Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-01-12
FINAL CHAPTER
OF REPORT ON
WATER COMPANY
CONTINUED From Page One)

Advantage vi Long TERM bVH"S
THE market for bonds in 1912 did
not have to be long studied before IL
was known for a certainty TO the
committee that long term eonds
would sell vastly more readily ana
10 much greater advantage than
short-term bonds The matter was as
broad as il was long. For some rea-
sons short-term bonds were prefer
able. but upon consideration OF the
whole case. and especially OF the
state OF the market. the thirty-year
issue was decided upon. On account
of the unanticipated increases or the
rate of interest paid by the banks on
the sinking funds (from three and
one-half per cent to four per cent?
the final payment to this fund at the
maturity of the bond issue will bring
it up TO S117 .962.30, or surplus earn
ings on the fund of S17,962S0. which
will go into the city treasury.
The Act of 1912, Chapter lis. pro-
vides for a sinking fund of $1,000 a
year. To this sinking fund the An
napolis Water Company places $1O5O
every six months, and the fund is de-
posted in the three banks de-
signated by the law as repositories
The depository banks are now pay
ing four per cent interest. computed
and added to the principal every six
months.
How Directors Are Chosen
"Of the five directors of the Annapo-
lis Water Company three are elected
I by direct vote Of the people. These
are the Mayor of the city. the City
Counselor and one Alderman.
"All three serve as directors of the
Water Company for the terms dur
ing which they are respectively the
Mayor, the City Counselor and the
Alderman of the minority party des-
ignated by the City Council as such
director Consequently. they are di-
/ rectors for four years.
"A fourth director is chosen by the
City Council for a like term of four
years.
"A fifth director is appointed by the
Mayor for a like term of four years.
This directorate is thus made up
of three nren elected by the people,
of one elected by the City Council,
as representatives of the people. and
of one appointed ty the Mayor as a
duty imposed on him by virtue Of his
being the City Executive.
1T has the espUnsiblity Of con-
Quoting the water department solely
in the interests of the public. A ma
jority of the Board is chosen by pOpu-
lar vote, and the minority by the city
administration, itself chosen by the
popular vote.
Low Pressure A Problem
"One of the first problems that con
fronted the new directors under the
city ownership was the very low pres
sure at the State House and other
high points in the city. Governor
Goldsborough the Public Service
Commission and the engineers of the
State Board of Health all insisted that
this should be remedied One way
to remedy it was TO lay new mains
and pipes in place of those that had
been in service for many years, but
instead Of geing TO this heavy eX-
pense of possibly $4,000 the direc-
tors cast about for a comparatively
/ inexpensive and feasible method
This remedy was found in cleaning
the mains. and with the approval of
the Public Service Commission and
the Board of Health engineers this
was done.
! When it became absolutely neces-
sary to adopt some plan of water pur-
/ ification, an apparatus for sterilizing
water pumped for consumption was
installed at the pumping station.
''As soon as the plant was taken
over, the directors had a thorough
survey made of every part of it. and
a comprehensive statement prepared
of immediate needs for improvement
and enlargement and of probable flu
ture requirements,
Sound, Economical Development
Thus the development of the An
napolis Water supply system in the
eight years it has been under public
control has been made upon lines
that have been unusually sound, eco
nomical and safe Whenever a prob
lem arose that had to be met, neither
economy nor efficiency were disre-
garded, but the board has proceeded
upon the fullest information it could
obtain. and after the most careful
study it could give the problem. The
original collecting, pumping and
storage facilities were located at the
best available points, and these ia
cilities have been enlarged and de-
veloped under definite and cOnpre-
hensive plan for utilizing to the best
advantage the present source of sup
ply. Added features have been made
proper part of and fitted into a con-
sistent and well-arranged program
for the permanent water supply OF
the city and its surrounding densely
catflad forrff0ry