The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1902-03-13

At a, meeting held Monday night. the
city coun Gil adopted the agreement en-.
tered into between che Lewiston Water
Company and the special committee and
by unanimous vote passed the ordinance
confirming the agreement. The proposi-
tion will now be submitted to the people
for ratification.
The conference committee composed
of Mayor Skinner, Councilman Cole and
City Attorney Mcfarland subnlitted their
report comprising the articles Of sgree-
ment and the ordinance confirming said
agreement. The terms Of the agreement
at large, are that the city shall purchase
the present water plant \ paying in full
10000 cash. The purchase price in
clueies the full equipmenf of The plant Of
the Lewiston Water company together
with the yollmer- X Kettenbech system re.
Gently constructed on the hill. with all
tools and supplies now on hand.
BY the terms Of the agreement the city
is to dismiss the injunction suit Of Mohl
against the water company At once, and
without prejudice And the other various
suits now pending between the CITY and
the water company are to be held In
allegiance until the contract for purchase
shall have been signed and cash payment
shall have been made when they shall be
dismissed without prejudice, each party
to pay its own costs. ~
The motion to adopt the agreement pass
ed without dissenting vote but when the
ordinance providing for the purchase
came before the body Councilman Culver
took occasion to state at length his rea-
sons for opposing the purchase. He
argued that the price pad was excessive
and the action would not be ratified by
the people. Mr.. Culver said that in pay
ing $7o.ooo for the old plant the tIo 900
remainder would be too little for such
improvements as were necessary for the
improvement Of the plant to meet the
immediate needs Of the city for better
water service. He yielded however to
the very urgent plea made by Council
man Hastings and Mayor Skinner and
the ordinance passed. The council in.
structed Attorney Mcfarland to prepare
an ordinance providing for vote Of the
electors to confirm the purchase, and
such ordinance was presented last night.
Discussion on the passing Of the above
mentioned ordinance was principally on
the advisability Of providing at this time
for raising the additional money needed
to complete the Improvements on the
present plant made necessary by the
needs Of the city. If the Cincinnati
buyers take the $50, 600 issue there will
remain after the purchase Of the present
system about $rI 900 to be expended in
improvements. II 10 conceded that this
sum is insufficient to improve the plant
as present demands of the city justify,
and that some 10000 or 10000 ad-
ditional will be necessary. The question
as raised by Councilman Culver was
whether or not il would be advisable to
submit the question Of additional bond
issue to the voters at the same time ol
the ratiicetion rather than TO wait till a
time when adverse Interests might de-
lay the matter Of improvement. Mayo,
Skinner argued that the SII,ooc made
available by the present issue would en-
able the city to meet the needs Of ths
present season and that the future could
better be determined when the source o
supply was fixed upon by developmenti
at the artesian wells now being sunk q
various points in this vicinity.