The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-11-19

;c,tdcut Kotcrt~pa-CC.;ain Alder
men Suggested a Possible Gonnpru-
misc Yesterday Nhiyh Was Vetoed
bs Other Members Bc1orc There
Mas a Chance OF Acceptance.
Despite the earnes- hope and free
IL expressed expectations O. he clti-
lens there was nothing dong II.
The w~ate.works matter yesterday 50
fal as the public Knows and the sit
uation remains unchanged
Superintendent Ro0eI tson. who sent
a letter as published yesterday, 10 the
officials OF the Clarendon Company
and OF the city stating that unless ar
raueements were made by Monday CIV
ing him authority 20 incur TIE nee
essary expenses in operating the plant
he would apply TO the courts 10 De ap-
printed trustee of the plant, It's III
ture operation 10 be under the courts
order. has not heard rom either par
" TO the controversy and it would be
the widest kind OF speculation 10 al
tempt to say what vlll be done.
Few people believe that both par
ties will keep hands of so long
tina the application 10 the court will
have to be made 10 guarantee the FUR
Their running OF the plant, but when
the first move is 10 lee made CannO,
De told Both sides are apparently de
termined to"stand pat On the positions
assumed. believing. i seems, the
any move 10 se,,le the question will
Dc regarded as prejulicial to'their in.
terasts in the final settlement
Certain members 81 the ,oard OF
aldermen, a~c,UatcI b. tuc plrpos-
10 settle the situation a. soon as pos
sibie, yesterday made a proposition
70 President }. F. Divine, q the Clar.
cndon company, asking if he would
consent to the city's taking over the
plant at the figures named in The las,
offer viz $40, 900, and have the bal
ance Of $4,000 arbIu dted by = com
mittee Of business men. the city APP
pointing one member, the Clarendon
! Company a member and these two a
third member, and if his company
would be willing if the city was, t.
abide by the decision OF such "a COM
mittee.
After suggesting this proposition
which seems reasonable and rs a fair
cXpedient to bring an end to the pres
! cnt disagreement and before Captain
Divine had time to reply as to the ac-
Ceptance of the pro-, sOSItiOn, il was
found in consultation with several OF
the aldermen that such terms of set
Element would not be agreed 10 and
tie suggested compromise was with
drawn, leaving the question as tC
ownership and operation exactly where
it was.
The aldermen approached on the mat
ter by members who suggested tn
above means of settling the contrC
Versy, it is understood, were firm ir
their attitude of standing pat" on the
$4,000 offer, and several Of them
stated it is said, that under no con
ditiOns would they consent to give
che dollar above that sum for thc
plant.
Citizens are interested in this mat.
er only SO far as it effects the health
and welfare of the municipality, bui
they feel that their rights after all.
are the things that are TO be cOnsid,
cred and no narrow-minded, dicta-
tatOrial, biased policy should be shown
in a matter of such great public con,
Germ and moment.
If a settlement is to be reached
with the present parties TO the nego-
tiatiOns at lOggeT-heads, it would
appear that the only way in which
a desirable result can be attained is
by arbitration and the objections to
such a method are hard to conceive
o..
There is no criticism of the course
CT either party to the controversy but
the thought which advances itself is
that in the bitter feeling that has been
aroused the best interests of the people
are mo- being looked after and the eff
for apparently is TO see who can win
{. in the end.
.Urther developments will be await
ed with interest, citizens desiring
above all else that tie matter be set
tied and settled finally.
PRINT CLOTH MARKET