Water Works Again

Tho recent destructive fires, at Boston and clsiwiiero, havo callcd tho attention of our citizens, and especial' y of our city authoritics, to tho totally inadequate supply of water for tire purposes, und the oonsequent dáily and nightly danger to which we are subjected. Fi'om all parfs of the city comes up the report of no wat. Bprtags supposed to be enduiintï nro uow dry. Wells which never-failed now refnse to furnish cnougli for tho most eeonomieal und necessary domeatie usos. Cisterns are also shallow or entirely ompty, and this at the beginning of Winter, and after tho tiiuo for Fall ruiuB has passod. And this short supply is not oonfincd to any ward or seotiou, but is general, and is reported in neighborhoods whero wells havo boon oasily obtained and counted durable. In view of this stato of things a Committeo of the Couucil which has for some months had the subject nnder consideration, made a very full report at a Council meeting held on Saturday evening last, which report is of importance onough - notwithstanding its length - to coinraand a place in our columns and the carcfnl oxamination of evory citizen who is a proporty holder. It is as follows : Tv the Gommon Vcnincil of the City of Ann Arb&r : Tho comrnitteo to whom was roforred the question of tho general introduction of Water for Fire, Domestic, and Mauufacturing purposes, subtnit tho following report : ïho Committoe have caused levéis and distnucos to bo taken from the various souroes of supply that havo boen suggwted that seeraed sufficiently feasible to warrant invostigation. The engineering has been dono mostly by voluuteor Forvico. The total oxpoise to tho city for this servico has been eight dollars. We present the result of theso surveys in order: ■'i-h. Whitmorc, or Horso Shoe Lako. Thü water of tfcis lake is 100 fcet above the Court Ilotiso Square. At the town lino, four miles from the city, tho ground is ( ■lnvated Mö feet. From this point thero is a very gradual descent of 45 feet to Horse Shoo Laker at or near tho sarao level of Whitmoro Lake. This condition of the ground would, in tho opinión of your Committee, forbid the introd'uction of water from these lakes, without a station ary stoara power at tho lake. This would involvo an expense immediate and annunl tKatyour Cornmitteo are not preparod to recommond. tíeeond Fho lakes west of the citv. Distanoe 1.2.200 feet. Klevation, 70 fee't. There is, or has been, a very general irapression in tho community that these lakes were íed by durable spiings and wore not pond holes for the accumulation of ruin water. For the purposo of having this questioa decided your Committeo caused aditch to bodugat a cost of #180,98, from the lakes to the sources of Honey, Creekso arranged that tho capacity of theni soald ba doterminod with tolerable accuracy. Your Committee became satisfied from theso tests that rain fall was, or is, the only supply of theso lakes. While thoro is a sufficiently extensively water ■shetl surroundiitg theso lakes to mako it probable that tho supply of wator would be sufficient for the city, yet thero is sufficient doubt to irmke it dtsirablo to seelt for some more reliable source. Xkird. The Huron Iiiver, using the, Bunker power to raiso tho water to a reservoir at er near Forest Hill Cemotery The reservoir at point would be 150. feet above tho river,, and 88 feet above tho Court House Squaro. The power is ampie to raise tho water. Fourth. The Huron Rivcrr using the ilcMahon power to raiso tho water to a reservoir on the high ground northwest of the city. Eieavtion oí resorYoir, 110 fuet abovo tho Court House Square. Distanco from dam to reservoir, 5,000 feet ; from reservoir to Public Square, 5,000 foei. The 140 feet of hoad will be ampie to throw the water from n firo hose over tho highost buildings in the business portron of tho city, and to raiso it abovo tho roof of tho highost Univorsity buildings. Yonr Committo are of the opinión that this last is tho most availablo sourco of wator supply, for tho following roasons : First. Tho water-taken from above the city is of a supreior qnality, and when pumped into a resorvoir and exposed to the purifying influoncc of tho air, it will comparo favorably with the water furnishod any city in tho United Statos. 