Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-12
COUNCIL REJECTS
BID FOR PAVING
Barber Asphalt Company Was
Only Bidder, So New Bids
Will Be Advertised For
WATER COMMITTEE TROUBLES
Resolution Calling for Plans For a
Reservoir to be Prepared by E. z.
Mack Causes Rupture in the Water
Works committee-street Car Mat
ter Again Bobs Up.

4 ter Again Bobs Up.
But one bid for the paving of Churc
street and Fourth avenue was receive
by the city council, and on account o
this that body, al its meeting Monda,
night, refused to let the contract, an
will advertise for other bids. The onl
bidder was the Barber Asphalt Com
| pany, at $1.97 per square yard for tn
paving, and 70 cents per lineal foot 70
| the CURLING; extra grading to be don
at the price of so cents, per cubic YARD
While there was but one bid, som,
members ofthe council wished to award
Ithe contract to the Barber company
but the motion to do so resulted in
tie vote. The chair cast the decidins
vote. The new bids to be called 70,
will be received up to o'clock Ma,
%, and will be opened that same even
ing at an adjourned meeting for thai
purpose. Citizens interested In paving
matters filed the council chambers te
overlooking evidently expecting TIL,
large budget of paving to come up foi
decisive action. AS a matter of form,
the remonstrance of West Church street
residents was laid before the council
but was not needed.
Water Works Committee Troubles.
All is not peace and harmony among
the members of the water works COM
mittee and this state of af-
fairs, which has evidently ex-
listed for some time, as was
brought out by the sentiment expressed
by the members. The trouble seems
to be that the committee has failed to
act upon a resolution introduced a
couple OF weeks ago, whereby it was
instructed to employ u. q. Mack TO pre-
pare plans and specifications for u
100000 gallon reservoir for the water
supply. Mr.. Mcbride introduced this
resolution at the time it was adopted,
altho a similar one from MIR. Greene.
which embodied the same intent, was
also brought out at that time. Mr..
Mcbride in calling the matter up, re-
ferred to the time of its adoption. and
stated that the committee had talked
the matter over with Mr.. Mack and the
matter had been dropped, there being
apparently no intent on the part of the
other members, Mr.. Henry and Mr..
Greene, to take any further action in
regard to 1t. He requested these two
gentlement to explain their positions
on the matter before the council.
Brings On Long Argument.
This challenge to defend their po-
sition brought out long and rather
heated discussion upon water, pure and
otherwise; reservoir or no reservoir;
seepage or no seepage, and a dozen
other things connected with the pure
water dispute. Mr. Greene was out
spoken and talked very plainly, saying
that he did not know that the city
needed Il reservoir; that he did not
know that that was the proper method
to go about to secure an absolutely
pure city water. and he thought 1T best
first to determine whether or not the
necessity for one really existed He also
pointed to the disadvantages in summer
time to water consumers owing to the
fact that the city water would always
be warm: he referred to the cost of
and the continued cost of
raising the water from the wells into
the reservoir.
Talks of Resignation.
Mr.. Greene continued on the subject
for considerable length of time, and
pointed out that the water analyses
showed the supply to be pure; that all
possible chances Of seepage had now
been cut off, then why be so certain
that reservoir was the thing needed?
He thought the city should not act just
because chemists employed had sug-
gested such thing. He rather sug-
gested that other and more competent
experts be employed and the exact
needs as to the water question, II there
be any, determined. He intimated that
lf the work of the water committee
was not satisfactory, he was ready to
step out at any time.
Ends Where 1t eBsan.
Councilman Abbott, 1ngledue, Kreut-
ger and Webster all spoke upon the
question during the better part of an
hour, While it occupied the attention OF
the council Mr.. Webster stated he
objected to the employment of Mack,
especially as the resolution was without,
restrictions as to fee. He also wanted
10 know how the council or the water
works committee, knew whether or not
, 400, 900 gallon reservoir would be OF
he proper capacity, to answer the
needs. and, first of all, was 1t proper
% go blindly and jump so precipitately
nto an expenditure of $4,000 or $40
100, without first being certain that 1t
would bring about desired result. Mr..
Mcbride answered that all he wanted
or the city was pure water, regardless
If cost or anything else. He thought
.eservoir was the thing, that while in
t the impurities might be precipitated
o the bottom, and that by Its erection
IS place of storage, all other con-
lections with the mains and wells
night be closed forever, doing away
With any possibility of seepage. On
notion 10 reconsider the resolution, it
vas lost and the matter dropped eX-
city where it had begun.
Streets for Street Railway.
The report of the Judiciary commit
ee on the resolution submitted to it
eyeral weeks ago in connection with
he several circumstances filed with |
he city council by properly owners who
- he If n1 h>rl