The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-01-07
OUR WATER WORKS IN COURT.


As our city Council has ordered suit to
be brought against Louis Schsefler tor a
goodly balance unaccounted for in the
building of our Water Works. we have
not felt like saying much more about the
matter, preferring to let the law take It's
course, without any more public discus
sion of the question. But it seems Mr.
Schaefer himself prefers otherwise, Tor he
issues this week from the Repository rs
Enlistment a longs six column articles and
the real merits of the case are not touch
ed upon at all, and which contains the
usual amount OF slang and personal
abuse. This latter will not avail Mr.
Schaeler on the trial Of the case. Aioul
bad heart and vile tongue may find in
this, a present relief, but it will not
strengthen his case nor clear his skirts
before the public. Mr.. Schaefer may
discover all this when too late, His un-
principled course, devoid alike OF per-
sonal respect or dccency, MOTTO speak
of gratitude as it is devoid OF regard
for honest worth and integrity, has plac-
ed him in the eyes of the public IN no
enviable light. No balderdash OF his
issued from the Repository Office is likely
to relieve him. He had better prepare
his case for court.
A few facts are all sufficient in this
Water Works matter. 1t must not be
lost sight of that enough, and more than
enough, was paid in the bui ding OF our
Water Works to have given Canton hrst
class works We stated afew weeks ago
that Youngstown in 1870 paid tor her
Is miles OF all iron pipe, 500, 900 that
the gates, valves &c, for Cantons wa
ter Works cost two or three times as
much as they did for Youngstown Can
ton was to have water from Myers Lake,
but SO defective was the miserable stone
pipe that We only got water supply
from the lake for few months, and no"
our city has got to 90 to the expense oI
iron pipe at last. The cement pipe
throughout the city is also a miserable
failure and cost about the same as iron
pipe would have cost originally. All
these ought to be taken up and iron pipe
laid down, and in a short time will have
to be. The pipes to convey the water
are the most important and expensive
part of Water works, and although, Can
ton paid enough for good, reliable and
lasting Works. we have them not, This
our citizens well know, and the general
conviction is there was a great wrong
inflicted and responsibility rests some
where. Mr.. Schaefer having been the
BOSS, public sentiment po nts to ohm as
the one responsible, We see by his ar
tcle he prefers not going into court 20
preferr,ng committee of investigation,
Our citizens generally think we have had
enough committee and our city Council
think court Of law is the proper place
a
to have the matter investigated Mr.
Schaefcr had better make up his mind to
go there.
There is such thing as an oprn secret
and we sometimes have knowledge eac-
tual knowledge, Of matters, difficult OF
impossible to prove in a court Of justice
owing to the care in the addition, d.
vision and silence" That the people
of Canton have been defrauded, villain
ously defrauded in the construction OF
our Water Works, admits OF no doubt
now. Time, that proves much, has de-
monstrated this. Our citizens with re-
markable unanimity, endorse the faction
of the Council in ordering legal inves'
tigation. 1t should have been done long
ago but better late than never. By. this
suit we may ascertain whether folly and
imbecilty or knavish corruption and
downright trickery and villainy had mos
to do in robbing and involving our city
A court of law and justice is just the
power to investigate, probe and expose
this whole matter. 1t is due also to the
citizens of Canton who favored the pro
| iect and we'll sustained it. We speaE
for one of these, and we say let the worl
proceed to a just conclusion and yer
dict So say all good taxpaying citizen
of Canton.
l.. q