The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-24
ATHENS WATER WORKS.
The superintendent Refuses to Sup
ply the City or Individuals.

I
ply the City or Individuals.
( ATHENS, GA, Feb. 22-The citizens OF
( Athens are very indignant over the action
/ Of Mr.. Howell, president of the Athens
/ Water Works Company. The council has
received official notice from him that after
I March ! no water will be furnished either
to the city Of Athens or any citizen therein
through their mains. The council and citi-
zsas seem 10 think that his action was
prompted by mere spite and not by any gain
that would accrue either to himself or his
company.
Mr.. Howelrs company has been furnish
ing the city with water and had the exclus-
i've franchise for q certain number OF years,
provided be would furnish an ample supply
Of water, a certain pressure aud pure water.
A u Of this, iJ is alleged. he failed 70 do, and
after being notified repeatedly by the cOun-
Gil concerning the same, the city declared
that she was no longer bound by the con-
tract and voted bonds for the construction
of a new system. Since that time MIR. How
ell, il seems, has done everything in his
power to aggravate the city officials he
first ATTACKED the validity of the bonds,
which the court held were illegally voted.
Another election was then called and bonds
were again voted.
He then made his second attack upon
them, but this time they we're held to be
valid. Now he has cut of the water
supply. The city authorities, however,
were prompt to act about the matter. To-
day a meeting Of the council was called,
and j. ". Barnett, the city engineer, sub
mltted plan to them by which to supply
the city temporarily with "a sufficient
amount of water for fire protection, for
flushing the sewers, and for private COLI
sumers who live In the business portion of
the city where the well water is contami-
mated.
The expense for the construction of this
temporary system will be very little more
than the rent which is being paid to Mr..
Howel.s' company, and 1t will serve the
city until tue new system is completed,
which will be about the last Of July.
THE STORY OF THE BONDS
ATHENS, Ga, Feb. %, II P. M-Again
the Athens City Water Works Company
presents a new feature to the public. After
after all it seams that Mr..
Howell's company is not 30 suffer by the
erection of a new system of works by the
company, but that the loss will, most
likely, fall upon tae Farmers Loan and
Trust Company of New York On Jan. ],
1891 the water works company were mort
gagged for Sl2500O 70 the Farmers Loan
and Trust Company. The bonds under the
mortgage are per cent. gold bearing
bonds and secured by a first lien on
the real and personal property of the COM
pany. Up TO January, 1898, the interest
was paid promptly but since that date tn q
company has defaulted in the interest The
property of the Athens Water Works Com =
pany is assessed by the city at 10000, but
when the new system OF works are COM
pleted the property will be almost worth
less. The bondholders have employed
Messrs. Erwin and Cobb of this city to look
after their interests. They are ANXIOUS to
know where they stand in the matter. The
disclosure OF these bonds throws light upon
what has been great mystery. One of the
conditions of the agreement between Mr.
Howell's company and the Farmers Loan
and Trust Company was that upon the first
default the property at Athens was to be
forfeited. Mr. Howell did not allow the
property to be forfeited until it was worth
less. Tho city has repeatedly offered Mr..
Howell 100000 for the works and he has
always refused it, at the same time knowing
that the city would vote bonds for a new
system and ruin his own. His
utter indifference is now explained
since it is known that ha
has already reaped $l25 900 out of the
works aud has left them wrecked upon the
hands OF innocent investors. The bond
holders were thunderstruck when they
learned yesterday OF the condition of the
property, never suspectinR but that their
investment was good and the security gilt
edged.