of of Orderwant. it. Tenth soda Street Ties, half THE WATER QUESTION A. A. Stevens, Esq., Interviewed by a Representative of the Herald ANSWERS PERTINENT QUESTIONS Mr. Stevens in Manager and in Control of tho Gas and Water Works-ife Favors a Vote, But. Opposes Municipal Owner- was practically reconstructed by the laying of larger pipes. The original intake of the system was about the size of a hog wallow, just a short distance beyond the borough line. Tulking about the construction and maintenance of the works, Mr. Stovens said, that in the construction of the works, parties interested in tho works performed a largo amount of the work thomselves. Jacob Burley and Pins Sneeringer wore active in the early construction, and when the largo iron pipo system was laid A. G. Morris and himself worked in the ditch, laying pipes and caulking tho samo, whon it was 50 muddy, and the weather so inclement that the mon would not work. This was the case on Lincoln avenue from 14th street north. Ho said no return was ever received by those parties for labor and services rendered in the way of salaries, oto., and no dividends were declared until in 1893, when the first dividends were paid. Mr. Stevens said that tho approximnto cost of tho plant of the Tyrone Gas and Water company, exclusive of any allowance for labor and servico rendored by those interested in its construction, up to July 1st, . 1897, was $214,000., without computing interest. In reply to a question us to the extent of the gus and water mains, ho said, the water mains, including the East Tyrone system, aggrogate over 62,000 foot, or about 12 miles, varying in sizo from 20 inches down to 1 inchos,. with some latoral lines a of smallor sizes. The gas mains aggregato about 15,000 feet. He said that the supply for the town is through two 12-inch mains and one 8- inch main, with a delivering capacity of 10,000,000 gallons in every twenty-four hours. Concerning tho sufficiency of the supply of water, he said: Tho present storage roservoir has a capacity of 30,• 000,000 gallons and in addition to this it has tho Decker Hollow supply to the East Tyrono system. Concerning the borough authorities' purchasing the works of the Gas and Water company ho said: A simple calculation of interest on the cost of the coustruction and maintenanco of the plaut, on yearly balances, at the rate and terms fixed by the Act of Assembly, under which the borough could take possession of the works of the Tyrone Gas and Water company, would place the purchasing value of the plant by the borough at over $325,000. As to the completeness of the plaut, he said: : It is not yet as complete as it should be, Cousiderably money would havo to be expended in diverting the drainage of "Red Hill" from the storage dam, so as to prevent the coloring of the water supply in times of freshets; and also the lower line of 12 inch pipe would havo to be extended to connoot with the storage dam; and there are other extensions that would have to be ship. The agitation for some timo past, of the proposition that this borough shall assumo the ownership of the plant of the Tyrone Gas and Water company, if legally possiblo and sensibly practical, has led to much discussion of more or less rolovance to the subject, in and out of the newspapers, but the general public seems to be greatly in doubt as yet whether it is best to vote "Loan" or "No loan" at the special election to be held on July 7. The citizons should of course vote intelligently on.th this vital subject, and it is therofore timely that pertinent facts from authoritative sources should be placed before them. With this view a Herald reprosentative today culled upon A. A. Stovens Esq., manager of the Tyrone Gas & Water company, and elicited the following information relative to the plaut and tho proposed municipal ownership: In answer to a question as to the construction of the Gas & Water works Mr. Stevens said that the original water system was constructed in 1869 and 1870, consisting of wooden pipes from 3 to 8 inches in diameter, the entire length of the lines being less than two miles and approximate cost $14,000. Subsequently an oxtension to West Tyrone was mado at a cost of about $1,000. Mr. Stevens said that he camo to Tyrone in April, 1872, and was elected sccretary and one of the directors of tho Tyrone Gas & Water company i in 1873. In 1874, in response to a request from citizens who desired to have gas, as well as the bor. ough authorities who wanted street lighting, the gas works wero built at n cost of $35,000, including distributing mains. Tho prico of gas was then $8.50 per thousand feet. By reason of the small consumption of gas, for many yours, the gas works were run at a loss to the company. Speaking about the water works, he said the wooden pipe system was a failure and had to bo replaced by iron pipes at a time whon pipe was at a high figure, and subsequently the iron pipe systom, that took the place of the wooden pipes, mado; both as to water and gas mains. The 4 inch line of supply on Logan avenue would be replaced with n6 or 9 inch line, and those improvoments, when completed, would cost from $10,000 to $12.000. He said tho works, as they now are in his opinion, are as complete as any other gas and water system in the State. About the grounds near