The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-07
Perhaps to the Extent of
Twenty Thousand Dollars.
Kelseys Innocent Petition for Reimburse.
ment Opens the Door Wide for
Numberless Claims of a Similar
Nature--Large Amount Involved
If Claims are Well Established.

I have, therefore, made up the following
bill by charging the city for the service
| pipe and for the proportion OF labor
of the foreman and men which 30 feet
of three-quarter pipe bears to 2S6 feet
of one-inch service pipe"
Mr. Howe then annexes his receipted
bill from the city which amounts to
$71.03.
After that he submits a bill showing
what he feels the city owes him. This is
as follows:
268 feet / inch service pipe on Eu-
reka street taken by the city, SPAS.
To labor of foreman and men in lay
ing said pipe, $3O.9S.
Total, $6O.46
1t is possible that Mr.. Howe's COM
munication has caused all the trouble.
AS vet it has not been acted on by the
committee, but if it had not put in an
appearance the recommendation con-
corning Mr.. Kelsey might have passed.
Alderman Russell has seen the Howe
communication and it opens up wide
field to him. With his prophetic vision
he can see hundreds of these requests
coming in and he has figured up what
they win all amount to. He is fright
ened and he has succeeded in convinc-
ing some members of the city govern
ment that he has cause to be since the
meeting.
Mr.. Howe says: cat the time the city
agreed to lay this pipe was promised
that if the city or any other person
used the service, I should be reimbursed
for the expense attendant upon laying
the pipe In the street"
This little statement Alderman Rus
sell says must have been made because
Mr. Howe is misinformed. No such
statement could have been made to Mr.
Howe by any official of the water de-
partment in authority. Some member
of the water committee might have
made such remark to Mr.. Howe but
It will not stand for it is contrary to
every rule of the water department. No
pipes such as Mr.. Howe had put in
are ever laid except under the con-
ditions named.
1t is said that a number of other like
petitions for reimbursement are to fol-
| low, and what causes trouble is be-
cause it is rumored that the city has
already, thoughtlessly, reimbursed per-
| sons who We're in the same relation to
the city that Mr.. Kelsey and Mr.. Howe
are. 1t is stated on good authority
that there have been two such cases,
at least. and possibly three. This was
done when the water committee had
power to act previous to the adoption
| of the city charter. City officials are
aroused at this. They are afraid that
! this precedent has already been estab-
| lished, and that it will surely lead to
the city's being obliged to pay claims
without number. The anxiety comes
| for fear that Mr.. Russell has not
caught the matter in time.
| In some cases the city has put in
| larger mains in place of the pipes put
down at the expense of private indi-
| Viduals. In such event, the person
who put down the pipe is paid what
the old pipe is worth, but he gets no
! rebate from labor. The city consid-
ers that he owns the pipe when it is
! taken up and it is worth whatever it
will bring. The person who laid the
pipe has right to this amount, but
| nothing more. This has been done in
number of cases, and still holds good.
The question is this:
! Has the city ever reimbursed any one
because others have been supplied with
water from the pipes laid at his pri-
vate expense?
! If it can be shown that this prece-
dent has been established there is pref
ty sure to be a storm of petitions for
reimbursement from every nook and
| corner of the city that will make the
depleted city treasury have a decided
pain, and will cause the finance COM
mittee many sleepless nights.
! Larger pipes are put in in place of
the service pipes when the water de-
partment is convinced that the pipe is
overcrowded. No one is allowed to
lay pipe in anticipation of reimburse
ment at the time when the city decides
that pipe is necessary. Inch service
pipes only are laid to meet such needs,
and those only, under the express CON
ditions noted.
Mr.. Kelsey's request for reimburse
ment does not state why he thinks he
ought to have it. On the contrary,
Mr. Howe's petition, as will be seen,
fully explains itself.
An attempt is made to keep the mat
ter very quiet. Alderman Russell said
about all he had to say for publication
at the city government meeting Mon
day night 1t was enough. 1t told
in outline all there was to be told but
| subsequent inquiry has developed the
fact that there is a possibility that the
dread precedent has already been es-
tablished. Naturally, city officials want
to keep the matter quiet
There is pretty sure to be a merry
time ahead, the like of which the city
has not seen for many a day.
Bring in your petitions for reimburse
n1ent.