The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1891-12-18
TO TAXPAYERS AND VOTERS.

EDITOR GAZETTE Il would like
to call the attention of voters and
taxpayers to the editorial COM
munication which appeared in your
paper last week on the subject of
some petitions to the council rela
tive to the water works and other
things.
l particularly wish to discuss
the first 'sRequest," which seems
to me to contain suggestions and
intimations, if not direct state
ments, which do not seem to me
10 be in harmony with the facts in
the case.
Being a citizen, voter and a
taxpayer, as soon as l had read
the article mentioned, which was
in the editorial columns of your
paper, I went to the president and
secretary of the water company,
showed them the article and asked
their version of the matter. From
the information which l obtained
from them, my own knowledge of
the condition of the water works
and from comments which have
been made by we'll advised and
representative citizens l am con-
vinced that the object of at least
the first "Request'' mentioned is
ill-advised and its statements can
not be verified.
The GAZETTE being a champion
of justice and having indicated
that the matter is open for discus
sion, you will pardon me if in crit
icising ''Request No. l." l am led
into severity of expression which
may possibly hurt somebody's feel
ings. If the feelings of the author
of "Request No. u are hurt, |
trust it will be seen that nothing
has been said which is not justified
by the fact that "Request No. 1, i"
if successful in its purpose, would
be to damage some good citizens.
affect their property interests and
be the means of melting the city
to violate its agreements and
break faith with those who in the
investment OF considerable capital
have relied on the city to abide
its compact.
The statement is made, or, il
the petition is signed and pre-
sented, will be made, that citizens
believe the water company's pipe
and works to be faultily construct
ed, and later on suggests employ
ing an expert to examine then
and report their condition.
asked the company about that
and was informed that some twt
blocks were laid with four-incf
pipe, connecting with six-incI
pipe, and that complaint has Beer
heard on that account. In orde
,, that no uncertainty might be fel
in the matter tests were properl..
made to the mutual satisfaction O
the city and the company lonI
, ago and the city has not beel
heard to complain of that matte
since. However, for the satisfac
ton of anyone concerned, the com
= pany has now in contemplate
! another connection of two-inc
pipe with the six-inch pipe belo,
the said four-inch pipe, which Wi
give a uniform six inch pressure a
all points below the place objecte
;, to.
' Competent experts from othe
places have examined the works
! pumps, tubs, power, connection
;, = and all parts of the works an
have repeatedly stated that the
are as good as any in the stat
- Just by way of comparison let m
u mention the support given to th
Fairhaven water company, whe
:, that city was no larger than Co
: wallis. Fifty hydrants at $50
y :; per month for city use and th
= y city furnished its own hydrants,
g boot; whereas, Corvallis first agree
= - to use three at $500 per montl
10 and has since increased the nun
= Der to nine hydrants and seve
~ eisterns. In all fairness, is it ju
and right to demand absolute pr
), lection to the city for this amour
: of patronage? No one will der
- :. that this or any other town ougl
:, to be properly protected from fir
- But to throw the responsibility
= the city's neglect on the wat
company's shoulders seems hard
:" fair. No one acquainted with I'll
facts will presume, | think, TO q
lege any violation of its contra
with the city on the part of Il
water company. The writer know
is something about that. At the fl
Y, in the lower end of town, when &
w old shed burned down about
N months or two years ago, it w
s. said that the water did not respol
to the call for If from the wat