Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-02-15
city Attorney Largent Makes Some
Sensational Charles as Com
ing from Ira Myers.
farls Gibson Replies in Some yiyor-
1Is Saxon That Cannot Be
misunderstood.
1he Watfr Question Discussea--presi
dent Phelps Makes Il propo-
siti0n.

SESSION, Aid. Williams, president of the
council, occupying the mayors chair in
ms absence, and d full board being pres
ent.
a communication from f. p. Akin
son relating to the payment of a balance
due Mckay Bros. on a W contract
and assigned to him was referred to the
CITY engineer and the committee on
streets.
An application from B. w. Monroe to
be appointed city horse herder was re-
lerfed To he ways and means committee.
City Attorney Largeut reported two
bills, prepared at the request of the leg
lslatIve comnittee, and both were an
proved and ordered semi TO our repre-
eentatives at Helena with a request that
they use their best efforts to have them
passed. The first referred to the matter
oil county licenses, and provided that
they should De divided as follows: 40
per cent to the county, % per cent to
state, and 35 per cent to the city in
which they were collected. The bill, it
was stated, if passed would add
about $1,000 to the revenue at present
received by Great Falls. The second bill
contained provisions authorizing cities
OF the first class to bond for 7 per cent,
cities OF the second class for 6 per cent,
and towns 1 per cent Of their assessed
valuation in addition to the constitu.
t'onal limit of 3per cent, for the pur
pose of owning and operating their own
water plants and for building sewers.
This latter bill brought on a dis
cussion of the water question and
l." G. Phelps, president of the water
company, who was present, was invited
to address the council. Mr.. PHELPS
that in view of the fact that it ap-
peared that the city council was dis
posed to drop the pending litigation be-
tween the water company and the city
desired to meet the council moro
than half way. He was prepared to say
that If the city and company could be
brought into pleasant ana amlcable rela,
such as existed prior to the pend
ing litigation, he would agree TO build
All the extensions Of the water mains
asked for by the council during the
year 1888, and he would donate to them
hydrant rentals Of such mains until
he taxes of 1885 came in, which would
ave the city a sum twice as large as
What the litigation already entered into
would cost, thus saving the city from
loss in the matter of legal fees in
'urred go Tar. He was further prepared
o say that if the agitation against the
company was dropped and he could be-
that there would be no further
rouble between the city and the COM
he would at once proceed to build
arge reservoirs on the highlands east
md west OF the city that would increase
he ire pressure far beyond the REQ ulre-
nents Of the ordinance, and
hat would, according to the
of the Pacific Insurance
BOARD reduce the insurance pramiums 10
'er cent, resulting in a saving to the
axpayers ot this city of about $4,000
'er annum, or about two-thirds of the
resent hydrant rental.
Paris Gibson said that he appeared
'efore the council in consequence of
ublished remarks of the city attorney
nd some of the aldermen in relation to
petition presented at the last meet
ag, asking to have the question of pur
haslng the water works submitted to a
GARD OF arbitration. He regretted not
eing present when it was presented.
le felt that it would be a mistake to 20
ito long and expensive litigation, which I
last many years, and would prob l
ply result in arbitration in the end, s
hen the water company was willing to l
Fbltrate in the beginning. AS the result d
rived at must be submitted to a vote
the people for ratification he could
Ut see how the city's interest was
nperllled in any way. He hoped the
would reconsider their action on a
le petition. The city attorney was :,
,ported to have said that the petition g
as uncourteous. 1t was not so Intended. c
City Attorney I.argent said there was C
to arbitrate, Mr.. Phelps had :,
fused to sell. y
Mr.. Phelps interrupted by denying the e
lie bad stated publicly two -
'ars ago at a meeting of the citizens It
at he was willing to sell at any time II
. people wanted TO purchase under the Z
DIVISIONS of the ordinance, and the C.
Ter was good as long as he was presi- l
mt of the company. There was a dis s.
lctlon between wanting to sell and II
ing willing to sell. He did not pre- al
nd the first was true. The latter was o
Ie. lC
Mr.. Largent then reviewed the steps q
which the city had been led into the "
esent litigation, and said that it made
m angry to find the same men who
ged the employment of Messrs. Shores
d Veaze. when he was quite willing to ell
ut the case alone, now advocating ar 81
tration and throwing away all the S
DOT they had had in preparing the ri
against the company. 1t looked e
though there we're facts in relation IL
the original granting of the fran tt
Use that come people we're afraid r
coming to the public. Mr.. Ira Myers &C
d told him facts that led him to be- Asc
We this was true. lis
Mr. Gibson said that the water fran ci
icn x-, - ,rn~A.I =. I,o,l rl.-JA