Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-08-30
Our Water Supply.

few feet of dirty, sinking, filthy water
therein, wholly unfit for use aud insult
ficient in quantity to supply the people
of said borough, and that said water
company have in a manner no supply OF
water for fire protection, aud IN the op-
inion of your committee have not had for
months, but violated their contract with
the borough in this regard and have been
rendering bills for such protection with
out furnishing said water protection, and
the pretense Of said water company TO be
furnishing such water supply is IN our
opinion q fraud upon the tax payers OF
this borough.
2nd. We further report that said
Water Company has not and is not now
furnishing water for flushing sewers as
per contract and there is not sufficient
pressure, and that part of the time water
is shut off altogether from sewers as well
as consumers, and also that the quality of
the water is such that it is scarcely fit to
flush the sewers with.
3rd. We also examined the creek
from which said company gets its water
supply and find il in Ia dirty, filthy con-
dition with not sufficient water therein
to supply the town and its people.
The creek bottom is for several miles
above the place where said company gets
its water. muddy, swamPy and in warm
weather and during low water wholly an
unfit place to pump water from for domes-
tic use.
4th. We also find the place where
said company pumps its water from TO
be a hole in the ground few feet from
the Connoquenes.ing creek walled up
with stone into which the water runs
from the creek which hole is filled up
several feet with mud, filth aud dirt,
and C. ere seems to be no measures TAX
en- to clean the same other than when it
accumlates and when there is sufficient
water to thin it the pumps would keep
lifting it with the water and conveying
il into the reservoir thence through its
mains and pipes to the consumers. We
are also of the opinion that the borough
of Butler and the people therein are pay
ing at least one-hslf too much for water
from said company, and that the borough
of Butler should no longer pay said COM
pany the full contract price, but should
either declare the contract broken on
part of said company, or require 1t to
refund and return the money drawn by
it for the time it has failed to furnish
water for fire protection and sewer pur-
poses.
5th. We also report that the Butler
Water Company is Incorporated Gnder
the act of the 29th Of April, 1874, Z. l..
page 652, and we are of opinion that
said company has SO acted in violation
of its charter and the laws of this Com
that it has forfeited its ex-
elusive rights under its chsrter, and the
borough should take such steps as it may
deem most expedient to supply water at
least for flushing sewers and fire protec-
tion.
9th. That said company certainly has
its charter to such an extent
that proceeding in quo Tarranto, if
properly instituted and prosecuted, would
be one remedy to wind up said company
and forfeit its franchise to the State, as
it certainly has earned and divided at least
eight per cent in dividends among its
stockholders for five years or at least
should have done So
7th. In the opinion of your commit
tee the borough should not permit itself
to be robbed in this msnuer; neither
should its citizens. That under the law
the people as well as the borough have
the right to go into court and have the
court fix the rate and price of water.
8th. This company under its charter
is bound to furnish at all times a suti-
cient supply of pure water, which it is
not now doing and never has done 80
in our opinion. We therefore recon-
mend that the citizens be consulted and
that proper papers with proofs be pre-
pared for instituting quo warranto pro-
ceedngs to forfeit said franchise and
charter to the State, and that their return
be examined and Investigated, and that
all necessary steps be taken to forfeit said
franchise, and in the meantime that a
petition be prepared for the people using
said water to sign to the court to fix the
price for the same pending further pro-
ceedings.
The report was accepted after some dis
cussion, and council adjourned, having set
the following Tuesday for a special meet
ing of council and interested citizens to
consider what action should be taken.
The special meeting of Council, Tuesday
night, was we'll attended by colncilmen
and citizens. The rooms Of council were
found too small and adjournment was
made to Senaca Hall, when an enthusiastic
and determined body of men took action
on this most vital question.
After the reading of the report above
gwen, Walter L. Graham suggested that
pure water in abundant quantity could be
found within 3 miles Of Butler. He refer
red to the Thompson property east of town,
where he said the water was pure and
cold.
r. P Scott, who has given the matter
much study, thought pure water in suf-
ficient quantity could not be found nearer
than the Allegheny river. He thought
line to Emlenton, % miles distant,
would provide solution of the whole
question. Had prepared papers last year
for fighting company but let things go on,
the Water Company promising 10 reduce
rates. 1t was said the Company had taken
half million dollars out OF the town since
its incorporation.
A. g. Williams then took the floor, and
moved that the citizens assembled adopt
the report as read. 1t was also moved and
carried that a suitable petition to Court be
presented to the citizens for signature,
beginning with those present. The petit
tion was read and should be signed by all
of Buffers tax payers. 1t will be present
ed to Court on Monday by City Solicitor
Forquer
Clarence Walker wanted every man
present to pledge himself to stay in the
fight until the company is wiped out of
existence. He told of an Indiana town of
4, 900 inhabitants which has plant con-
sisting of drilled wells and pumping appa-
ratus, where the water is pure, cold and
abundant for every purpose, including fire
protection, and where although their rates
are considered high by themselves and
Others, they pay only two-thirds as much
for water as we do. Mr.. Walker said that
the Water Company had taken water from
the creek and shortened the supply of the
Standard Plate Glass Co. He thought the
citizens should do something in this mat
ter.
r. P. Scott objected to the citizens
fathering the troubles of the Glass Com
pany.
H. A. Tilton, of the Standard Plate
Glass Co., then spoke on the Importance
to the town of the Glass Co. and thought
the people should make fight for it also.
Robert Fowser, member of the Board
of Health, then told of the report of the
member of the State Board who was here
last summer. He said there WAS no ar
rangement whatsoever for flushing and
cleaning the mains of the Water Co.
w. A. Forquer said the town had a con-
tract with the Water Co. for fire protection
at 1867 per quarter He thought there
were two means of reliet. One was to in
stitute quo scarraHt0 proceedings against
the company This would, if successfully
carried through, annul their charter, but
it would take time. The second way is to
petition Court to adjust the rates, and en-
join the Water Co. to furnish sufficient
quantity of pure water The following at
tornies were then selected to assist Mr..
Forquer: r. P. Scott. Clarence Walker,
S. F. Bowser, T. G. Campbell and A. g..
Williams. The meeting then adjourned
sine die.
When You go TO the Fair
Next week, Sept. 4 i inclusive,
the ladies will add much to their