The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-09
WOULD NOT ACCEPT tt
Prssident Phslps' Oder Rsjsotsd
By the Council.
AN INDEPENDENT PLANT
It u 3lthar That or Mr.. Pholps leust
Come Down In His Price.
There Was No Op-
position.

Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Great Falls. June. S.-The city council
held an Informal meeting this evening
at which were present Aldermen wads-
worth. Grills. Jarl. Schmidt. Roberts and
Mcdonnell. The mayo presided. The
object Of the meeting was to discuss the
omer made by President Phelps Of the
water company to throw OF $l5. 900 on
the price Of the plant and sell to the city
for 500. 900.
Inere was a general discussion Of
the matter. which opened by Q state
ment from Alderman Grills that the
price was still outrageously high. This
was endorsed heartily by Wadsworth.
VINO added that . new plant would have
all or Its mains on grade and the cost
OF lowering the old mains whenever q
street or a avenue was graded would be
avoided A new plant would be thor
ougnIy up to date and calculated to sup
ply the needs of the city for all time to
come, and not built with an idea to SELL
ing out at huge profits, which had been
the IDEA or the present plant with both
It's f1rst and Its last owners. He hoped
the outcome would be the appointment
OF a committee which should have as its
duty the drawing Of a report rejecting
the oner and at the same time correct
ing some of the many malicious state
ments made in the local papers as to
the status of the water question.
The latter called the attention of the
council to the fact that IL they should
purchase the existing plant 1t would be
necessary at once to erect a standpipe
and a filter costing from $40, 900 to $780,
900.
Alderman Mcdonnell said that last
winter he had been in favor of seriously
considering any offer made by the conn
pany which should fall below $500, 900.
At that time the three Great Falls pa
pers had been opposed to the council
and he was in doubt as to whether they
did not have considerable influence with
the people. Since that time an election
had been held which had shown con
clusively the influence of the three pa
pers OF Great Falls on the water ques-
fion didn't u with the people. The
people a particularly voted in favor
OF independent construction and they
would now vote bonds for that purpose
by W to one. and perhaps a larger
majority. At the same time, IL the old
plant could be purchased at a reason
able figure. he would like to see it done
and protect the innocent bondhoIders.
Alderman Roberts thought that the
oSeeih6 a 6iCdt ucdl Tie WOTst
or 1t IL they got the plant al $340, 900,
but he was willing to pay 1915, 900 for
the sake Of settling the fight. The
mayor made another suggestion to the
effect that when, in the course of the
city's growth, it became necessary to
use a steam fire engine, all of the pres
emit fire plugs would be useless and have
to be replaced.
Alderman Schmidt came out fat-foot-
ed with h statement that the building
OF a new plant was preferable to buy |
Ing the old one, but he was willing to
give the company another nance to re-
wise its figures and to abide by the
OF the majority of the coun-
ell.
Alderman Wadsworth then moved
that a committee be appointed to draw
up a report of the meeting, embodying
N it a rejection Of the last offer to sell
at 100000. and the statement tina
{ would not pay such a price. the report
10 be presented to the council in the
Of the whole at 1880 next
Monday evening. Schmidt presented an
amendment to the effect that the coun-
I'll would not exceed $3.50. 900 in any Of
This amendment was not sup
and the original motion car
led. The mayor then appointed the
members of the old special water COM
nittee to serve on this, Mcdonnell,
and Grills, and the coun-
I'll then adjourned.