The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-16
FACTORIES ARE
bLhMELESS IN
MISSING WATER
(1g1ee nm Pressntsl 70 Third
1venus Concerns ID Formally
Cancelled by Council.

The $4,000 water steal" story,
which ID said 70 have been going
the rounds for the last dozen Or
more year,. was formally killed
Lest evening BY Moline aldermen.
The killing took place when Q
report cancslling. the $4,000 bill
which had been presented to the
Third avenue factories for alleged
illegal use Of water from the man
ufsctures emergency main was
adopted BY the council.
This report summarized numer-
ous Investigations made ~ discov-
of whore the water that appeared
10 be flowing through the factory
main had gone. 1t was at one
time believed by the council. that
nDillions of gallons were either lost.
waived or being used by some OF
the factories.
The report was prepared by the
water and light committee, which
believed that normal wastage, leaks
and breaks were responsible for
the disappearance Of the Wholesale
quantities Of water.
The factories are exonerated
from any attempt to divert water
from the fire main for use for or
binary factory purposes. An offer
from the manufactures to pay for
a meter was accepted. The meter
will be used to check all future
water flowing through the main,
and the manufactures will pay for
all water above 400 gallons an
hour, that amount being accepted
as normal wastage.
The committee learned that the
factories are now paying and will
continue to pay 1907 annually for
the factory emergency main and In
addition to this are paying normal
meter rates for water used in ordi-
nary factory operation.
I The manufactures main, ovel
which the controversy has arisen
was installed to be used In emer'
gencies for extra fire protection
q number OF years ago.
The theory that water was being
illegally taken from this MAR
started when II was learned tina,
the pumps at the waterworks wera
producing considerably more watel
than the books indicated.
Last July q meter was installe'
+ ON the manufactures main. o.
July IS . reading showed q con
sumption Of 81 gallons an houl
which amounted to $4,000 gallon
a day. A large leak was discov
n cred in the rear OF one of the fac
j tories In the next two weeks.
: Another reading was taken o.
Aug. 2. At that time the mete
only showed $500 gallons q day
Another large leak was found Of
Oct l, which was repaired.
At one time 1t was the opinion
of the water and light committe
that the factories were largely re
sponsible for the leaks or else hA
used the water illegally and tn
bill Of $4,000 which was present
cd by the committee was suppose
to cover q period Of u years.
The city and other experts in
vestigated the matter further an
to all appearances the committe
and the rest of the council are no,
convinced that the factories car
not be held responsible.
Twenty-si small leaks were ais
discovered end were repaired, tn
factories cooperating with the cit
In the investigation and repairing
The committee discovered tw
connections which were regarde
as Illegal. One was horse troug
and the other was drinking four
tain. The trough has not bee
used for years. Both Of these cor
nections have been discontinuet
The water committees repol
covers three narrowly spaced type
written pages. 1t Is on file In tn
city clerks ONCE and is availabl
for public inspection. The fort
going paragraphs. however, give
thorough summary Of the commit
tees investigations.