The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-14
SHE WANTS WATER
Helena Finds H,rsell in a Very kWk.
Wlrd Middle.
AT THE MERCY OF MONEY
The Scheme TO Dam the Missouri
River Has gain 1een Drag god
Out and This lime IL is TO Be
Pushed Right Along.
Special DISPATCH 70 tho standard.

Special Dispatch 10 the standard.
HELENA, NJ ,rcn ID For years tho water
question has been a serious one in this
city, but only recently were active hostill-
ties commenced between the city council
and the Consolidated Water company,
which has the cinch on the wafer trade of
the town. The Consolidated company is
q monopoly winch has the complete con-
troll of the present water supply OF prac-
tically the entire city. 1t is protected by
a long time franchise, and its rates, VIII ch
are liberal the cumpany-are es,ab-
lished by ordinance. Ii Inns at its head
men who are prominent aud powerful;
men who are i'm COOL financial circum-
stances, although the business of the COM
pany does not pay, according TO The state
ments of it's Off ers.
The trouble between the COMPANY and
the city council. began last January, when
the 5-year-coutract with the company for
wafer for municipal purposes expired.
Under that contract the city had been
paying for water for fire and sewerage
purposes about $500 each month. This
the council had long considered too high,
and to remedy matters, about three
months before the expiration of the con-
tract, IL advertised for bids. Whether or
not il was supposed some competing com
pany would spring up and IN some mirLc-
ulous manner put In n plant IN 90 days, or
whether IL was intended by advertising to
simply comply with an ord nance relating
TO contracts. il question that has never
been fully answered. In the first place Il
is contended the council made a IN stake
in the advertisement. Tue conncil was
practically unanimous in wanting n short
term contract. yet II advertised for bids
for water supply from one to 10 years.
The long term clause was introduced by
Alderman Morris, who all through the
trouble. has tried to serve both the water
company and the people.
The advertisement for bids was pub
lished in The two local papers and ono or
two others. and that done the council
waited for results. Strange To say, City
Clerk Carpenters mail was not increased
by bids. When the last day of the time
allowed for receiving bids arrived an OIL
cial of the Consolidated Wafer company
stepped into the clerks office and handed
him a sealed envelope. IL was n bid, and
the council's advertisement had not been
in vain.
A special meeting of the council was
called to consider the Consolidated Wa
ter company's bid. The company, instead
of reducing the rates, charged the city for
water for municipal purposes, slightly in-
creased II aud proposed a l0-year con-
tract. The council rejected the bid at
once. 1t was finally decided that as long
as the company had not submitted the
kind of a bid wanted, the council would
make it's own terms. Ii took several ses-
sions To arrive at this conclusion. A care-
full estimate was made of the water ac,u-
ally used 10y the city aud 10y meter rate
m al hpr Cprnoraftons ntnnuutaI
TO Sl7 per day allowing 10 per cent. inter-
est on the cost OF the hydrauts, as a
rental, and a sum aggregaung Si0J
month for the expense OF keeping up the
pressure IN The mains, which expense Is
practically nothing TO the company. The
price the city had been paying was about
$50 per day.
On he expiration of the contract, Jan.
20, the clIy offered the company the SI7
per day. The company promptly refused
IL and absolutely refused TO consider any
less amount than the rates named in tho
proposed new l0-ycar contract Further
more, the company threatened to shut off
the pressure in case the city would not
pay for the water used by il as provided
by the terms OF the contract, which had
received no consideration, although or
fered IN due form and in good fai,h.
The city went to the district court and
got a Temporary writ of Mandate TO COM
pei the company TO furnish wa or without
a contract. The application for a writ of
mandate was argued and the court finally
granted II.
The end is not yet. Tho prospects
for a big civil SUIT IN which the question
of what is a just rate for the city to pay
for the water used for fire and sewerage