Telegram-herald., 1889-12-05
LOST OPPORTUNITY
The Water Question Could Have
Been Settled.
IlRDY sCIIOy OF OUR CIIlzESS
MAJOR Kiiiesa Tells How Be once hAa
the Hydraulic Water Company
IN Poeket-Messrs. Weston
and f0rd saved Them.

Ina conversation about munlcipsl
affairs NTH Mayor Killean Yesterday
IELEGRAM- HERALD reporter nitro
duced the al-absorbing topic Of city
water. The reporter asked the gentle
man what MS opinion was IN regard 70
the sale Of the city plant or the pur
chase of the Hydraulic Company 5
system. The mayor replied that the sale
orpurchsseo OF systems was not question
OF such immediate necessity a. the pro-
curement OF better water supply. He
expressed his belief that the gallery
system, as proposed by Messrs. Com
stock and Ihayer, was the best, most
economical and convenient source or
supply.
Speaking Of the Hydraulic Com
pany,' said he, reminds me that /
once had an opportunity 10 put that
company IN a pocket, and had | been
supported III time. the city
would not now be hampered
with competitor IN the
water business, and the city would
have long before this secured better
supply OF water for is customers. At
the time the Hydraulic Company began
10 extend It's works, and the city en-
joined them from tearing up the streets,
| WAS IN the Legislature. Desiring 10
help the city out OF the dilemma il was
in / drew up a bill 10 amend the
charter of the Hydraulic Company, SO
that all It's pipes must be land by permis-
sion OF the Common Council and under
the direction of the council. | showed
it 10 AttOrney.General Taggart, and he
asked me to introduce bill TO repeal
the charter. | told HIM | would do so,
bat that | would support and work for
the amendment. | drew up the bills
amt gave the notice on Thursday night
that | would present them Saturday
morning. Some of your newspaper
men got hold of it and published an
Item in regard to it that was copied in
the Grand Rapids papers. Down
came Mr.. Ford and Nh. Weston
and they began to work against
the bills with might and main.
They urged me TO abandon the idea but
persisted and introduced the bill.
The two went to Detroit and published
effect that | was trying tocut off Grand
ID Plus ilOil StNlillS VIC OlllN supply VI
good water she could ever get. The
hydraulic people lost no time in oppos-
ing the bill and Messrs. NJ. c. Burch,
y. 4. Earle and y. A. Fletcher, all old
members of the House and Senate,
came down and worked for several
days against it. The Committee
on Municipal Affairs, TO whom the bill
was referred, asked me what they
should do with it. and | told them to
hold it, expecting some help from those
interested III the city system. The
help did not come, and the bill
remained with the committee. just
before the session closed | was home,
and Mr.. Gilbert came over to see me in
a great state of mind. Mr.. Killean,
what has become Of that bill% he
asked. It's in the committee room
yet replied.
"Well, for goodness sake, introduce
it, and do it right away" said he, 1--WE
must get 1t passed.
Its too late to do 1t nOw," ! told
him. "You should have thought of this
about five months ago, and then we
could have carried 1t if | had had any
support Several other gentlemen
came to me urging the same thing, and
among them was Mr.. Houseman, but
the time was too far gone and a good
opportunity was thrown away"
!