Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
INCREASED WATER
RATES IN DISTRICT
PASSED IN SENATE
Municipality Owned Power
Plant Study Included in
D. C. Measure.
APPROPRIATIONS BILL
CONFERENCE DUE SOON
Fight Expected on Capper Proposal
to Purchase Southwest Farm
ers' Market Site.

After adopting a new schedule of
water rates and restoring the House
provision for 900 for a study of the
power needs of the District with view
to establishing a municipality owned
service, the Senate late yesterday paused
in its work on the District appropriation
bill until Monday, when the 100000
item for purchase of the Southwest
Farmers Market site will be debated
The Senate also adopted the Nickel
lar amendment allowing the Commits
sioners to retain in the District service
DR.. William Tindall veteran municipal
employe, who otherwise would be re-
tired automatically in August. The item
still must be agreed to in conference.
Senator Capper, chairman OF the Dis
trict committee, has made a motion 10
strike the market site from the bill, and
Senator Glass, Democrat of Virginia, is
prepared to oppose the move.
This probably will be the last contro-
versial item, although 1t will still be
possible for individual Senators to offer
amendments from the floor Present in
dications are the appropriation bill Will
be completed in the Senate Monday ana
90 to conference with the House, where
chief interest will center around the
final decision to be reached on the Fed
eral contribution. Recognizing the
mounting total of the bill during the
past few years, the Senate raised the
Federal share from 100000, as advo-
Gated by the House, to $l2,000,OO0.
New Schedule Increases Rates.
The new schedule of water rates,
drafted by Senator Howell, Republican
of Nebraska, is an increase over present
rates but lower than the rates approved
by the House for water consumed. The
Howell amendment, however, also would
require the raising of 1924, 800 for the
Water Department through general
tax to be known as fire hydrant tax.
The present water rate for unmetered
service is $7o3. The House raised DIT it
to 1885. The Senate appropriations
committee cut out the increase, but the
Howell amendment puts it up again to
a compromise figure OF $500.
The present rate for metered serv-
ice is $685., which was raised by the
House to S875, eliminated by the Senate
committee, but increased by the Howell
amendment to $7.13.
For business places mot required to
install meters the House directed 40
per cent increase, the Senate commit
tee cut it out and the Howell amend
ment provides is per cent increase.
The fire hydrant tax was figured by
Senator Howell at $46 per hydrant,
which would raise 1924, 800. This
amount would be taken from the gen.
eral revenues of the District and cred
tied to the water fund, thus becoming
an additional annual charge against
taxpayers generally.
The water rate problem remains to be
fe'a~-'ined finally in conference.
A large part of the afternoon yeSter-
day was taken up by the power survey
item, which Senator Norris, Republican,
of Nebraska finally succeeded in having
restored to the bill after it had been
knocked out by the Senate committee.
Senator Norris delivered lengthy
speech in support of public distribution
of electricity as a general proposition
giving detailed comparisons of rates in
effect in Canada and the United States.
Senator Bingham said the committee
struck the item out because the House
inserted 1t without hearings and with
out recommendations from the Budget
Bureau or local officials. He said the
Senate committee found that the do
nestle rate for electricity is less in
Washington than in any city In this
vicinity
Senator Norris contended the item
should be restored to let the people OF
washington find out what could be done
by municipality owned plant in WASH
ington. The Nebraska Senator asked
for a roll call vote and succeeded in
having the appTOprlhIlOu put pdCA IA
the bill, 80 to 10.
TindalI Served in Civil War.
In sponsoring the amendment to keep
DR.. Tindall in the District service with
out regard to the retirement law, Sena-
tor Mcclellan told the Senate this vet
eran employe rendered distinguished
service in the Civil War and has served
the District government for 81 years.
On motion of Senator Caraway, Demo-
crat, of Arkansas, the Senate accepted
an amendment, providing that no de-
ducticn for house rent shall be made
from the salary of the superintendent
of trees and parkings.
Senator Bingham agreed to request
by Senator Mcclellan to restore to the
bill the House language providing for
one court crier in each branch of the
District Supreme Court. The committee
amendment would have provided for
deputy marshals who would act as bal
lifts or criers.
The Senate early yesterday afternoon
sustained Senator Bingham on the item
of $50, 900 placed in the bill by the COM
mittee to carry on war against mos
quitos in Washington.