Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15
WATER MAIN IS IN The WAY
Must Be Removed to Allow Driving Of
Piling for New Bridge.
DISPUTE OVER EXPENSE BILL
city Insists water Company Must Pay
for work and Company says
the City IL RespOR-
sible.

In driving the piling for the new con-
crete bridge over Indian creek at Bryant
street. one OF the large water mains was
found to cross the bed OF the stream at
a point whore one OF the concrete piers
is TO be constructed. The question Of
whether the city or the water works com
pany should be at the expense OF moving
the main has arisen.
Councilman Jensen assuming that as
chairman OF the committee on water works
and other public utilities he had the
authority TO order the company to move
the main, did so. F. w. Hart. general
manager OF the water company. while
willing to move the main takes the posi-
ton that an order for changing its posi-
ton should come from the city council
as a body and not from al Individual
member Of It. even II that member be
chairman OF a committee. n the water
company recognized the authority of Mr..
Jensen in the matter. later the chairman
Of the committee on city bridges or some
other municipal department might order IT
moved a second time, is the contention Of
Mr.. Hart.
Mr.. Hart also takes che position that the
expense OF moving the main should be
borne by the city and not by his com
pany.
Letter from water Company.
During the day Mr.. Hart sent to Coun-
Gilman Jensen the following formal reply
to the latter's message instructing the COM
pany to move the main:
J. Chris Jensen, chairman Of committee
on water works. Telephone and telegraph,
Council Bluffs, Ia:
/ Dear Sir: In reply to your recent teie-
phone communication in which you re-
i unagtad rIa 70 move the pight-inCh water
main which crosses Indian creek at Bry-
ant street. from its present position. we
| comply with your request If you will
have tho council order the pipe moved.
and designate the point TO which the
council wishes II moved. and at the same
time assume the expense OF the work and
material necessary to the moving Of the
From your statement of the situation,
we understand thai the work on the
bridge will be delayed unless this work
IL done at once, and. while IT is not
convenient for us to do II now, we will
take our men off of the work that they
are now engaged In and have them move
the pipe with all the speed possible.
We regret that the question of moving
the pipe was left unattended to until the
last minute. II would have saved a good
deal OF time II the matter could have beer
taken up at the last council meeting. or
at a previous council meeting at which
time II was decided to put the bridge
across the creek at this point.
While we were in no way to blame
for this overnight. we feel such an in
terest in the rapid completion Of this
bridge work that we are willing tn do
everything that we cam consistently 60
assist the contractors in their work. Yours
truly. Council Bluffs City Water Works
company. BY EDWARD w HART.
General Manager.
The main which has been found to be ir
the way of the piling was laid In 1883 under
direction Of the city council. 1t is one Of
the principal feeders of the water system
on the north side of the creek east Of
Eighth street. Suspension OF service from
the Bryant street main would. Mr.. Har
said. seriously impair the water servic'
north of the creek. The length of tim,
which would be required to make tn,
change would depend. he said, on the con.
ditions under which the change was 10 b.
made and the place designated by the coun
ell for the relocation of the main.
Councilman Jensen stated yesterday aft
ernoon that he had been advised by City
Solicitor Kimball that the water work.
company must move the main without ex
pense to the city. Inasmuch as the eib
council will meet next Monday night, Mr.
Jensen said he had decided not to AXE an,
! action in the matter until after that time
Mr.. Jensen said that WORK on driving tn,
piling could proceed without moving tn,
main Immediately