Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1903-11-26
CANCEL POLICIES
LOSS OF INSURANCE LEADS TO
ACTION BY RETAIL MER-
CHANTS ASSOCIATION.
Resolution Favoring Waterworks Fran.
chise Adopted at Meeting of Associa-
ton Held This Morning-Insurance
Companies cancelIing Policies.

From Wednesdays Daily.
The cancellation of number of fire
insurance policies upon the places of
business and the stocks of goods car
ried by the members of the Retail Mer-
chants association resulted in the
calling of a meeting of that association
this morning and the adopting OF a set
OF resolutions strongly favoring the
waterworks franchise.
The Resolutions.
The resolutions are as follows:
The directors of the Retail Mer-
chants association met this morning
called together on account of the can
collation. of a number of the insurance
policies of its members and the fear
that if the present water condition
prevails for any length of time that our
business men will be either without
fire protection or insurance on their
stocks. After thoroughly canvass
ing the situation the following resolu-
ton was unanimously adopted:
Whereas the city of Ottumwa is now
without any water supply and fire
protection and as this condition is a
great menace to our stocks and has al
ready caused the cancellation of the
insurance OF some of our members
and,
Whereas, the only relief in sight for
some months can only come through
the present water supply company, and
Whereas, we believe that the fran
chise we are about to vote upon, if
carried, will induce the present owners
of the water company to Immediately
make the necessary repairs to supply
our city with water for fire protection
and domestic purposes, and
Whereas, we believe that our city
government has exhausted all possibil-
tiles and has made the best contract
obtainable, and as there is no other
company or capitalist in sight who has
expressed the slightest wish to build
waterworlls for us under any kind Of
a franchise, and
Whereas, there seems to exist feel
ing of antagonism against the water
supply company on account of its fail
ure to furnish water, and upon inyes-
tigation find that under ordinary con-
ditions the supply would have been
ample until after election but owing
to a fall in the river of two feet of
water in the short space of forty-eight
hours, the present condition is una
voidable and not condition of their
seeking, and
Whereas, as business meh we could
| not consistently ask them to spend a
| large sum of money for temporary i'm
provements while the franchise is in
doubt, and which would be total loss
| in event that it was defeated,
Therefore, be it resolved that we
| feel it our duty to urge upon all ou,
members to support this franchise and
| to do their utmost to assist at it's rati
| fication at the polls, and thus do away
at the earliest possible moment with
the great danger which hangs over us
| threatening our business, our proper
ty the health of our families and oul
employees.
BE it further resolved that each ant
every member of the Retail Mer
chants association is urgently re
quested to be present at called meet
/ ing at the court house next Monda,
evening. November 80, at 7:45 o'clocl
to consider the water question and t.
| take such further action as may be de
1 termined upon and TO assist in reliev
4 ing ourselves OF condition we'll nigl
intolerable and the solution of whicl
is in our hands if we but choose to ac
for our interests and the city in which
we live.
! Signed,
i ]. B. Sax,
G. Church
/ ]. A. Phillips,
4 John Peach.
i j. X. Dysart,
IT