Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-09-13
MANY DIFFERENT OPINIONS
Are Expressed as to Methods of Pro-
cedure and Value Of the City
Water Works,
All Are Agreed That the City Should
Own Its Own Plant in Some
Way or Other.

Ihere vas a pretty good attendance
laet night at the citizens meeting called
to advise the council with reference to
the feeling Of the people on the water
questions. There was every variety OF
opinion expressed, from that of one
speaker who thought the peoples minds
were in too disturbed a state to vote on
any important question at this time, and
advocated delaying the matter till moro
brotherly love and concord existed, to
that expressed by another that the city
ought to build a plant of It's own and
furnish water free OF cost to all who
needed it at the expense of the taxpay-
ers. There were just two points on
which the sentiments of the speakers
seemed to be fairly unanimous and these
were that the city should get control
of the city water works as
soon as possible and that the
price asked by the company was moro
than they wanted to pay. AS an aid T.
the aldermen in feeling the public pU'
it can hardly be said to have been a
great success beyond bringing out the
fact that the people wanted the com
pany's plant but didn't want to pay the
company's price, and didn't know what
they did want to pay. incidentally a
good deal of personal feeling cropped
out, although nearly every speaker pro-
fesEed Il desire to deal fairly and even
generously with the vested interests rep-
resented by tine present company.
Alderman Mitchell presided over the
meeting and made a lucid and clear adj
dress, setting forth the objects of the
meeting, and then called for remarks on
the question. Responses being backward
he called on K, S. Ford.
Mr.. Ford said he came there more for
information than to speak. AS far as
be was concerned he was opposed to the
purchase of the water plant, especially
at the valuation OF the company. This
city was in debt enough now. There
was little eastern money coming into the
city for the last three years, and increas.
ing the debt had a tendency to keep it
away. 1t was true that the community
was Low paying tribute to the company
on Il basis OF a 100000 valuation for
their plant, but he die not think it was
worth it. Besides, he thought that if
the city did want to buy it it was going
at it the wrong way. they should hire
two good lawyers and commence con-
demnation proceedings.
O. f. Wadsworth, being called upon
by the char, said that he was not very
familiar with the question. He thought
that while Mr.. Phelps might be able to
make 6 per cent on his valuation of the
plant the city would probably get less
income and have larger operating eX-
penees. He favored the city owning it's
own water plant, but thought the price
asked by the company too high.
Ira Myers being called on said he felt
at Il disadvantage il speaking on the
question, as he was the original pro-
moter Of the water works, and the story
had been circulated that he had some
grievance again. Phelps. This was
false. lie had No complaint whatever to
make against his treatment by that gen
tleman. lie favored the purchase Of tho
plant by the city, but regarded the price
as being entirely too high.
Charles Wegner one OF the council
which granted the original franchise was
strongly in favor OF purchasing the pres
emit plant and doing it at once. H0
thought the rates charged low enough,
So ceu;s a month for 3 three room house,
or about 3 cents Il day. The value of
the plant wac constantly increasing. II
might have been purchased two years
ago for n price that anyone was willing
to pay now If it WAS not secured now
it would be worth still more neyt year,
and before ten years lis value would DO
a million.
f.. ID. Joscelyn favored the purchase Of
tho plan: but thought about 8210,OoO
was enough to pay, and that lawyers
should be employed to test the con
s~titutionality OF the law passed last
winter on the euhject Of water plants.
John Bridges said he waa opposed to
buying back & franchise which the city
had given away for nothing for so large
a sum.
4. G, Phelps s0il that the water com
pany was not coming forward with q
proposition to sell, but had merely fixed
a price in response to a request from the
council. That price was based on the
earning capacity OF the plant. 1T was on
this basis that he purchased the water
works. 1t is on this basis that all con
~eervative investments of capital are
made, and it ia on this basis that the
courts would ascertain the value Of a
property on condemnation proceedings.
| don't believe there is II man in this
city who would recognize the price he
paid for his property Blk or sovon years
ago as being any fair basis
on which TO fix tho selling price today.
If Marcus DAILY should locate a big
plant in Great Falls and double the
population OF the city next year, doub-
ling the receipts of the company would
regard a fair price for the water works to
be double what we have now asked. My
proposition was simply to trade places
With the city, giving them the receipts
of the company, which would enable
them to pay the company the interest
on the price asked, pay all the present
operating expenses of the company, and
have $1,000 per year left besides any in
crease 10 profits in the future. This
seems to me a reasonable proposition.
The people will pay no more than they
do now and the city will have $4,000 left