The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-08
Ogden News
Office 41o Twenty-Fifth Street.
Ogden, Friday, May 8.
MAY HAVE TO BUY SYSTEM
City, Some Believe, Should Purchase
Waterworks Plant Before Under
taking Separate Scheme.

Since the problem of municipal owner
ship of the waterwOrks system for Ogden
has come up, the question has arisen as
TO what the present status of the Ogden
Waterworks company is. Coupled with
this is the suggestion that a competitive
water system would only work a detri-
ment TO both the proposed municipal and
private plants. Therefore. it is held that
if this be correct and unless the city
wants to get into litigation it will first
be necessary for ii in some way to ac-
qulre the present system.
when the Ogden WaterwOrlxS company
secured the franchise under which it is
operating. objections Were made by a
number of the councilmen because the
pledges under which the measure was
granted were not Incorporated in the
franchise itself BY other of the council
men TINS was not considered important
and the document went through. with a
few amendments. Of course. but with the
pledges of the water company in a sep
arate writing.
rather the letter of pledges was present.
ed to the council and on consideration of
the pledges contained therein the fran
chise was granted. Since that time. how
ever. ii is claimed that the company has
done but little, if anything toward keep
ing the terms of the agreement. and il is
claimed that this works forfeiture of the
franchise
II vas SAlpllldtHu III the agreement le-
ferred to that upon the payment of So
600 by the city TO the waterworks people
that all litigation pending in the courts
at the time between the company and the
city would be called off. Immediately fol-
lowing the passing of the franchise suit
was commenced by J. J. Brummitt and
others to test its validity. While this was
pending the money was not paid as stip-
uiated neither was any work commenced
by the water company. At the conclusion
OF the case. when decision declared
the franchise legal i'm every way or 4
short time thereafter the $4,000 was paid
This was about two months ago.
The second clause of the letter in aues-
ton states specifically that the water
company will reset fire hydrants to the
curb line where necessary upon request
OF the city engineer Engineer Parker
stated yesterday that in some instances
they had done this but in others they had
not acted upon his request
Ii IS further stated that the waterwoTks
people nave not extended any of their
mains agreed to. and as provided i'm
other point, and one that is considered
most important, is contained in the last
paragraph Of the letter. In this the water
company agrees to place fire hydrants in
blocks of the city on or before July l.
1907 At the present time there is not a
lire hydrant in the center of any block
Here IS copy of the letter upon which
'Itt4Iii VI iOl ttItsait VI lIt IIdHtHlSe IS
based:
We Will dismiss all litigation now pend
ng between the Ogden WaterWorks COM
Ddny and Ogden city upon payment to
The Ogden WaterwOrks company of $40
~ in cash, said payment to be made on
Or before August ,. 1906. which shall be
n fun settlement Of all sums due said
company for fire hydrant rentals uD to
December 81. 1906
The Ogden Waterworks company
agrees to reset fire MIGRANTS to the curb !
Inc where necessary, upon request of the I
,ity engineer
THE Ogden WaterwOrks company |
agrees within the next three years to /
)uild an additional reservoir or reservoirs /
o adequately serve the city of Ogden at I
any and all time during the year. We
ilso agree within a short time after such /
ordnance shall become effective, to make /
extensions to our present water mains
me of which will be to extend the mains |
IN Washington avenue to Five Points /
mother to extend the mains on Twenty |
Ourth street TO the Southern Pacific !
hops, beside which We agree 10 make
extensions in several other portions of the |
ity, particularly in the southwestern por- |
ion.
we further agree to place five hydrants /
or better fire protection in the center of (
he five principal business blocks on or /
'efOre July l. 1907.
OGDEN WATERWORKS co.
&C. II. Kircher Manager