8econd, The supply is abundsnt. Third. The McMahou power is ampio ,to raiso tho water to a reservoir. Poiirlh. It is the most acoessiblo to tho city. Tho high grounds between the city and the power, aro sufficiently elevatod to givG a head ampie for fire protoction. Siceth, It is tho cheapest sourco both in iiíiinediato exponga and expense of porpetnal minteiancx;. In estimating the expense of the first intioduction of wator, your Córamittee have consulted oxperienced and ablo hy"draulic enginreers. Thcy find that tho water oan bo delivcred at the Court Honso Sopare, from n reservoir of three million gallons capacity, inclusive of cost of water power and roal estato, and all tho mnchinery of the most ampio capacity made pliêate, and all ncreeasary buildings, for less than $60)00. To this is to bo added the expenso of additional street main nnd firo plugs. Thcy are of tho opinión that the moro denso and compact portion of tho city can bo reached at au expense of no,t far from $80,000. Your Committee have given caroful consideration of iho -pestion s to tho man nor in which tho works sh'onlc! be crectad, whether by the dity or by a corapaay with exclusive rights, and have como to tho decidod opinión that tho city shonld not part with thcir rights and frajachises, but that they shonld buifd, ovm. Opérate oontrol tho Wator Works through a board f Water Commissioners seleeted froour bost citizens. Their reasons for this aro as follows :' First. The city mitst bocomo a largo consumor of watPF for fire protection, and any company wouW reqnre liberal remuncration for this wator. Betond. Water is a nocessity fbr th'e poor as well as the rioh, and in the Iümds of a Corporation thcro is constant dangor of its being made oppressivo to tho joor. T.hird. Tho experienco of othor citios has boen favorable to city ownership. In faot, for to bo otherwisc is tho exception. ■"nii. It san and may bo made romuuerative to the eity The report of the Water Cömmissiocen of the city of Detroit for 1R71, shows a net profit of 4 1,022.72, aftor paying expenses, the interest oii the jixikr bond iacbided. The wator is raisod by stcam power at tho expenso of $l:..'39 per millions gallons, whereas the exporienco of cities whbro watirr power has beon usod shows that it can be raisod for $1.87 por mïllion gallons. Had tho Detroit company a water power, tho net profifs would havo been $71, 4 IK. With tho samo water ratos as Dotroit, the reeeipt for water in Ann Arbor will be $16,300. Tho oxpenses (5 per cent. for collecting wator ratos includod), will bo loss iban f1,000, thus showing a het revenu of $10,000 per annum, with which to pay the interest or principal of any bonds that may bo issued for this obioct. Your Committee under all tkeoircumstances feel impelled to recomrrtond the passage of the following resolutions. It will bo observcd that the tax to be asessed for any doficioncy (should any arise for the payment of principal and interest) will bo lewiod" tjpon piopcrty" situuted witbtfl :i distanco frora tho water pipos it ivhich it will rocoive tho benefit of the water, and that all othor prpcrty is oxompt from taxation on this account. This ia simple justice, and in acccrdancu with Titlc V., Beo. 7 of City Charter : ■ '.'■ . "I"! i.-if the Maror ?; nju] fa !n vv'iy ifqnostod and directed lorall a inn!ni-_' ot' tbf l'.'o-.is of Iho ■ily of Alm Albor at nu emly :i day ia feticnblê, it whicb a vote ififtll be 1uki n by bnBot üp tm-stion of the ist-uoof the hond of thocity, piyubie in tv.i'iny vean al 8 percent iitti-irsi, for o somnot t '■ il (80,000,foi the ereonon and building of W:itor Worka and tho purcbae of a]l nccasary ;v:il estáte and wnter puwir t'oi" the H;ime, ftr tho solc'púrpose of fu]i)lyint.r the dty and Mie inhabitanta tbexcoi iviib good and whoiesome wat$$ upon the follnriogooO OitíoDA, rcKulítlionM, and u.