Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1890-03-14
AQUA PURA
Is What the People Want for
Fire Protection and Use
ON the Side.
A Lively and lntresting Discus
sion of the Water Question at
the Council Meeting.
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.

CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
An Interesting Meeting ai Which thewaier
Question Is Discussed.
IL being announced that at the
meeting Of the city council last night
the question of adopting q system OF
public water supply would receive at
tention, the council chamber was
crowded TO its utmost capacity by citi-
gems aud Taxpayers who were inter-
ested In the mstter. The roll call of
the city clerk found all members of
the council present except Mayor
Redd. Aid. Campbell tbereupon took
the chair a. president Of the council
aud proceedings commenced. After
the reading of the minutes Of the last
meeting, AID. Truscott moved, In
view OF the large attendance IF citi-
gems who were present to discuss the
water question, that the regular order
Of business be suspended and that the
proposition Of the Miles Cit Electric
Light and Water Company be taken
up. This motion prevailing. the clerk
was instructed to read the proposition
referred to. Most of our readers are
familiar with the terms and conditions
Of this document, hut for the Informal
tion of those who are net, we will say
in brief that the company propose to
put In and operate q limited water
supply system for the protection of the
business centre from fire, involving
the laying of about one mile OF mains
and the maintaining of l3 fire
hydrants for the yearly rental OF
81, 500. The system to he adequate TO
any extension desired during fifteen
years. for which period q contrsct ia
asked. The proposition also provides
for the supplying Of additional fire
hydIants whenever extensions Of the
system are made, at reduced prices
from the price charged for the first
thirteen. At the conclusion of the
reading Of the proposition, Aid.
Campbell requested those present TO
express themselves freely O, TO the
merits or dement's Of the proposed
plan. Cap'. Harmon was first called
upon and said that o. o citizen and
taxpayer he was fully in accord with
the movement and felt tha. the adop-
ito, Of the plan proposed was an ur-
gent necessity. He referred to the
precsrious condition in which the city
now was, with no fire protection for
its elegant business blocks. which II
destroyed by fire would not be vebuilt
for many years. He called attention
also to the fact that the best Insurance
companies We're pulling out Of the
town and cancelliDg their risks, for
the solo aud only reason that we were
without fire protection; the coDse-
quence would be that In short time,
II we did nothing toward securing
this protection. that we would have no
insurance except In wildcat compau.
les, which are worse than none at all.
Granting that the peoTle we're poor
and under heavy taxation, he still be-
lieved 1t to be the best policy to pay q
little more and get good system Of
fire protection.
Aid. Bach thought that the citizens
could well afford to pay the little ad-
ditional tax that would be imposed
upon them for this improvement, in
view of the benefit 10 be derived. He
thought the additional cost to en-
heavy taxpayers would not exceed s2
per m ontb and he had paid rs high as
81 per month for a night watcbmsn to
guard against fire.
Mr.. Seyde being called npon, said
that the article in yesterdays YELL
LowsToNE JOURNAL on the subject,
expressed his views exactly and that
there was very little to add. except
that he was heartily In favor Of water.
works such ~ were proposed.
Mr.. BasinskI was not altogether OPP
posed to the waterworks idea. but
thought the plant proposed . cheap
one and not able TO give the service
that the city ought to receive for the
amount Of money to be paid. He did
not think such . plant would encour.
age good insurance companies that
had pulled out, 10 return. He was
doubtful also - to the quality Of water
TO bs furnished and thought 10 would
be better " the supply was taken di.
rect from the river. 10 might b ex-
pensive for the company 70 do this bot
ct the prices named they would derive
. great benefit.
Aid. Trusoott - . taxpayer, VA
very much In favor OF the wstsrworks.
II ths plant was noe % costly - Mr..
Basluekl thOueht It Ought 20 BE-. he