Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-04-21
So Says Chairman Deeds of.
the Finance Committee
of the Council.
MAKES AN AFFIDAVIT.
City Officials Want Injunction
Dissolved.
PETITION FILED At KEoKUH
KE0KUK
Captain w. H. c. Jaques, City Solicit
or Evolves Plan to Enable City to
Build "Baby Waterworks" and seizes
opportune Time to Spring 1t.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
In an affidavit which has been filed
at Keokuk, together with petition
asking for the dissolution of the baby
waterworks" injunction, Charles Deeds,
chairman of the finance committee of
the Ottumwa city council states that
the city is now within its legal limit
of Indebtedness and has every legal
right to contract for the erection of a
waterworks plant and system. This is
an important statement, and if it can
be borne out there is little doubt but
that even the widest schemes of Al
derman Hoglund, the father of muni-
cipal ownership in Ottumwa," will be
realized. According to one of the DEM
ocratic aldermen, the city council is,
by majority of one, in favor of muni-
cipal ownership, although the same
cannot be said as to its views on the
"baby waterworks." The petition will
come before Judge Smith Mcpherson
Thursday at Keokuk for argument,
and much interest will be taken by the
people of Ottumwa in the result.
City. Solicitor w. n. G. Jaques has
filed in the Office of the clerk of the
federal circuit court at Keokuk a pc
tition to Judge Mcpherson. asking for
the dissolution of the injunction he
recently granted the iCty Water Sup
ply Co., restraining the city of OF
tumwa. the United States Cast Iron
Pipe & Foundry Co., and the Des
Moines Bridge and Iron Works from
building the "baby waterworks.'
Judge Mcpherson has set next Thurs
day as the time for hearing this case
and will also render decree in the
fixing the date and manner of the sale
of the plant of the local water com
pany.
Says City is Inside Limit.
City Solicitor Jaques has filed this
case in the name of the city of Ottum
wa, and alleges as one of his reas
ons for filing the same that the city is
within the legal limit OF Indebtedness
Charles Deeds, alderman from the
Fifth ward, and chairman of the fin
ance committee of the city council ap
pends a sworn statement to- this eft
feet Ii this can be proven to the
satisfaction OF Judge Mcpherson, there
is little doubt but that all OF the in
functions may be dissolved.
Shows Ingenuity.
To say the least, the new tack TAX
en- by Captain Jaques shows ingenuity
Selling. the time when the spring tax
es have Just been poured into the city
treasury and when the appropriations
have been made by the council for the
coming year, he states that the cit.
is now within its legal limit OF indebt
edness and produces the statements o.
the city treasurer and chairman of the
councils finance committee to prove
it. In his petition he states that the
city's Indebtedness amounts to 1892,
500. of which $500 is in outstanding
warrants, and the remainder is bond
! ed Indebtedness. From this amount hi
deducts SAT, ,030.10 the amount of casl
now in the city treasury, and get
$85, ,469.90 as the amount of the city,
Indebtedness. less the cash now OF
\ hand. He then compares this amour
Ito the city's legal limit Of indebtedness!
(which is $119,126.45. and shows tina
, There is a margin now of $50, $3.50
between that amount and the city,
actual Indebtedness. less the cash OF
hand.
VI the money III Tic treasury SlO,
54518 is in the water sinking fund,
fund pledged for the expenses of build
ing and maintaining a waterwork
plant and system. The petition state
that this amount with some part o
the $4,000 appropriated by the council
for the contingent expenses during thu
year will more than pay for the ''ba
by waterworks.'
Is Up to the Judge.
Just how Judge Mcpherson vii
view this phase of the waterwork
\ tproblem remains to be seen. Al
Though the city is now really, or the
Soreatically within the legal limit it i
Stated that its expenditures within
the year to come, will be enough t
cut down the amount in the treasur.
to IA very considerable extent, and a
the assets decrease the liabilities vii
increase. However, this whole matte
will be presented from both sides t
Judge Mcpherson and meanwhile TIL
citizens will wait and wonder wha
view he will take.
Will Arrange for Sale.
IN On Thursday Judge Mcpherson vii
atcomplete his ruling in the case of th
"a MATER Supply Co. All that now re