tho lower resorvoir, ho said, the grounds from the upper to the lower reservoir will be en• closed, so ns to prevent pollution of the systom, and nt the lower reservoir and the grounds surrounding it will be available, when complete, to the public to be used as a park or picnic ground. In roferenco to the charges, otc., for gas and water, Mr. Stevens said that ho had heard that it was being urged as a reason why the borough should own the gas and water works, that the present rates would be advanced under his management. This, ho said, was without foundation. The present gas and water rates in Tyrone are, on an average, lower than rates charged by any other placo of like size. Tho presont domestic rates, which include water used for all domestic purposes will not bo advanced, in all probability will be lowered. Ho added that so far as ho was personally concerned, the present low rates are, to a great extent, the result of his own persounl efforts in that line. To a question as to what he thought of municipal ownership, Mr. Stevens replied that from investigation of that matter and from figures obtained from official sources, ho was led to the conclusion that private corparations furnish better water and light, at a less cost to the consumors, than municipalities; and that municipal ownership generally result in increased taxation, heavy charges for services, unsatisfactory supply and management, as well as to retard the growth of the municipality when its indebtedness for the constructiou, or ownership of such works, reached the logal limit; that such ownership would certainly make taxes higher in Tyrono for the next thirty years, and affect the valuation of proporty. Ho said that outside of his own interests as a stockholder in the Tyrone Gas & Wator company, ho was personally and associatively, if not the largest, one of the largest taxpayers in the borough of Tyrono; and, judging from tho past management of the financial affairs of Tyrono, which is probably no better nor worse than other towns, the largest owner in the town would, so far as carnings from investments are proporty concerned, become the poorest of citizens and not desiring to occupy that position, he, as a taxpayer, was opposed to municipal ownership of anything outside of possibly the sower system. Speaking about the vote on tho ques. tiou of "loan" or "no loan," ho said that so far as the result of the vote on tho loan was concerned, and its effect on the Tyrouo Gas & Water company, he had givon it but little attention, knowing that the borough could not raise money enough to buy tho plant ou the basis fixod by law, but that possibly the best way to stop continued agitations on the question would be to havo tho voto of the peoplo on it. Speaking about tho East Tyrone Watter company, ho said, the Tyrone Gas & Water company purchased its franchises and property and that under the law under which the borough is proceeding, its franchises will continue in forco for 17 years; and the residents of the 6th and 7th wards would, if the borough could purchase tho works of the Tyrone Gus & Wator company, have to pay wntor rent, as they now pay it,. and tuxes in addition until after the expiration of that timo. Roferring to the persons who are agitating the purchase of tho water works by the borough, Mr. Stovens said that so fur as he was able to seo, ho bolieves it is largoly duo to porsonal animosity and jealousy of a very fow members of tho toward him. In roply to the queston as to what he thought of the ordinanco under which tho borough was procooding, ho said: it is a mystery to him why, or by what authority the present ordinance was prepured and passed, or what was really behind it. Tho ordinauco itsolf, he said was a kind of omuibus affair that nuthorized the loan of $108,000 for tho purposos sot forth in tho ordinanco, but whon the money is in tho trensury it could be used for other purposos, and the ropayment of the lonu must bo provided by the assessment of a sinking fund tax, that will run for 30 years; and the money thus raised, not boing sufficiont for the purposo which it was nominally raised, would romain useless unless undor somo coustruction of the omnibus ordinanco, present or future connoil might appropriate for somo purposo not now appuront. He said, whilo he had not givon the legality of the ordinance auy special invostigation, that on a hasty reading, ho was of the opinion that the ordinance was legully worthless, Speaking about his conuection with tho Tyrone Gas & Wator company Mr. Steveus said that for more than 24 years hehad boon identified with the company, During that time he had done what he could through it to furnish Tyrone with tho best and cheapest gas and water supply of auy town of its size, expecting ut the same timo that it would reach a point, sooner or later, when large ox| penditures would end and somo return come to tho parties interested for labor, timo, capital, etc., invested. To the question as to why he had not givon tho council or committee of coun• cil information ns to the costs of the works, Mr. Stevens replied: Thoy did not ask for it. He had given them all the information that they had asked for, and they could have had auy other proper information they desired that would have enabled them to comprehond what