Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-01-10
What About the Water Plant!

ine lrancnlSe OF tne Great SEND
Water Supply Co. expires in April
1909. In the mean time it will be
necessary for the citizens to make
up their mind what they want to
DO in regard to the continuance Of
the franchise and a new contract
with the company. or the purchase
OF the plant, or the building of a
new one. IL would take several
m )nths to BULL a plant and no
doubt will take considerable time
to- agree on the price and terms
! if we bought the one we have.
but however that NAV he it is
time that we should come to some
conclusion in the. matter or at any
rate take some steps toward know.
ing what to do. in short now is
the time to agitate the question.
and get action on ourselves that
we may have reasonable time to
Fact when it is found what the majo
rity OF the people desire in the
matter. The majority should
rule. and while the franchise. is as
all similar franchises. has a pur.
chase clause, that does not mean
by any means that, we must pur.
chase the plant, If We decide to
operate our own system. There
are some people in the city who say
they would not have the old plant
as gift. meaning thereby that it
would be dear at any price. Than
there are others who think if the
plant can be bought at a reasonable
price, we should buy it. Others
want a different system, and so it
goes. The first thing for our
people to do is to find out whether
or not they want their own plant.
When that question is settled settle
The other one. in a business like
insnner. We have advocated for
several years that it was the pro-
per thing for the city to do, to
own its own water plant. We hope
to have more to say on that score
soon, and also to submit facts and
arguments to bear out our opinion
If it is necessary. This does not
mean as some have in the past
construed our position. that we
want to buy the old plant. At
this time we feel entirely lncom.
petent to express an opinion on
that line. but we do feel that the
city should own its own plant and
with it the light plant.
The matter was informally dis
cussed ct the council meeting
Monday evening and it's probable
that a petition may be circulated
asking the council to call an elec.
tion for the purpose of voting
bonds for the building Of a ne '
water plant or the pul chase of the
old one. Three questions could
submitted at the election. 1st.. Do
you favor the city ownership of
the water plantl 2nd.. Do you
favor the city purchasing the old
plant at any pricel 3rd. Do
you favor a new plant regardless
of what the old one can be pur
chased fort This would give US
the opinion of our people in a nut
shell. In some cases. we will ad.
NIT city ownership has not proven
good thing. but in most cases
it hss. Think about it and make
up your mind. Some contract
must be made this year.
John Lies and daughter Laura left
tor their home near Chicago Tuesday
morning after an extended visit here,
with Mr.. Lies and daughter Mrs. Mar.
tin keenan, and other relatives. Mr.
Lies was for many years a resident o.
theeast side Of this county.
The entertainment given by the La
Dell-Fox concert company, under
auspices Of the high school entertain
ment course, at the Presbyterian
church Monday evening, is said to
have been one Of the best of its kiuc
that ever visited our CITY.