St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-01
Minneapolis Again Hopes to
Be Made the Head Of
Navigation.
The Cowboy Pianist Elopes,
Not With a Negro, but a
Mexican Girl.
Seven Jurors Secured in the
Barrett Trial--A Suit In
volving 100000.
WATER FAMINE AVERTED.
Mayor Ames and Aid. Mills Say
We Shall Have Water.

The st. Anthony Water Power COM
pany has OF late, through its attorney,
II. {. Benton, been threatening, or
rather attempting, TO force the city into
an action TO determine its rights to take
its water supply from the East side
channel. About three weeks ago no.
tice was served that unless the city be-
gan some such action the water gate
would be shut down Feb. l. That day
will come to-day. but the threatened
shut-otf was settled upon for > O'Clock
last evening, and another notification
10 that effect was sent in tC the council
committee on water works. 4 perhaps
unexpected, but at the same time very
determined, opponent OF any movement
10 deprive the city of its water supply
was found in Mayor AmeS, who de-
claTed that he would call upon the po-
lice to see that the gate was not shut
down. This rather shut down the pro-
posed shutdown. The mayor declared
himself very emphatically, and had the
police on hand To act.
The meeting of the council committee
on water works Yesterday morning was
an animated affair. Aid. Mills, the
chairman of the committee, opened the
ball by settling back in his chair and re-
marking: The St. Anthony Falls
Water Power company threaten to close
the gate down and smut the water off
from our pump-hOuSe on the East side
tomorrow if we don't do something.
What shall we do about it?''
They might get stuck on that bust
ness" replied Aid. Mills; neither Col.
Benton nor anybody else can bulldOZe
this city out of water. If the committee
gives me authority I'll go and open her
up and get the backing of the police, too.
Our authority TO open the gate comes
from the fact that we had rights there
before the Water Power company had,
and they're shutting OFF those rights.
Talk about bulldozing. where's their
authority to shut the gate dOwn?'
While some one went for the city at
torney Mr.. Rinker asked Aid. Mills who
was going To stand behind him in case
he incurred liability to criminal pros
ecutiOn by raising the gates and was
met with the assurance that the neceS-
sites of the people would be protected
at all hazards.
The city engineer was sent for, and
made the following statement: Super
visor Walsh, Mr.. Tanning and myself
went to see Col. Benton, attorney for
the water power company, and had an
agreement with him that he would
take the gate out and keep it out till
Feb. l. if the city in the meantime
would take steps. by suit or otherwise,
TO determine the rights of the parties
respectively. 1t was not an agreement
that they should close the gate Feb. l,
nor that we should bring suit: and
they were TO leave the gate where it
was before
Here Attorney Smith put in all ap-
perance. You could do as you pleased
about raising the gates, but it seems to
me that the water power company is
doing great wrong TO the city to shut
the gate. 1t has been the disposition. of
that company to force the city to COM
mence suit on these matters. l told
Col. Benton L did not think it fair to
but he said the city was using too
much water, and he had mott
fed the authorities long ago that
he was going TO take such steps
sometime. We can't do anything unless
the country gives US authority to. I'm
ready to move as soon as have author
ity. But it seems rough to me to have
the city compelled to do this by manual
force, and don't know but we've as
good a right to use manual force as
they have. | would advise no injury to
property hey Ond what is necessary in
order to get the water we need, how
ever. AS to how much water we're en-
titled to, our opinion is just as good as
Fanning's. Where is their private
property that they claim we are uespass-
ing on? They have put
dam across the channel of
the river. 1t is a question how far
these men own the Mississippi river
that God Almighty made. 1t is con-
ceded that the city owns nothing but
the pump house and the site and the
water that runs through 10-foot tiume
from Farnham II LOvejOy'S mill pond.
What is that mill pond? 1t is what that
wing dam, which they say is OH their
property, makes it, and that dam has
been there for twenty years. 1t would
need competent mechanic and de-
tail of police in order to hoist those
gates without destroying prop
erty. But it seems to me that
the whole matter should soon be settled
in the cOurts.n In closing, the city at
torney advised the committee to ask the
council to appoint committee of three
to hold conference with the water
power company and see if some sort of
an agreement can not be reached. This
the committee agreed to do. Chairman
Mills was further instructed to raise the
gates, if such step became necessary.
This he promised TO do.