Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-23
WATER QUESTION is CRAVE
Some Solution Of Present Difficulty shsuld
Be Arrived at
lAReER MAINs NEEDED IN BUSINESS PART
water Company VIII DO Nothing
Until New Franchise IL Granted
and a Contract Made with
the city.

The pressing necessity of some settle
ment being speedily reached between the
city council and the water works company
in order that Council Bluffs should have
improved fire protection in the business
sections was emphasized by f. j. Day,
appearing on behalf of the insurance com
panies, and business interests Of the city,
at the meeting Of the executive committee
Of the Commercial club yesterday after
noon. Mr. Day took the position that the
Commercial club, as the leading business
organization of the city, should impress
upon the city council the Importance Of
some definite action in the water works
matter without further delay
Mr.. Day called attention to the fact that
the recent fire in the implement district,
which destroyed the warehouse and stock
Of the Union Transfer company and other
firms for which this company acted as
forwarding agent, showed the urgent neces-
sity for larger water mains in that sec
! ton of the city. The fire which destroyed
the Fuller-Johnson & Shugart building in
| the same district two years ago, he said
, had at that time shown that the water
| service was entirely inadequate, but moth
ing had been done by the city to improve
matters. II these conditions were permitted
TO continue, Mr.. Day argued Council Bluffs
would soon find itself without any large
wholesale implement or other firms.
Three Years Of DickerInE.
| Mr.. Day said he realized, as other bust
ness men did. that the water works COM
pany could hardly be expected to make
any large expenditures in improving its
/ services by installing larger mains so long
as the city council declined to come to any
arrangement with it. Mr.. Day said it was
time that the city council should be made
| to understand that the business interests
of the city at large demanded that set
Element be reached with the water works
company. He spoke of the fact that for
| three years the matter had been pending
before the city council. but nothing had
been accomplished, except the expenditure
Of several thousand dollars in the employ
ment of special attorneys and experts
Municipal ownership of the water works.
/ Mr.. Day contended, was now practically
out of the question, and 1t behooved the
| city council to come to some settlement
/ with the water works, so that It could be
granted a new charter and be placed in a
position where it could make the extensions
| and improvements in it's service demanded
1 by present conditions. Mr.. Day said he
I had been given to understand that the
water works company was prepared to
place larger mains in the implement dis
trict and other business sections of the
city as soon as the city council would
place it in position to do so.
c. w. McDOnRId's views.
c. w. Mcdonald, president Of the Com
mercial club, said that he was of the same
opinion Mr.. Day as to the necessity
of the city council coming to a speedy
settlement with the water works company.
He was of this opinion when he heard of
the Union Transfer company's fire and he
was of the same opinion. II not more so,
now. Mr.. Mcdonald did not hesitate in
declaring that the city council should be
forced to make some satisfactory arrange
ment with the water works company so
! that the latter coul6 be in a position to
make the needed improvements in the water
service in the wholesale district. Mr.
Mcdonald said that the idea Of municipal
| ownership had exploded and this being the
case the city council should reach some
settlement without further delay with the
water works company. The business inter
ests OF the city at large, he contended, de-
manded this. As to the report which
Engineer Kiersted might make, Mr. Nc
Donald said, the only value that could be
placed upon It would be that 1t might
afford something on which to form an
intelligent basis from which to make a
new contract with the water works com
pany. At the same time, Mr.. Mcdonald
said, he was firmly Of the opinion that the
city council should not wait any longer
for this report, but get to work at once
and arrive at some agreement with the
water works company. Further delay. he
said, might prove most costly to The city
! Other members of the executive commit
! tee expressed themselves as favorlng some
action which would force the city council
to speedy termination of the long drawn
, out consideration Of the water works ques-
ton, and II is likely that President Nc
Z Donald will call meeting of the club
within the next few days to secure an
expression from the members.
View of Water Works OmcIaI.
Manager b. w. Hart, when he learned
of the discussion before the executive COM
mittee Of the Commercial, club yesterday
afternoon, said: The water works com
pany has recognized for some time the
y necessity of increasing the size of the
| mains in certain parts of the city, but
! owing TO the near approach of the fran
! chlse's termination had not felt Il advis.
able to make any expenditure. During the
2 last three years the city council has re-
! fused to treat with the wator works com.
a pany on a basis for new contract fol
3 hydrant rental or in fact any basis fol
z purchase Of the plant or the building OF
: new one. The water company can only
n say what IL has said many times in the
: last three years, that 1t stands ready C
3 make the needed extensions whenever tn,
I city will make it possible"
Our Shoes are good shoes S. A. Piero,
A. 90 cornar Rroa dvyav aud Main atreaf