Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-15
THE WATER WORKS PROBLEM

The water works proposition Lhal i
now before the citizens of OttumWa
IS a matter Of as vital Importance as
Any civic problem can, be. An ETH
rient waterworks system Is an abso
lutte necessity to city. Therefore any
plan looking to the solution OF the prop
lem now confronting us, must take
Into the consideration the fact that VIC
are dealing with necessity and no.
with something that we do not neces
Barily have to have. We DO nave &c
have water and we must have It at g
reasonable price and of a quality thai
ran be used.
There are a few men In OttumWa
who have for years given this matter
much time and study. The time mas
now arrived when we must all give 'nls
subject the most serious and syste
matte thought. The occasion de
mands it. This is an unusual condi
tion. There Is now, the same as there
always is upon occasions OF TINS Klno
an honest difference of opinion. Some
man are in favor of municipal owner
shin. some are against it, and others
Who are against the policy OF munich
nal ownership, feel that in this In
stance there is no other alternative
There is a general desire for informa
tion on the subject. People want &c
know what has been done, Wnat mas
to be done, what does the purchase
price buy, and If tho city buys II, Wno
Is going to manage 1t.
In 1903. when the present water
company was asking for a franchlse
the issue was plain-it was an open
question for the voter to answer py
hts vote. He had the opportunity to
express his choice-of ownership py
the city or by private corporation
Because at that time 9 private corpora
ton wanted q franchise.
In the present situation, an entlrely
different condition prevails. NO pri
vate parties are asking for francnlse
an. the contrary, those who have the
franchise want to give it up and ge'
out Of the water works business; at any
rate 1t is evident that they do not
want to keep 1t up in Ottumwa.
Thus the matter was brought up To
the point where the. council had to
take some definite action In the mat
tar and It has been done. The mayor
and aldermen have studied and In
vestigated this subject as fully as they
can. They have been working on II
for months and now have the PROPOSE
ton ready to submit to the people for
ratification or rejection.
The water company has practically
accepted the councl's offer OF $28O,OOO
for the plant and the property con
nected with it. This includes in ad.
dition to the works, quite LOT OF
ground along the river and race. Il
a majority Of the citizens vote to buy
the water companys property, then
the city will take charge of the works
Dec. i, 1910. The mayor will appoine
three trustees, who will have entire
supervision. The responsibility OF
success or failure is then with these
trustees. It is plain for anyone to see
that much depends on these men. II
will be a big task to successfully
manage the waterworks of this city
It will require the best business ability
experience and judgment to make II
satisfactory and efficient.
A committee was appointed at q
meeting Of citizens Tuesday evening
to review and summarize the work
that has been done, with view to in
forming the public of the exact stu
alton. This committee will make
public it's findings when the investi
evo%iop ic oono111d al