Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-01
BUILD WALL now;
LET DAM GO OVER
Continued from Page six.)
work. including the high water earlier
In the season
Herman Raises Money Question.

In the season.
Herman Raises Money Question:.
Mr.. Herman raised question Of q
lack Of funds to make the improve
ment, and said that neither the dam
nor the tank could be built lawfully
Mr.. Herman said the city must have
the money in it's treasury before con-
tracing the expense, and that when
"you undertake to make the improve
ment there are hungry lawyers ready
and waiting to jump on to you"
Mayor Sees Way.
The mayor, however, saw a way out
Of the financial end Of the proposition
by using $1,000 already in the water
works fund, and $4,000 that was
placed in the sinking fund to pay out
standing bonds of the water works de-
partment, but which could not be used
for that purpose, and is now lying idle.
All that would have to be done would
be to transfer it back to the water
works fund
Mr.. Herman said that even then the
city would not have enough to build
the dam, retaining walls, and tank, and
asked the city solicitor if he would say
that the $4,000 in the sinking fund
could be used for this purpose. Mr..
Northup replied that he would not
state positively, offhand, that the
money could be used for the specific
purpose, but that it could be trans
ferred back to the water works fund.
Later he said he thought he would adj
wise that the money be used for the
improvement.
The mayor urged that the council
adopt his policy in matters of emer-
gency, which he explained was that
when he found anything that ought
to be done to do it, and take no con-
sideration at all of what public opinion
was. eff you have an emergency to
meet, meet it, am willing to bare my
breast to censure."
Mr.. F. G.. Pierce, who was in the
audience, was asked his opinion about
the transfer Of the $4,000 to the wa
ter works fund, and said he thought it
could be done legally. He also said
that If the reservoir was in such dan
ger, as had been stated, he thought it
deplorable that the city council should
have allowed the condition to exist.
Herman Moves to Defer.
Mr. Herman, not wanting to act
hastily in any matter outside OF Mt
tie thing like public utility franchise
contract, moved to postpone further
consideration until the next meeting,
Monday night, Sept. 6. Psenicka said
he thought 1t was all right to post
pone it.
Then Gregory moved an amendment
that, in the meantime, 1t be learned
OIL ho
build the retaining wall at his contract
season. ~This," said Gregory, will put
US out Of danger, and that is what we
want now" This motion was sus-
tanned unanimously.
All Agree On Necessity.
| In the lengthy discussion of the sub
ject the fact was brought out that ev-
cry member of the council realizes the
necessity of protection to the city res
ervoir. The high water during the
present season has washed the river
bank badly, and some of the pipes
were exposed. If the present dam
should go out, during freshet next
spring, the chances are that the reser-
voir might be badly damaged, or that
pipes might be broken and the city
be without a water supply for time
The pumping station is also close to
the river bank, and the old wall is in
bad shape.
The mayor announced informally
that in preparing a contract for the
work he would insist on bond OF
$4,000 or $4,000 for faithful per.
Torrance. City Engineer Steiner called
attention to discrepancy in the plans
and specifications on the elevation Of
the dam, and also that the specifca-
lions did not call for any cement test
These points will also be remedied ir
the contract.
Retaining Walls Big End
The retaining walls are the big enc
of the concrete work contemplated il
the Improvement. The yardage on the
walls is 2,043, and the lowest price or
this work is s7.75, making this worl
cost $15,S3325
The city has two bids at the sam,
figure on the retaining walls, tn,
Cleary-White people and r. A. Eli.
having submitted the same figure OF
this part of the work
Autos Used to Boom Fair.