The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-06-21

with interest on same, making the
amount of S27 1884, SIS. 1t will be seen
that these two sums show a total of
S7l, $50. 60. They then reduced the item
of total present cost of such works to
S28. 900. and the items of rentals and
interest to $40, Also, or a total of S48,-
3l7.5O, as their first proposition for
settlement. From this they of course
admitted would be taken the amount
of court costs held against them by
the CITY. leaving cash balance of
S45, 600. We of course could not con-
slider any proposition which dld not
contemplate allowing also city taxes
and interest thereon for all OF these
years. They finally agreed to this,
reducing their offer to S4l, 900. This
we refused. After varied discussion
and private consultation we felt that we
could not afford for reasons already
set out, together with others to follow,
to fail in a settlement of the matter;
hence, it was concluded to offer them
the sum of $50, 900 and all claims to
date. They then proposed to meet US
half way in the difference between us;
that is, they agreed to settlefOr S30, 600
and $500 for rental for the present six
months. We refused this, and took
the matter to the council, the action of
which is familiar to all, it having sim
ply refused to consider the $50, O00
proposition, and entered upon the go
days truce for further consideration
of the question.
Now, as to further reasons for
our recommendations of settlement
for the amount named as our of
fer. There are many questions in
vOlved in this matter, among which
the most potent pertain to the possible
future course of events should no set
Element now be reached. Suppose the
Dawson WaterWOrkS Company cannot
prevent by any process of law the city
going forward at once and construct
ing another system. By due investiga-
ton of the subject almost every MEM
Der of the council is convinced that
not less than $40, 900 would be required
to construct the needed works, and
perhaps more will have been spent
when all necessary personal property,
such as meters, meter boxes, valves,
valve boxes, guageS and numerous
other necessary items have been paid
for. In the proposed settlement with
the water company all these things are
included with certain real estate,
total amount of from Sc, 900 to $4,000
of their property. They are already
in place, performing service for nearly
200 patrons. Should the city install
another system every patron would be
expected to be filled with enough pa
triotism to sever his or her connection
with the foreign corporation and be-
come a patron of the city's works. I'll
can readily be seen that in doing this
each one would have to incur quite a |
little expense which should be unnec-
essary. and which, in the aggregate, |
would in the matter of 200 consumers |
amount to quite $1,000, if not more. |
This can be saved to the patrons, and |
we believe should be. Again, to pur-
chase the present works would put the
CITY into an immediate source of reve- |
nue.: there would not be months of de-
lay before such a situation could ex-
list. As before inUimated, however, it is
by no means a certainty that there is
any possibility of the city being able
to 90 forward with other works now
or until the end of the 20-year period.
The courts have not fully settled all
the questions at issue, and we are of