Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-13

The wisdom of buying the water
works by the city was discussed pro
and con last night at a meeting OF the
citizens In the rooms OF the CONNER
cial association. A large crowd OF
public spirited Ottumwans was pre-
sent. The consensus of opinion finally
crystallized into a motion authorizing
the chairman to appoint committee
of five persons to thoroughly inyesti-
gate what was said and done at the
meeting and likewise go over the data
secured by Engineer J. T. Brady in his
investigation of the value of the local
plant. as we'll as to secure any and
all data of value that shall be known
by the people before the question OF
municipal ownership of the plant be
placed before the voters in November.
The meeting was not one led az
fair. On the contrary there We're 9
number present who had views for and
against the proposition. The larger
element seemed to take the view that
the city is up against peculiar stu
alton where something should be done
toward the settlement of the water
question in Ottumwa, and this lent to
ried in the special election by the
voters.
Finances Favorable.
Mayor S. p. Hartman was quizzed on
all sides relative to the condition OF
the city at present to consider the pro-
position from financial standpoint.
He also went into the work thus far
done by the council in handling the
water matter The finances of the
city were shown by the mayor to be
such as to permit the bonding of the
project and still keep within the legal
Indebtedness of the city.
Equip Plant in Five Years.
The expert engineers plan which
was adopted by the present company
when the franchise was granted it,
and which was to place the plant on
a standard of efficiency that was
thought satisfactory at the time, can
be fulfilled according to the mayors
statement by an expenditure c. about
$130,000 and this sum he said could
be raised by the rentals, the five mill
levy and the amount at present avail
able from the water fund which re-
presents some $S5.000. Mayor Hart
man contented that if owned by the
city the quality of the water would be
Improved and the number of patrons
increased. and this said he. would in
crease the revenue. This revenue
coupled with the regular water levy
would provide enough money to pay
for the ponds as they mature the first
five years, and sum in excess to apply
on improvements He thought tat by
the end of that period the Improve
mentsS might be made to bring the
plant up to the needs.
Hoglund Figures are High.
Former Alderman e. Hoglund was
called upon for some remarks and his
long experience in the railroad water
service on the Burlington route, lent
no little Importance to his remarks.
His view Of the cost that the needed
Improvements would require, was far
Hartman in behalf Of the council. Mr.
Hoglund approved OF an entirely new
and different plan of filtration. He
would scrap the filter now in use, say
ing that it is obsolete. The piping in
the mains was found fault with as In
adequate in his opinion to supply the
demands made upon It. In this he
met opposition and it was said that at
present the mains carry not only
eighty pounds pressure, but in some
parts Of the city as high as 1876 pounds
Mr.. Hoglund contended that if the
plans adopted by the water company
at the time the franchise was granted
were brought to completion, the
plant would then be inadequate to
serve the needs for quality and fire
protection. The sum needed to equip
the plant according to his theory would
reach S550.000.
Much Waste Here.
In the course of his remarks, Mr.
Hoglund told of conversation. with
Engineer F. Lawler of the Burlington
water plant, who once looked over the
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