The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-03
Even New Pumping Station Blocked
by Ames' Attitude. &.
BOND APPEAL WAS FILED LATE
Prompt Action Would Have Jeop-
ardized No Principle and Would
Have Permitted Work.

Mayer Ames' persistent opposition to
the issue of $150,000 of permanent i'm
proyement bonds authorized by the city
council a year ago has put the city In
very embarrassing situation, and incl
dentally some 800 or 400 city laborers
will be hard hit. Through the failure of
his attorneys to perfect their appeal in
the supreme court promptly, argument in
the bond case will not be heard until
June IL. toward the very close of the
present term Of court, instead of early in
April, as was expected. The effect of
this will be to tie up for the interven-
ing months not only all the paving, sewer
and curb ard gutter work planned to be
done this SET son with the money obtained
from this bond issue, but also the laying
of all water mains, including the big new
36-inch distributing main in Northeast
Minneapolis to supplement the new pump
ing station.
More than that. all construction work
on the new station must stop forthwith,
as the 100000 set aside from the reve-
nues OF the water department for this
purpose has already been exhausted.
There are no other funds to draw upon
except the money from the sale OF the
$4,000 OF bonds authorized by the city
council for water main extension and COM
pletion Of the pumping station The va
lidity of these bonds hangs on the de-
cision of the court in the permanent i'm
provement bond case. and under the city
attorneys ruling the council is estopped
from awarding any contracts for material
to be paid for from money derived from
the sale of these bonds until the court
has passed on their validity. At the best
a decision cannot be forthcoming much,
if any, before July Is, and 1t will possibly
be later. The season will then be too
far advanced to begin any considerable
work in the paving and sewer line or wa
ter main extensions, and necessarily most
of it will have to be put over until next
year.
But by far the most marked result OF
the mayors policy will be in the delay IN
the completion Of the new pumping sta
ton. The two pumps are under contract
to be in place Nov. l. and there mas peen
some doubt expressed Of the ability OF the
city to have the building ready for their
reception at that time, even under tne
most favorable conditions. But II all
work must stop there for the next 1our
months awaiting the courts dlctum IN tne
bond matter, it will be manifestly impos-
sible to complete the building and get the
new pumps in operation until early next
year. This means at least twelve months
more Of the present unsatisfactory water
conditions, with the result OF an unneces-
sarily large typhoid fever rate.
The city departm ents concerned are dls-
gusted over the situation, but so far as
has been discovered there is no remedy.
Controller Rogers is watching the situa-
ton closely and is expected to put his
foot down on any more construction work
at the pumping station until money is in
hand to pay for it. 1t is probable, too,
that he will turn down the contract for
boilers just awarded, after weeks OF con-
tention in the waterworks committee.
The laborers affected will number about
as follows: On water mains, 200; paving,
100; pumping station, 100; besides a large
number of teams.