Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-19
DEFINITE ACTIO N.
Committee Appointed to Arrange
for New Water Company.

Committee Appointed to Arrange
for New Water Company.
WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN BEGUN
Six Men VIII Prepare Articles of In.
corporation and Franchise to Pre-.
sent to City With View to Getting
Permit to Operate Waterworks.
A committee consisting of six OF
tumWa men, appointed at yesterdays
meeting of citizens, will during the
next few days formulate articles of
incorporation and draft a franchise
Tor the formation and establishment in
the city of waterworks company to
be backed by local capital, and the OBJ,
Ject of which will be to buy the pres
ent waterworks plant of the City Wa
ter Supply Co., improve it according
to the ideas of the city council and the
members of the proposed firm, and
conduct 1t to supply water to the city
OF Ottumwa for private and public
consumption during the life of the pro-
posed franchise, twenty-five years. The
committee is made up of the following
men: Major Samuel Mahon, chairman;
men: Major Samuel Mahon; F. w. Sim
/ T To- Ior, f,pi,r ~,
! F. Springfield. These men will pro-
coed to their work at once and will re,
port to a meeting to be held in few
days, when it is intended to effect the
! organization of the company. which
| will present the matter to the city
council with view to acquiring a
/ franchise, which will be voted upon
/ for ratification or rejection at the city
! election in March.
Yesterdays Meeting.
The meeting held yesterday after.
/ noon at the office of j. Fl. Merrill was
/ attended by several of the prominent
business men of the city, who discuss
ed the waterworks question fully from
the standpoint OF citizens and tax
! payers of Ottumwa. Major Samuel
1 Mahon, who, with T. W. Simmons, had
i calied the men together, was appoint
! ed chairman of the meeting, and
Frank Won Schrader was named as
/ secretary. In addition TO these two
men, the following were present at the
meeting: George Haw. ST., j. 7. Hack
worth, Frank Simmons, Joseph Dain,
/ w. B. Bonnifield, ST.. ]. H. Merrill, S.
H. Harper, ]. F. Springfield, Calvin
Manning, Frank McIntire, ]. B. Sax
III. G. Jordan, T. d. Foster and ]. w
Garner
After thorough discussion of thu
water question and the danger to ths
city from fire in case the compan!
/ does. as it has threatened, and shut:
/ off the water on March % of this yea
| at the close of its six months contrac
with the city for furnishing water al
the rate OF 5000 per month, George
! Haw moved that committee consist
ing of five men be appointed to pre-
pare articles of Incorporation and ;
franchise to be presented to those pres
| ent at yesterdays meetings and b.
them to be modified or approved ant
! presented to the city council with /,
view to securing a franchise.
1t developed from the general ex
preston of ideas that the opinion o
the greater number of those in tn.
room is that the city must make some
/ provision very quickly for water
1 works system and that the time re
! naming is too short to admit of build
ing new plant; that the most feasible
| plan is to purchase the old or presen
| plant and improve it so that it will bt
in condition to furnish Ottumwa a goot
water supply. Two plans were men
| toned, one being to form compan,
! outright. The other plan was to pur
i chase the plant, giving paid up stool
as part Of the consideration. Mr.Haw'!
motion was made in order that the bet
1 ter one of these two plans, or a still
better one might be selected by tn,
committee and reported to the meet
ing.
| Willing to Aid.
| When an expression of willingness:
| to become connected with the com
| pany was asked for a large numbel
signified their willingness to become
| parts of the company. Others wht
were backward about saying outrigh
that they would take stock said tina
they would be willing to do so if al
of the others would. 1t was explained
that the request for a statement OF
the minds of the various men in at
! tendance at the meeting was not fol-
the purpose of binding any of then
to take stock but was to get an ex
preston of their opinions. Nearly al
were of the same mind and stated
that if large number of stockholders
are secured they would take part II
| the company.
Committee Meets Today.
A meeting of the committee was
called for today, at the office of j. H
Merrill, and work is now progressing
on the proposed articles of incorpor
alton and franchise.
Would Include Many.
1 Major Mahon advises inviting ever,
taxpayer every man who is interest
| ed in the welfare of the city of Ottum
wa, to become part of the company
| The next meeting notice of which will