The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-01-09
meter ORDER
IS REAFFIRMED
State Railroad Commission
Hands New Order in Re-
gard to Meters i'm Keno
sha Factories.
FIRE PROTECTION OMITTED
Water Commission is Ordered to Omit
From Bills to Factories Cost Of
Water Actually Used for the
Exiting gushing Of Fires.

Kenosha manufacturers must install
meters in connection with sprinkling
systems in all factories Of the city.
The Wisconsin Railroad Commission on
Tuesday afternoon handed down de-
cision re-afirming an order issued on
April 9th Of last year for a rehear-
ing on which appeal was made to the
commission by the Kenosha Manufact-
urers' Association.
The order issued on Tuesday after
noon confirms in every way the former
order, but the water commission of the
city is directed, by the order, to omit
firm the water bills sent to such manu-
featuring concerns, such amounts Of
water as passed through the meters and
were known to have been actually used
in putting out fires occurring in sprink
Ter equipped premises.
The decision of the commission on
the appeal covers many pages of type
written matter and goes largely into
the discussion Of the amount Of water
lost through the maintenance Of fire
protection equipment. The decision
says that investigations Of the cmmis-
sion show that from forty-fve to fifty
per cent of the water pumped by the
Kenosha plant during the year ending
June 30, 1917, was not accounted for.
This was shown even after liberal al
lowances had been made for water
used for street sprinkling, flushing and
the cleaning of dead mains.
The commission declared that the IN
spection of sprinkled risks failed to
prove successful or to be exact that
the confidence in the Inspector was
misplaced 1T holds that secret con-
nections were made to some of the
water mains or that these connections
were made in a manner which made
their discovery very difficult to people
not acquainted with the premises. The
commission held that meter was a
mechanical inspector" which is on
duty every day and every night in the
| year and an inspector that not only
detects the flow of water but as well
measures the amount. IT, held that the
cost Of installing the meters ordered
would not exceed $4,000 and the cost
installed would not exceed $4,000.
The commission holds as not well
founded the contention that the meter
might stop the flow of water In
sprinkler system.
In concluding its decision in the mat
ter, the commission says:
After careful consideration of
that portion of the commission s order
of April 81, 1918, relative to the in
stallation of meters on private fire
services in Kenosha, it is still the
opinion of the commission that these
services should be so equipped.
1t is therefore ordered: That the com
mission $ order of April 27th, 1918, re
lating to the metering fire service con
nections, be re-affirmed, except as to the
time of compliance Herewith, which is
hereby extended to May 18th, 1918.
Tt is further ordered: That the Water
Board of Kenosha be and is hereby
authorized and instructed to deduct
and omit from bills for water used, as
per differences between successive read
ings of meters ordered installed, such
amounts of water as passed through
said meters and were known to have
been actually used for putting out
fires occurring in sprinkler equipped
premises. -