Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-09-19
hi WATERWORKs.

upOn the water company, II an a.
raignment of those citizens who deem
ed it their right and privilege to vote
for and advocate the building of water
works in the city of Lexington, as hav'
ing imposed upon a minority an "un'
just Decree"
The Intelligencer has too often ano
TOO freely criticized both the city coun-
Gil and the water company to be accus'
ed of undue partially toward them
1t is as free as air to denounce wrong
doing in either; and it is not to be in
| fiuenced, by the wealth of the few OF
the power of the many, to say one
word that it does not believe to be true
| and fair. When Messrs. Abendroth &
| Root, stricken by a heavy loss, asked
for an abatement of the contract, the
Intelligencer opposed them; when citl'
zens who have been inimical to the Ell
terprise from the beginning shall en-
deavor, unfairly, to cause the city te
evade its obligations to the water COM
pany we shall oppose them we hoio
that it is the duty of the council to SET
that the water company fulflls its con-
tract, to the letter; when this is done
it will be just as fully the duty OF the
council to meet the obligations requir'
| ed of it by the contract.
Eight hundred and eleven citizens OF
Lexington, at the ballot box, instructed
the city council to make that contract
and as one very humble citizen we dc
not propose to shirk any burden thai
was assumed by that act. We know
that it is often very popular to vote
money, and very unpopular to pay il
when the time comes, still we have
been advocating payments of late.
We regret that Col. Reid has writer
the letter under discussion. There ar
many admirable traits in his character
some of which we have endeavored
in a friendly way, to point out. W.
should much prefer to agree with, ant
to write only pleasant things of him
but as he is an enthusiastic poet ant
lover so also he is a good hater, ant
when he dips his pen in gall to berat
his enemies he bears upon it 80 hare
that his ink sometimes bespatters hi
friends as we'll. His letter is bitter
and, we think, exceedingly unfair. Ii
all kindness of feeling we shall en-
deavor, briefly, to show why.
The colonel quotes three sections o
the law, asks us four questions, doe
not criticize the parts Of the ordinanc
adduced, and then speaks of what ha
preceded as remarkable fddling.
We submit that this is not argument.
AS to his questions, if he intends t.
take legal measures to prevent the fur
Their collection of taxes for water pur
poses, which he has a perfect eight Il
do, we might say that they would b
proper subjects of inquiry for his attor
ney, but as they are also matters o
public interest we will answer them
scrldtim:-
1. The Lexington Water Compan.
did file with the city register one da
after the time specified in the ordi
nance, the limit of time being ten days
its formal, written acceptance of tn
terms and conditions of the ordinance
2. 1t did commence work in goo
faith very much within ninety day
thereafter.
8. 1t did file a penal bond OF $500
for a faithful compliance with all tn
conditions of the contract. The bon
Is signed by James G. McGrew, presi
dent of the water company, as primo
pal, James Wentworth, secretary, an
j. A. Jones and j. S. Simmons, secu
rites. The bond seems to us to b
perfectly good, without considering tn
securities as the company has more tina
ten times as much property in this cit
as the sum indicated. Its pumpin
machinery alone, which is as good as
possessed by any company in the I'm
ted States, is worth ten times tn
/ amount of the bond; it has six miles {
iron pipe laid under u streets, an
t other property beside. 1t canno
r sequester its property from us by all
hocus pocus, until the contract is eitf
er accepted or rejected by the council
without the connivance and consent
Messrs. j. c. McGrew, c. o. Grim.
! and E. Winsor, who are a majority
the board of directors.
4. 1t did, even before the ordinanc
was approved, and upon its adoption
make proper tests for water OIL til
sandbar, and, we are told, secured tesr
, of the water by two chemists, n i
Chicago and one in New York. b
this seems a useless inquiry in view
the fact that it has since, in the exc
else of it's rights, stipulated in the OF
dinance, but not mentioned by tt
colonel, determined to pump water d
rectly from the Missouri river into Sc
Ting reservoirs, which it is now pr,
pairing, at great expense, to do.
In these questions of Col. Reid's "
see nothing to which we object. The
are courteous, and proper enough,
the object is really to seek information
8 But when the colonel assumes Cd thu
C the 40 negative voters are "mainly
e relied upon to pay the taxes of the city
{. (2) that the "decree' of the 81 is III
r just; and (3) that the gentlemen WI
= constitute the water company al
t "Peter Funks," we think his languag
and positions are Objectionable.
a. The idea that the 40 negati1
D voters are ''mainly" relied pom
pay the taxes Of the city appears to
unwarranted by the facts, if "mainly
u is intended to mean even the maj,
e portion of the taxes, not to say Il
C greater part. After the election it W
e understood that more that half of Il
IS 40 were non-tax-payers, under Il
influence of a few wealthy men wi
opposed the project. No doubt six
eight of the largest taxpayers in t
st city, Col. Reid among them, did vo
10 no. On the other hand Messrs. WI
,e Morrison, S. &. Wentworth, j.
. McGrew. Geo. Farrar- VIM SmiI