The Hayti herald., 1922-02-03
WHOSE WATER WORKS IS OURS.


WHOSE WATER WORKS IS OURS:
About ten days ago we had oc
casion to praise the efficiency of Oul
newly installed water plant for The
fighting of fires. 1t was the oc
casion of it's first try-out, and com
ing so soon after the water was turn
ed on it seemed it was especially fol
that purpose. 1t was certainly 8
praiseworthy accomplishment and de
serves all we said and more. TIL,
fire had already gained such head
way in the upper rooms of the Nor
gan two-story building that il seem.
with everything new and untried
and without organization the fire
was soon under control, and property
worth something like $50,O00.0C
was saved That saving alone is
worth as much as the plant cost the
town. We have an excellent little
plant, and sufficient for all our pre-
sent needs. AS protection against
fire it gives the business men a feel
ing of safety they never enjoyed be
fore. "A long felt want has at last
been filled We are proud of our
waterwOrks, for which we boosted
and which we expect to further com
mend
Well. there is cropping out symp-
toms of faulty judgment and mis-
management as to its future use and
conduct. This we are sorry to see,
and it is just as much, or more, our
duty to speak of faults as of com
mendations. At any rate. we shall
do so. And to make Il long story
in power have initiated a system of
installation requirements and rates
for use that will prove absolutely
prohibitive to at least 90 per cent OF
would-be users. In our judgment,
a bigger blunder could not be made,
1t should be the policy of the man
agement to make the rates for use Of
water and the connections with the
mHins as reasonable as possible, in
order that patronage may be en-.
couraged instead of discouraged, as
is the case now. 1t is a bad start,
1t is poor business. Instead of
making the rates reasonable, the
rule laid out if not abandoned,
willmake the upkeep of the plant
an expense to the taxpayers in
stead of profit, as ii should
be, and would be- if managed with
understanding and business fore
thought Our idea is this: II will
cost no more to run the plant, when
supplying 800 customers than 1t viii
to supply so, or less. In other
words, If the larger number do not
take water the smaller number will
have to pay what the larger number
would pay. In establishing new
plant that is the one big point to be
, onsidered. We are told by tho
in charge of the pumps that 80 cents
worth of oil will pump $4,000 gal
Ions of water, plenty to run 300 fam
lilies a day, no matter how extrava-
CANT they were. SO, many or few
users makes little difference in the
cost of operating.
But
There is a big difference in the
satisfaction it would give the people,
the taxpayers who made it possible
to have the plant and whose judg-
ment and wishes should have mo;c
to do with the way things are run
than do the officials through whom
their rights have been delegated.
And another great point is the fact
that the more water that is drawn
of daily through the mains the bet
ter the quality of the water would be,
and consequently the more it would
be desired for family use, If per-
mitted to rust in the tank and the
mains it will only be fit for fighting
fire. but possibly will not be avail
able for fire some of our arrogatiyC
bosses may have to contend with
in the great hereafter. But we pass