The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-06-17
WATER WORKS QUESTION
Council Hears from Committee Ap-
pointed to Study It.
BELIEVES CITY CAN OWN a PLANT
Facts Which May Be Valuable in Deter
mining What Action Shall Be Taken
Towards Municipal Ownership.

me following report nj the special com.
mittee appointed to investigate certain mat
ters connected with the Houston Water
company, was read TO the city council yos-
teraay afternoon and referred to the roun.
ell as whole for future action:
10 the Honorable Mayor and city Council
Of the City OF Houston
Your committee appointed under authority
OF resolution for the inyeI gation Of cor.
tain matters connected with the Iloustol
water company, adopted by you April a.
1907 beg leave to report:
question one submitted to your commit
tee is as follows: "The question of whether
OF not the winter company has forfeited its
auce herewith"
rms presents n mixed question OF fnut
any law ana that you may be the better
able TO determine II. we quote certain OF
tnc stpulatlonS OF the contract between the
CITY or Houston and the aSsgnor OF the
Houston Water company.
,h section l, among other things, provides
mat the company shall build and ,lnlntnin
at us own proper cost ana expense all the
necessary buildings machinery, tools and
5 amy regusits IN the construction
works Of sufficient capacity to meet the
present demands and future growth, for
period or twenty-five (2oJ years, or for such
longer period as this contract may, by its
terms. subslst, Of the city OF Houston: tue
building erected to be substantial brick
building aud brick stack for the joint use
ployed, which said works and machinery
snail nave a capacity of producing 9,OOd0O0
EolouS OF water per day of twenty-four
hours ana also storage reservoir To- con
sist az 81 wrought iron tank having a cupar-
NY to hold not less than 10000 GALLONS;
said reservoir Ia be located in Suitable
place on land furnished bA parties of the
FIRST part. and io have such an elevation Hs
"a insure huFlcleht pressure to raise the
water in all 9attS ut the highest buildings
IN 9Ald city at all times. except in cases or
accidents
In section e. the company agrees to lay
ana maintain plies, minis conductors and
aurcductS through and Tpou streets ufnlc-
said, to bc at least 1870 feet rs af0rr-
said. and upon such other streets lu said
CITY MS fast ns the wants Of the city may
section provides: ITO guarantee that
said water works shall he of the most dur
able character and materials aud first class
n All RESPECTS and canable of supplying
.iWh.tOu gRlluuS per day NJ twcuty-fuur
hours; also with sufficient pressure IA
,aiSSr,, nc water to all parts Of the highest
ld supply ~ water In tho pipes at all
times. except II being n case Of accident or
to repair the said works. In viii h case
such time as may he necessary shall hg al
lowed for rorairs and the said works shall
DE 'npnhie 1D any time In case Of hrc Of
700 feet high, through nifty feet Of hose NJ
HSriueh Loose and lM-inCh nozzle"
In subdivision one OF section ., ;he cont
panv agrees that "all excavations tn be
made I'M accordance with and under the
health regulations OF the city Of Houston,
and thu said pavemcnts and sidewalks he
replaced on repaired IN MS good condition
as before with all convenient speed.
The concluding stipulation Of the con
| tract is as folowSt
"And II Is hereby specially provided that
should he parties OF the first part nj any
jhmc fail 10 perform faithfully the scvcral
obligations entered into by them In this
agreement, they shall forfeit ana lose the
rights and privileges herein granted to them
by the said parties Of the second pnrt,
The above provisions of the contract un-
der which the Houston Water company
Is now operating show some Of tho onliga-
lions assumed by the company.
without a discussion of the evidence or
celebrating facts which are OF general
knowledge. your committee Is OF tho opinion
that under the last quoted provision the
city has the legal and moral right 10 for
felt the grant now claimed by the Houston
! Water company.