Telegram-herald., 1890-02-24

cha rmSn, reported thar & Woula take
81 .-ii0 .lsu a. make 3 eQInuiatt civ sKs-
tem and on thst haSis Wlfl tht N,pe l.lt-
aEe he claims and tlle l4creast Nheh j
have shown Il g. he. WhlcA makes tae
annual decrease much iargtI than ute
hoard of luohc Works Shows lt to be.
the shoNlag foT ths futurc Ime. a the
ight that Nh Gilbert Aas considered "A.
hnanuRliY. eouia nol poss hly make the
Itsuu laal he claims especially as
everybody admits that tie ciy must
hare, long before iss-. such a com-
pieto water system az tiie committee
mentions.
lWoald ASK Nj Gilbert Why he Is 50
ANXIOUS go mad out Wnal the Hydraulic
Company has The NKdnuac Conn
pauy IS not ANXIOUS to sgll hut d N4l
sell q i is the Nlsh vi the majority ot
the citizens Of Grand Rapids Mr
Gilbert personal prejudice in the mat
ter makts 4 incompetent for Alm ID
Judge correctly IA regard to a. lNlA
guarantee. II the Paople vote a. hUX
the Hydraulic Company, that 81 lar as
lies ln my power, and Mr. Gilbert seems
% hold me up a. tle only
man wio has anything 10 DO Wlth
tAA1 AaAstttaaA NA'-aa 4t+t+Af NtHa tAt WI
the property entire, free and clear. al
the lowest possible figures that arhl-
traitors chosen by the city aud OuT-
selves under the laws of Michigan. may
clam as reasonable IA tho premises,
and VAL submit every fact In detail a.
them. ] do object o. giving Mr. tll-
bert the Hydraulic Company books
and figures Tor the same reason thar hc
would object o. giving mc the private
books and figures ot the Gas Company.
NJ ] entertained t1c same personal He-
ludlco against ham that ne docs against
mC.
j have not gone mto the question 0l
the quality 81 iuc wafer lu tnls article
for the reason THAT / am satisfied ID
leave that question % ihc people also.
u need he. ii Nr. Gilbert had used
hah tho energy that hc displays ia
lighting the Hydraulic Company. IN
honestly trying 10 settle the water cues
ton and give Grand Rapids complete
and adequate water system and supply,
and settle the competition winch now
exists IN supplying the city, / bClcve
that the matter could have been closed
up two years ago.
The fact ls, as | understand il. that
the clty water people today claim that
II has an adequate and complete sys-
tenn; that Il does not need any more
money, and that the water Is all right.
The large number Of consumers which
the Hydraulic Company has taken of
the cIty's pipes have come 30 tht iy-
dfauhc Company FOR the reason
that they get better water and better
pressure, and il was with a view 0f
offering the entire city the same benefit
of better water and better pressure,
and removing competition either bv
selling % the city or buying the city
works and settling the water question
ID "A fair and reasonable manner. that
the Hydraulic Company has made the
offer, winch are now before Che public.
j he offers are made in good faith. bat
they are not treated by Mr.. Gilbert u
good faith. The Common Council COM
mittee has treated them In good taIth
and Their report speaks for itself and
covers many of the points which have
mentioned IN tins article.
Mr.. Gilbert occupies a most ungeneT-
Gus position towards us Ia this matter,
when the fact appears that we are try
ing our best 10 settle the water cues
ton on a reasonable basis and pay the
city every dollar that We can afford 10
and hive, while Mr.. Gilbert for his gas
company has Just received from the
city thirty years ordinance and
charter, winch, as one of the most
prominent business men Of tins city in-
formed us within a week, is worth 20
them from 500, 900 10 $4,000. Mr..
Gilbert seems 10 proceed upon the
theory that whatever he wants iu the
city be should have without question
free, and that when on a reasonable
basis We desire TO make deal and pay
for what we get we. should not he
treated with even far c0nsdcrat on
from hun J gardng our intentions and
offers.
One Of the best evidences 10 me that
Mr.. GIlbert's present attitude is goy-
crned 10y his personal prejudice Is the
fact thas when Geo. n. Norman was
here from Boston 10 l6sG figuring on
huvlng the city water works Mr.. Gllbct
arranged 10 JON and help him n the
matter.
Mr. Gilbert, with all bis laborcd argu-
ment, propose uo feasible or honest
| solution Of tho water question for
Grand Rapids with respect 10 the rights
| Of citizens and investors.
NJ. Il. Crow.