The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-09-12
wATERwoRKs.
A Large and Enthusiastic Meeting held In
the Opera House.-The Question
Thoroughly Discussed.


A large and enthusiastic meeting was
held in the opera house Friday evening,
to hear what might be said for and
against establishing waterwOrks in this
place. The meeting was called to order
by Mayor Couch, after which he stated
the object and why the city fathers had
ordered a speciUl election to vote upon
the question.
Civil Engineer Gerrish and ex-Judge
Steele, of 0berlin, were, uponinvitation,
present and had seats upon the stage.
After the mayor had closed his speech,
Mr.. Gerrish was introduced. He re-
hearsed the history Of number of plants
in this vicinity, in other states and for
eign countries, but more especially re-
ferred to the works at 0berlin, where he
was directly interested. He said that we
were favored with first class site for a
reservoir at point about four miles
south, which had fall Of fiftytwO feet
to the center of the town, and he would
contract to build the reservoir, pumping
station, lay four miles of pipe inside the
corporation and furnish all the material
for $4,000.
c. W. Horr was then invited to the
stand. He took the ground that it was
bad policy just at present to plunge the
town into debt, and the town was really
too small to expect anything of the kind
in the way Of waterwOrks. They really
serve the rich and not the poor. 1t was
not needed as a fire protection and a
number of other reasons why they should
not be built.
He was followed by Judge Steele, who
gave history of the works at 0berlin, as
he was instrumental in getting them es-
tablished. He said that when the second
election was held for an increase Of the
bonded debt, to extend the pipes, ETC., the
vote was almost unanimous. He said
that no town that had them would vote
to do away with them.
| Quite a good deal Of cross firing was
indulged in by Messrs. HOrr, Wean, Ed
ward West, S. K. LaundOn, +. W. Ben
nett and the speaker. 1t was then II
o'clock and upon motion of j. II. Dick.
son the meeting adjourned until Monday
evening.
Since the call was made for an election
there has been considerable discussion Of
the subject on the street, but everyone
desired to wait until the civil engineer
could be heard from in order to enable
them to speak little more intelligently
upon the subject.
There appears to be but little Opposi
tiOn to the water works, except that il
would burden us with heavy debt.
The grand total of the levies in 1889;
was .0245; in 1893, .O255; in 1894 it il
.0265. 1t is expected that the bonds viii
be run on the ten-twenty or fifteen-thirty
plan, viz, the first bond will not be re
deemed for ten years on the first plan
and the second not until fifteen years
and the last will fall due in eithe
twenty or thirty years. The interes
will have to be paid annually on tn
whole, which will amount to less thai
$1,000, on the offers already made on tn
bonds. The town will reserve the righ
to redeem all of the bonds after the frs
falls due, on either plan. 1t is not ex
pected that the works, If established
will be a source Of revenue for five year
at least, as the earnings are usual
placed to the improvement fund, but il
order to not increase the levy, it is pre-
posed to do away with the levies for tn
sewers and part for road for fey
years, which would about meet the in
terest due on the waterwOrks bonds unit
the revenue becomes sufficient to liqui
TIA Ot bllo lnbcl6hO Ou Ull6 DUuuos IL blli
plan is carried out the present levies vii
not be increased any, and we will hay
the benefit Of the works, and paynothin
additional until the first bond falls du
under either plan. We have $1,000 Z
J street improvement bonds, of which $10O
is redeemed annually, and interest o
the whole, and $500 Of school debt, col
tracted when the heating apparatus wa
placed in the school house, which is a
. the Indebtedness Of the school district {
town. With the levy for 1894, the schOC
debt will be paid and three street bond
! redeemed.
The adjourned meeting was called
order by Mayor Couch, Monday evening
: Hon. ]. H. Dickson was the first speake
He argued that waterworks was nece
sity, and the town was now large enoug
and possessed Of sufficient earthly posse
siOns to have improvements Of this kin,
i and stood ready and willing to do h
| part to aid in the enterprise. His spees
7 met with hearty approval.
. 0. P. Chapman, e. +. Webster, DR..
W. Houghton and Hon. J. I. Haske
made strong appeals for waterworks.