Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-01-24
GIVEN 4 FIRST READING.
The Council Will Adopt the
New Contract.
And the People Will be Given An
other Opportunity TO Ratify
its Action Monday flights
Meeting.


Meeting.
Only a small audience witnessed
the proceedings of the City Council
at its special meeting last night,
It's unusual importance notwith-
standing. Immediately after the
reading ofthe minutes, the men,
bers got down to work on the
Water-works problem.
City Attorney Bryan took the
proposed contract in hand and ex-
planned that the bondholders of the
Water-works Company had agreed
to all of the slight changes sug-
gested by the City Council, save
in one instance. The clause pro-
viding that the water to be furnished
shall be pure, as flows from the
reservoir into the pipes, was OBJ
,jected to by the Council in COM
mittee last Tuesday. The Council
asked the bondholders to alter this
portion of the agreement so as to
promise a supply Of pure and
wholesome water. This the bond
holders refused to do; and Judge
G. B. Macfarlane, who was present
at Monday rights meeting in the in
terest of the company, explained
their reason for the refusal. I've
purpose'sald the Judge, "to furnish
the water consumers of Mexico
with good water. But it is i'm
possible for us to contract to furnish
absolutely pure water. l will tell
you why in few words: Last
Saturday l wasin St. Louis in con-
ference with gentlemen directly in
terested in this new contract. All
of the slight changes i'll the agree
ment suggested by this body last
Tuesday afternoon were readily
agreed to, with this one exception.
The bondholders are ofthe opinion
that to promise absolutely pure
water would be laying the way for
innumerable small law suits IN the
future. AS in other BUSINESS,
there are deadbeat patrons of
water companies. Simply to
avoid the payment of water tax.
many persons might take advan-
tage Of this pure and wholesome
clause and on a slight bubble give
us trouble in the courts. Our
water may not be chemically pure
what wafer is but we promise
to furnish the people of Mexico
with a supply of reasonably whole
some water"
City Attorney Bryan followed
Judge Macfarlane's explanation
with a reading Of the proposed con-
tract as revised. He stated to the
Council as his opinion that the con
tract was a good and valid one, a
contract under which the Water
works Company will be compelled
to meet any obligation encompassed
within its limits. Very little dis
cussion followed Mr.. Bryan's talk
on the worth of the contract. Mr..
Worrell moved its adoption and
he received a second from Mr..
Angle. The ordinan ce embodying
the new contract was given a first
reading, and in accordance with
the rules Of the Council, laid over
until the next regular meeting for
a second reading and passage.
There will be no opposition to the
measure in the Council and at the
next meeting, or the meeting follow
ing, at the latest, an order of cleo
ton will be made.
THE ALTERATIONS.
City Attorney Bryan recommend
ed to the City Council a week ago
that certain changes be made in
the proposed contract before its
acceptance. The Council adopted
his recommendations and when the
pro, oscd contract with its inter
lineations was returned to the
bondholders at St. Louis they
found no fault with the change ex-
cept in the instance mentioned
above.
One of the most important
changes recon- mended by the City
Attorney was the change in the
payments from quarterly to semi,
annual. In this way the water
rental may be paid at once witt
the money received by the city as
revenue. The clty's principal rev
enue is paid every six months ane
the Attorney and Council saw th'
advisability of makIngthe paymen
SO as to conform with time of re
ceipt OF the city's income.
Under the new contract as revis
ed, the watering troughs in TIL
various wards may be kept opel
throughout the year, instead of TO
eight months, as heretofore.
Under the new contract a portion
of the general revenue sufficient 4
meet the semi-annual water renta
is set aside to be used eXcluslvel,
for that purpose. Under the oil
contract the entire general revenu
of the city was pledged to NEE
these payments and none OF !
could be used until these payment
were made. This change is i yer,
desirable one.