The Red Cloud chief., 1896-07-24
The Il. n NJ. WAFER Contract.

administration as mayor Of the city.
As to the motives that prompted the
attack, and its character, I am not
prepared to say. But the people Of
this city are Interested in the truth,
which Gems To me to have been pur-
posely disguised in the Belt article.
Sometime after my assumption Of
office, duplicate contracts for furnish.
ing water to the railroad
were handed me for my signature.
The matter was laid before the coun.
Gil, which took no action upon them
other than referring them either to
myself or Mr.. Gillian, for his advice.
The Belt says l did not vote on the
question. There was no question for
me to vote upon. l could only vote
in case Of a tie, and there was no tie
on the part of the council-no nc.
ton Of any kind.
Upon investigation it was found
that a previous council had agreed
to furnish the railroad company with
water at FIVE ceuts per thousand gal.
Ions, until the company had received
$llOo worth of water, or thereabout
in payment of an extension of the
mains, which the company had fur.
nished. The company had given the
city credit for something like =
for the preceding three years. The
original Contracts were drawn for
three years, AID the three years had
exp red. The contracts handed me
we're combinations Of the original
contracts. Upon advising with MIR.
Gillian, he teId me the original con.
tracts we're illegal, and persuaded me
rot to sign the new ones, as l remem.
Der, so that nothing was ever done
about the contracts.
The Belt says I ought to have
known hsw much water was taken BY
the company. A word as to that: In
the first place, if the city owed the
company anything, it owed it some.
thing over six hundred dollars-which
would take several years to pay-so
that neither the council or myself saw
any possible revenue from that source.
Again, on account Of ignorance as
10 the details Of the water business.
was thought best to continue in
office the old water commissioner, Mr..
Pond, he aftsrward resigning. NJ. B.
McNitt was appointed, who served nm.
he moved to Texas. l think it
was Mr.. McNitt who Informed US that
the water was all right, but the com.
pany was using but a small amount Of
10 er, which made the credit for water
so little.
After McNitt's removal, Mr. Aultz
was appointed. The only knowledge
either the council or myself
could have vas obtained from the
water commissioner. He is the re-
sponsible officer. | have no desire to
ref .ct on either Of these gentlemen.
| know that Mr.. McNi,t mean to do
duty faithfully, but il requires
some experience fer a water commits.
to perfect himself in all mat
connected with the system. The
man in the city of previous cxper-
Mr.. Pond, had refused to
serve,
Now let me say in conclusion that
the city has lost nothing and can lose
nothing by the circumstance; because
the city, if it furnishes water at all to
the company, must d. it under the old
contract, aud by the terms of that con.
tract the city is still in debt to the
company. Had the amount furnished
been large the council might have tax
en- action in accordance with u after.
ney's advice, but the amount seemed
too small to justify a quarrel with
the company and engender any Ill.
feeling. The members of the ceun.
Gil will verify the foregoing state.
l have also asked Mr.. Gil.
ham to write what he knows of the
and enclose his statement.
Very respectfully,
NJ. II. BENTLEY.
Red Cloud, July 90, 1896.
EDITOR CHIEF-Dear Sir: The
which the b. 4 NJ. company
desired signed by the city last year
we're before the council once or twice
md they were brought to my Office. I
that they be not signed. Sub
'equently, as | recall it, Mr.. Bentley
mt a letter from Mr.. Calvert,
superintendent, and asked me
% answer il. wrote Mr.. Calvert that
he mayor and council, acting on my
IdutNa mnnlA ma ,,-. "