Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-06-02
THE WATER CONTROVERSY
WHY CONTRACT WAS AWARDED


CITIZENS OF Bridgeport are very much
interested just now in the movement
to discontinue the water service ar
rangement with Martins Ferry, and in
the controversy which has arisen over
the selection of Mr.. Koehnlein's prop
osition for supplying the village with
water One side of the case has al
ready been presented. Here is the re-
ply and justification of the Mayor and
Council:
To the Citizens of Bridgeport, O.:
The Mayor and Council of Bridgeport
submit the following statement of facts
relative to the water supply:
At the regular March meeting of
Council a water committee was APP
pointed to meet with the water board
of Martins Ferry, for the purpose of
making a new contract for the supply
Of water to Bridgeport, the present con-
tract expiring November LIST of this year.
The committee and the Martins berry
water board met on two occasions, with
the result that a written proposition
was submitted by the water board to
the committee for a twenty year con
tract, the village to be allowed a rebate
of ten per cent. of the net receipts, with
the understanding that the village of
Bridgeport make all repairs to its own
mains and all extensions thereto.
This proposition was rejected, and the
Martins Ferry board was so notified,
with the statement that ii they wished
to make an amended proposition it
would receive due consideration, but no
other proposition was received.
In the meantime, two other PROPOSE
lions were received by the committee
to furnish from the expiration of the
present contract filtered water to be
approved by the Board of Health or
the State of Ohio, one from James Kin
ney, Jr., of Bellaire, whose pumping
plant is located at Benwood, w. Va,
and the other by VIM. Kiehnlein, or
bridgeport. AS Martins Ferry failed
to submit an amended proposition more
favorable to Bridgeport, and have no
filtration plant, and the committee be-
lieving that the citizens would prefer
filtered water to the present quality of
water they are now receiving from
Martins Ferry, the two propositions
for filtered water (as mentioned above),
were carefully considered and that of
Mr.. Koehnlein was recommended to
Council for favorable action, for the
reason that the proposition OF Mr..
Kinney was not favorable to the viii
lage, inaSmuch as one clause of his
proposition read as follows: In con-
sideration of free water furnished for
fire and sewer purposes, We would ask
immunity from taxes for city or local
purposes" please carefully note the
language of this %clause.) In a letter
received from Mr.. Kinned, dated May
Gath, which was published in the
Wheeling Evening News under date OF
May Goth, he makes the following
munity from taxes. We did not expect
it. That would be class legislation,
and would not stand in law
When Mr.. Kinney was aware of the
fact that the request for immunity from
taxes could not be granted by Council,
why did he insert it in his proposition?
Nowhere in his proposition did he pro-
pose to furnish free water to the viii
lage for fire and sewer purposes. eX-
cepting in the clause above quoted, and
as the consideration for free water was
immunity from taxes" the Council
was convinced that as it could not
grant such immunity, there would be
no consideration for furnishing free
water, and if he received the contract
from the village he could demand that
the village pay for water for fire and
sewer purposes for the above reason.
And also, in view of the other facts,
the Council could not act fayorably on
his proposition. Notwithstanding this.
the Council deemed Mr.. Koehnlein's
proposition the better for the interests
of the village, and refers the citizens
to the ordinance for their considera-
ton at the election to be held on Satur-
day, June 18th.
On May 10th, the Council met and
adopted a resolution ~instructing the
Corporation Council to prepare an or
dinance embodying Mr.. Koehnlein's
proposition. and present it at an ad-
journed meeting for final action.
On May 18th, Mr.. Kinney inter
viewed Mayor Neininger at Bridgeport,
and asked him why his amended prop
osition had not been presented to the
meeting for consideration. The May
or replied that he had received none,
but upon further inquiry, in MIR. Kin
ney's presence, the Mayors wife said
that she had received a letter adj
dressed to her husband and placed it
in a drawer in the Mayors store. On
opening the drawer the letter was
found, where it had lain neglected from
the time of its receipt until hat time.
Mr.. Kinney then asked the Mayor II
ne had read the letter, and the Mayor
replied, How could | read the letter,
when / did not know 1t was here?"
Nj. Kinney then knew why the letter
had not been read to Council the pre-
vious evening. The Mayor then told
Mr.. Kinney that the Council would
meet again on the following Monday,
that it was not too late TO present the
amended proposition to Council. and Il
Mr.. Kinney would let him he would
present it TO the Council. Mr.. Kinney
then said: No, / will not do IL. I;
will do no good. | viii keep IT,"
On the morning Of May 9th. the VII
lage clerk received a disrespectful and