Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-01-24

The members of the city council who
have been opposing SO vigorously the
instaila ton of an expensive electric
plant as the motive power of the sew
age disposal plant missed golden OPP
portunitN Wednesday, night to vote
down the proposition. The old contract
was annulled and an entire new con-
tract Was presented for the councils
approval. and it was approved with
little opposition. The question is now
settled for all time, as the legality of
the new contract can not now he ques-
toned, coming as it ditlbefore the en-
tire cityscouncil.
This condition was brought about by
the desire to change the contract and
install a, direct connected engine and
generator instead Of the old fashioned
and obsolete belted machines. The
change was a Wise one, but a stiff price
was demanded and, as Councilman
Fisher remarked ait the nesting, it
looks as tho the electric people were
holding up the council. The special
committee appointed to confer with the
st. Louis company With the dea of
making the change reported, thru the
consulting electrical engineer, Mr. Bis
sell. of Arnes, In favor Of making the
Change. at an additional cost to the city
of $50, this addition making the total
Cost of the electric plant 1920.
Mr.. Fisher. who favored this. kind of
a plant from the first. provided cleo
lstricity was installed, announced that
he could not vote for the change for
the reason that he had declared ut the
beginning of the controversy that he
would never vote for electricity be-
cause the electric men and engineers
had assured the council. when the
question was first suggested that an
electric plant would not cost to exceed
$4,000 or $500, but they had kept adj
ding to the price and in his opinion
the supply company was trying to hold
up the council
Mr.. Kreutzer said he had surprise
In store for his associates and am
nounceta that as there was now no
doubt but that the power would be
electricity, he was ready to vote for the
modern plant artho he had not changed
his mind relative to the whole question
So when the question came to a vote
the recomme ndations OF the committee
were approved, Messrs. Fisher and
Kirby alone voting no Mr. Kirby ex-
planned his vote practically for the
same reasons as given by Mr.. Fisher.
The electric conlT'an my representative
explained to the council that he was
ready to arin,ll the old contrac. and
enter into new one, and the council
at once took up the consideration of a
new contract. over an hour was spent
in its consideration and it was adopted
I#by the vote of all the copnscilmen with
the exception OF Messrs. Fisher and
Kirby
The council also spent much time in
awarding the contract for hauling cin-
dtera from the glucose works 10 the
sewage plaIpt-work formerly awarded
to Ellie & Dunn, but who We're paid
1925 to release the city from its award.
/ The city having decided to do the
screening. two bids for the hauling
ware received one for 40 cents ard the
other for 4sls cents per cubic yard.
Again the council concluded the spec!-
lsfications had not been clearly undar-
stood and the bids were thrown out,
new specifications drawn up and the
bidders asked to submit new figures.
| The contract then went to La Plant
Bros. on their bid of 40 cents