Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-26
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.

The editor of the Courier has for sew
eral years believed that the principle of
municipal ownership of waterworks is
right. While there are objections to
the same, yet in our judgment the adj
vantages to a progressive community
in municipal ownership oyerbalance
the disadvantages. We make this pre-
liminary statement because in. re-
cent editorial this paper has criti-
cized the present city administration
for its failure to solve the waterworks
problem with which this city has been
face to face for the past two or three
years. We reiterate this criticism and
VIC believe that the same is fully war
y lted by the facts as they exist today.
When the question of the approval or
rejection OF the Fruin-B ambrich con-
tract came before the voters of this
city, the Courier then expressed itself
as in favor of municipal ownership,
but stated that We did not believe that
the city council was proceeding in the
right manner because we believed
then, as we believe now, that the ex-
listing water plant should be utilized
SO far as possible. Our opinion is based
on what we regard is for the benefit
of all the people of this city. To tear
up all the streets unnecessarily and to
compel every user of water to make
new service connections would entail
an enormous expense on the public
for which there is no necessity, valid
reason or excuse. The Fruin-Bam-
brich contract contemplated the entire
disuse of the present waterworks, and
had that contract been sustained by
the court, the existing plant must have
gone onto the scrap heap. But it was
after the court had tied up the city
with injunctions SO that it could not
move in the matter of new system
of waterworks that the present city
administration demonstrated it's
inability to handle this matter, which
is of such vital Importance to the city.
A citizens committee, consisting of
the most successful and able business
men of the city, was appointed to CO.
operate with the city council and if
possible assist them in reaching sat
isfactory solution of the problem. The
council repudiated this citizens com.
mlttee and soon gave them TO under
stand that their advice and assistance
We're not wanted. At time when
Mr.. Underwood, of the City Water
Supply Co., was seeking to get in touch
with the city council the council would
have nothing to do with him, and we
reiterate the charge already published
that the present city administration
never made an honest effort to pur.
chase the existing water plant or deal
with Mr.. Underwood until they were
absolutely whipped and beaten along
every other line. We charge that the
present administration has demonstra
ted its inability to handle this matter
and it should now be retired and a
new council elected who can and will
do that which is best for the entire
public at this time. Such a council
We firmly believe will provide for mu
nicipal ownership of waterworks at the
earliest possible date that it can be
brought about legally.
In doing this the council will simply
be carrying out the will of the people
expressed at the polls in a previous
election. The attitude of this community
on the question of municipal owner