The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-26

Fitzgerald and myself. aldermen. at
tended IT. Among other municipal
measures passed by that body was one
repeating the obnoxious md. to our
minds. iniquitous features OF The Reo-
nett act. The council of Great Falls
deemed the passage of that bill so i'm
portant that it sent Clark and myself
back to Helena to remain during the
legislative session and lobby for ID ana
TO obstruct the Vaccinations of Phelps
and his lobby. In spite of the opposl-
ton of his strong lobby we had suff-
cient friends in the legislature to Sc
cure the passage Of our bin in all of
its material points.
Getting mt the Question.
In May, 1897, on the suggestion of the
council. the mayor appointed a Joint
committee of citizens and aldermen 20
make certain Investigations. The COM
mittee was made up as follows: r. :.
Ford, Andrew ]. Rinker and John
y. Bridges, citizens: .. +. wadsworth.
j. j. Mcdonnell and G. o.. Jarl from the
council. They were instructed TO in
vestigate and report on the following
subjects:
First. The cost. character. capacity
and condition of the existing plant and
its present value
Second. The amount of bonus, IL
any. which should be added to its ac-
tual value and constitute the purchase
price.
Third. The a~dvisability of purchase
at the price determined by the two
above considerations.
Fourth. The question of independent
construction.
The report of that committee was
printed in full in the Standard of Oct.
J. 1897. 1t set the maximum price at
$4,000. The council offered hat sum
TO the water company and il was re-
fused. He made a counter offer very
indefinite in its nature, which was
printed i'm the Standard between Dec.
20 and 81, 1897. He later reduced 1t 10
figures, making it Sac. 900. This was
referred to the joint committee. which
again made a report Feb. IS, 1898. rec
ommending Independent construction.
Election in " hich 1t Was IAN Issue.
1t was a partial issue in the election
of 1895. but as all parties favored Il
there was no great controversy on that
point.
1t became a live issue in 1896 and
four aldermen pledged not to pay $780,
600 for the plant were elected. There
was no election of other city officers
n the o were elected on a fusion
between democrats and pops.
The same conditions prevailed in
1897 election. The fusion platform de-
clarCd for: First, municipal ownership:
second, purchase of existing plant at
a reasonable price. Four aldermen and
the mayor were elected on this ques-
ton alone.
II is the issue in the present election
and is to take the form of an indorse-
ment of the acts of the present council,
including the movement for independ-
ant construction. T.
Great Falls. June %, 1898.
Since the second and ina report Of
the special water committee, made on
2S, and which in effect recon-
the construction by the city of
Independent plant, the work of the
council has been almost entirely along
hat line. A committee was appointed
at that time to investigate and report
IN possible sources of supply for the
plant, and while it has done a large
amount Of work it has been unable
Inder the circumstance to make any
inal report.
The council while sitting as the COM
ntttee of the whole on. May %. decid-
that \ was necessary to at once hold
an election TO authorize the issue Of
for water purposes. the amount
left to a special committee to de-
That committee reported un
8 that the cost of such new plant.
AN'tl'NN wa " lANtI anu a
tand pipe, would be ;254,-
90 n recommended that the
axpayers be asked to author
re an issue of $3.50 900 in bonds. The
eport was adopted. At the same
the president of the water
ompany, through Alderman Jarl. in
mated that he was willing to make
further reduction in the price of the I
the company's last offer to that
ate having been S441 600 The counpiI
through the city clerk made reply that
/ would consider any definite offer
by the company which was a re-
.uction in the former price.
The following evening the president
( the company, l.. g. Phelps. met the
ouncil informally, and the offer to sell
he existing plant for $780, 900 was
1ade. This offer was referred to A
composed of Aldermen
|adsworth, Mcdonnell and Grl,ls, which {
at the next meeting of the T,
ouncil, June 10. rejecting the offer and }
ding into a comparison of the cost n
new plant and that Of the old at the
Of a period Of 10 years. The re- /,
was published in full in the Stand F.!
rd at the time. The council then pro- !
with it's measures for an indie !
endent plant, and on June 20 an ordi- |
ance providing for an election at !
.hich the issuance of $3.50, 900 in bonds !
pr the purpose of erecting water
would be submitted to the lax
ayers passed its first reading. !
The last step in the matter was re- ]
orted last night, the offer of the COM ,
any to sell at 1876, 900. No action has !
5 yet been taken on this. /
Chamberlain's Pain Balm has no =
Iual as a household liniament. II is