they are trying to do, but that it looked very much to him as tho the parties behind these questions were not anxious to obtain such information, but rather to create strifo and litigation. Ho said that different members of council had said that they knew that the borough could not raise money cough to buy the works, but as some of tho councilmen wanted to have the question tested, thoy thought it would be no harm to have a vote on the question. In roply to a question as to what limit there was for charging for gas and water, he said: The courts have complete control over the rates charged, not to mako a schedulo of rates, but proto' vent excossive charges; and the same authority exists as to quality and quantity of material furnished. Ho said that tho present charges gave general satisfaction, and it is seldom that any complaint is mado as to the rates charged. In answer to a question as to what authority the boroagh had to build new works, ho said: This question has been settled by the courts. It has been decided that whon gas, water and light is furnished to tho inhabitants of a municipality by a private corporation, with the consent or acquiescence of the same, that the municipality cannot build a competing plant, its authority to furnish such supply being exhausted by consenting to allow the samo to be supplied by n privato corporation; but, if municipalities desire to own and control the works, they could do so only by purchasing the samo at the prices and under the terms and conditions fixed by the Act of Assembly in such case made and provided. In answer to the question, "There is an impression abroad that since the oroutlay for construction of plant 110 monoy has boon paid for improvements, repairs, ete., to the plant, excopt from funds accumulated from profits of the business of the company. Is this impression correct?" Mr. Stevens answored that it is not, as there has boon continuous increasing mortgages t exCcuted for the purpose of making improvements. In answer to tho question, "What proportion of tho entire capital stock of tho company did A. G. Morris own, and what was tho prico paid for it by thoso purchasing the interest of Mr. Morris in the plant?" Mr. Stevens answored that Mr. Morris ownod four-ninths of it, and that the prico paid was and is private. Murderer Lynched, Whipped Crystal Springs, Miss.. June 26.-Tho negro John Moses, who murdered an old man named Strong near here a few days ago, and who has been confined in the local jail, with a strong guard, since Thursday, confessed to the killing yesterday, and shortly after the guard was overpowered by a mob of 200 01 300 men, mostly farmers, and Moses taken from the jail. With a rope around his neck he WaS dragged through the streets to a tree near the railroad and hanged. He was dead, or nearly so, when the place of hanging reached. The mob captured 8 negro preacher who had sworn that the murderer had spent the day on which Mr. Strong was killed at his house. For this deliberate lie he was given an un- Explosion Kits Father and Son, Brockwayville, Pa., June 26.-Adam Leek, aged 62, and his son William, aged 25, were instantly killed yesterday by the explosion of the boiler in a small machine shop at Brockport, Ilk county. The building was owned by Leck, and was demolished by force of the explosion. Both bodies were blown about a hundred feet, and were terribly a mangled. Frank Leek, another son, was working but a few feet from father and escaped without a scratch. The explosion is thought to have been caused by carrying too much steum. Mormon Elders Run Out of Town. Meridian, Miss., June 26.-Ciders Ry- dulch, Pomeroy, Parish and Jones, four Mormon elders from Utah, were run out of Meridian Thursday night. The elders have been in the city sevcral days arranging for meetings and on Thursday began a house to house canvass for the purpose of securing converts. This invasion of private residences 80 aroused the people that 8 large crowd gathered, and when they attempted to hold services the elders were notified to leave town. They left on the first train. Dauntless' Crow Relonsed. Key West, Flu., June 26.-The crew and the Cubans who were on board the Dauntless, and who were on Thursday arrested, were yesterday discharged by United States Commissioner Julius Otto, on the ground that there was no evidence to show that they were on a military organization or intending to commit acts hostile to Spain. The captain the Dauntless, rot in reply to the questions of the district attorney, declared that he took the arms on board from a schooner at sea. Autor Hooy' Sorlous Detroit, June 26.-William Hoey, the actor, widely known in theatrical circles as *Old Hoss" Hoey, who has been taking the baths at Mt. Clements, has lately developed signs of mental unsoundness, and Thursday a party of friends started with him for New York city, where he will probably enter Bellevue hospital for treatment. Within the last few days his mental vagaries have assumed a violent form, | and it is feared by his physicians that Her Harvard YALE Though of' nell university minutes ond 20.44, astern It training with college other an crews an the an prove methods. this has university then, boys and lans. American propulsion hot by was the at 158. ON the singular number or for to she 8 to of