-f"tii.titintJ. viz: Fiist. ('i)innx'ii ('oiimil sïinll teu!1' i ■' y nm! it shnll be their duty to issue to n ]ïr;iril 5f SVmi r Ormnnissioiicrs niqxn'ntcd hy tlie Cohnofl, ÜicLbondi of Ilie city for in mnount not exceeding elhty trumtniiui dolían cin the eondltjona and for the purpote Bpécitifd In the foMgolng neolution. i. Por the expenditure of thepyi bimds in tho n-pction ot Wfttor AVóiks andVtéfr' Sïïhséqut'Tit rontrul and operuiion the ('ommonCouiiri', -1,:'.U nppoint flvc "Water CuimnisRionera. who ahnll hold tiu'ir otlices fiom one to üve years, ns tho ('ounril niny deaignate, and ahall thereftf toT nnnuully on thetlrat Mondny in Januarv iu eaeli yeiir, or asaoon thifrenfter ns shull ht jir;ietira'Me, appcint one Coflunlasionev to fill tlie vnrancy of the Üunimissioncr wlioo terniof berviee shull expire, who pliull lioltl liii office for the period of fivo yenrs. Tho Commiuiiioners ithaU receivo no pny for serriee. Third. The Wnter Commissioneri nppointed by the Council hall hare solo and exclusive control of tho prooeeds and 5ale of B!ïidï)onds: nrid all [Unite ilt-rivd ('muí wataz mtCB expt nw herein exprrssed They rthall httve power to proscribe the -wat r ratea and colIect tho same, nnd prosiiil"1 all ftèedfn] rtailationsor the pi-ritootion of propirty in thelr charge. Théy sliall on the flrat day of OctQbñ of Coch ye:r, make n report to the Council of all receipts and exiienditures and of the grneral condition of the property in thfir clinre. Fnurth. The Water Conimissionersafter paringthQ expense of the repairs and manaffement of sai'l wofks froro the prooeeds of the water raten, shall ddTOte tïie halanee to : ltt. Tho paynient of the interest on the bonds. 2d. To tho ereation of a sinkinjí fund to be ftpplied to tlie payment of the prinoipsJ al it inatmap., Fit'th. Should the surplus water rates, After puying Che incidental ezpenaeB and renairs, he uuuffiáentto pny the interest on thehonds, thcfonunon Council, pji_ bfinp duly notiñed bv the Oommissioners, shalloauas k tx to be levied and eolleeted tm ad prtrjierhi situat'd nrtt to txoud l'i'rniy-ilvr rwls in diïlnnee f mm the vxtter piyyt or strrH tnnitt srijfinent fu noy snid inientti Süeth, All tlio.se viho are in favor of the issue of $80,000 of the bonds of the city for the pnriioses nbovo procribed, shall vote " Yca." All opposed, " Nay." 8ILA8 IL DOUOLASS, JEREMIAII PEEK, J. G. LELAND, C. B. PORTElt, Committee. Ann Arbor, Nov. 23, 1872. The report was accopted and adoptoá by tho Council and ordered printed, after which the following Water Commissioners were nppointcd as provided for by the resolutions : Philip Bach, Charles Trijip, H. V. Eogers, C. II. Wordon, and E. B. Pond. We need make at thüs timo but briei comment upon tliis action. It will nol be denied by any ono that our city needs a systomartio and abundant supply of water, both for domestic and fira purposes That supply can be goL in no other way than by water works of largo capacity Such worka must be built, owned.and cj m trolled by tho city, as in Detroit, Jacfcson Kalainazo9 and other cities of the State or by a company, the city guaranteAig to pay a libera} nnd largo annual sutn fur water for Kre and othor publio nses. Wó have heretoforo favored the latfer mothot as tho most economïcal, whilo othors havo advocated the former. The Council has adopted the plan of city ownership and control, and that boing the quostion now we waive our own preferonces. The plan adopted by tho CounoiL and embodiod in the resolutions involves, wr have no doubt, tho least possible expendituro. Tt also does no injustice to any portion of tlie eity, as it provides that tho tax to be lovied to poy tho interest on tho bonds shall bo assessed npon the portions of the city benefitod, and not nLon portions whoro street mains are unneces3ry and not laid. With this restriotion, provided both by tho charter and the resolutions, there is no soason why proporty hoïders or residents of tho Socond or Third or Fifth Wards - or any portion of thoso Wards whcro water is easüy obtained from wells, should vote against Water Works. Certainly tho Socond and Third Wards are interosted in protocting: the blocks on Main and Huron Streets, and wells on " Piety Hill," Hiscock's nudition or H thevalley will not do this With thoso comments we submit tho subject to the cousiderfttion of our citizens.