave the
representatives of the water company
credit for meaning what they said and
here they made what seems likely to be a
very expensive mistake. Not being law
yers they left the making Of the contract
to the city attorneys and who doubtless
were honest, but like the city council
believed what was told them. After
more than 20 years of discreet silence
the water company came forward and
told US that the hyrants are free to the
city and forthwith charged the rental to
water takers by an increase Of water
rates. This is morally wrong and if it is
not legally wrong it ought to be made so.
ry7I l. J. b,c l., =
of the free and home of the brave. Few
people expect corporations to do things
because they are morally right. If they
can be compelled to comply with the law
the public is to be congratulated. Now,
having ''put over" this hydrant lmposi-
ton, we re not surprised that the water
company has demanded another increase
of domestic rates. 1t seems probable
that our people will be obliged to pay the
increase demanded and others if they
follow, or we must buy the property and,
Judging by the experience of some other
cities, will have to pay about twice what
it is worth. There is one other thing in
connection with our experiences with
the water company which seems to be
extortion If man sells his house in
March or N any other month he must
pay water rent till the end of that year.
When the aw permits or person prac-
tices the conduct of business which
exacts pay from customer for goods
which he does not receive, there is some