The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
PEACE coNsERvAToRs ORDER
Ed TO DON UNIFORMS.
WILL ACCEPT EITHER ONE
Water Company Submits Four Propo-
sitions as Basis of Trans
fer to City.
Nfom Wednesdays Daily Gazette.

VI IN PoAASS AOANS VI ~ l. ON
uniformed and equipped in regulation
and distinquishable from the
other men who apparently are saunt'
ering about the streets merely for the
purpose OF killing time. Last night
the police commissioners submitted
their report to the city council and
their recommendations were adopted.
AS officially prescribed the uniform
will consist of a sack coat, vest and
trousers, all of dark blue cloth, a he'll
met in. summe and car in winter.
The coat will have brass buttons with
the letter "P" raised in the center.
The expense of the uniforms will
have to be borne by the members,
while the city will provide the equip
ments, which will consist of a belt,
club. revolver, holster, flash light and
whistle. Recommendation was made
that the city shall buy six caps at 81,
each; six black helmets at $3.50,
each; one gold plated wreath for the
chiefs cap, go cents; five like
wreaths for patrolmen, So; one gross
adjustable, gold plated buttons, coat
size with letter "P," SIP; one shield
for the chief; one dozen stars, to be
numbered from 1 to 70; IL enameled
leather belts with club socket, SGT;
II day clubs, rosewood, $40; -
whistles, Sc; six Colts revolvers, 49,
calibre. sS4; six holsters, $3.50; six
flash lights, $21. The total cost II
the equipments will be $215.S5."
Water company's Proposal.
The fire, water and light commit
tee, instructed at the last session of
the council to confer with representa-
tives of the Billings Water Power
company, submitted it's report. The
committee as an Introduction quoted
section 6 of the ordinance granting
the company the franchise under
which it is operating and which is as
follows:
Section 6-The said company fur
Their agrees to give to the said city
of Billings the option of purchasing
the pumps. mains and all other ma
chinery and apparatus used in the
construction and operation of said
water works at any time after the
expiration Of 20 years from
the date of the completion
of the same, at a price to be
fixed by three commissioners, one to
be appointed by the said city of Bill
ings one by said company, and the
third to be chosen by these two"
Continuing the report says:
"At the time of the passage of this
ordinance only a water pumping plant
was contemplated, and the above sec
ton fully covered all that was de-
manded by the conditions as they ex-
listed at that time. Subsequently the
company installed it's electric light
power and the same ground and
building as that previously used ex-
clusively for pumping water. Since
that time additional buildings. power
and machinery have been added from
time to time, based upon the demands
OF a combined plant, which condition
makes it wholly impracticable to de-
termine with justice to the city or
the company just what proportion of
the combined plant should be classi-
fed with either plant in the event
that the city should elect to exercise
the ~prerogative carried by said sec
ton 6, and purchase the water power
plant at the expiration of the present
franchise, thereby necessitating the
segregation of the two plants.
In view of the foregoing and to
prevent loss in such an event, the COM
pany asks that section 6 of said
ordinance No. II be so amended as
to allow the city to elect, at the ex-
piration of the present franchise,
which of the four propositions below
named it desires to avail itself of,
subject to all the conditions of the
present section as to the methods to
be employed in determining the value
of the whole o. any part of the plant
to be purchased:
First. that the city may purchase
the pipe lines, without the plant, con-
tracing with the company for power.
Second, the purchase of the pipe
lines, pumps, boilers, engines and ap-
purtenances necessary to a pumping
plant, the city to purchase a new site
and construct its own buildings. q
Third, the purchase of the water
plant only. the company to seggregate
the two plants. constructing a new
building and equipping it with ade-
uuate power and facilities.