The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-22
City Council Refers Import
ant Water Works Question
to a Committee to Decide
on Proper Course.
CITY ATTORNEY is
IN FAVOR OF PLAN
Proposed Traction Company
Agreement on Operation of
Freight Cars Was Given
Its First Reading.

An ensuing conclusion was arrived
ut by the city council last evening
from the discussion of the water
works question, ard 1t was decided to
Instruct the committee on contracts
and franchises TO consider the feasi-
bility of investigating the books and
affairs of the Richmond City Water
lowing the reading of report of the
committee of the Young Mems Busi-
ness Club requesting an investigation,
and the reading of a telegram from l..
II. Tying. saying that the bid of the
Campbell company cannot be changed
without his personal consent.
Councilmen hold various views on
the proposed investigation. A few are
pessimistic as to whether such an in
vestigation will bring results; some
believe II will require an expert ac-
countant, while others believe that the
first thing that should be done toward
the solution Of the problem Is to get
the officials Of the Richmond City Wa
ter Works to testify under oath as to
the exact amount OF money actually
invested in the plant to date and to
state under oath what the actual earn
lngs of the company have been. They
believe that in that way only can fair
rates be determined. They hold Ire op-
:nion that this investigation should
not be done with the idea that the city
10 going to buy the plant, but to arrive
at fair valuation in order to fix rates
that will give the company only fair
return on the money they have invest
ed In the ~.
y Committee Stands.
The committee to whom the matter
was referred is composed of Frank L.
Waidele. chairman, Alphons Weis-
haupt and Henry II. Engelbert and
they will make report to council at
the next regular or called session. It
10 understood Messrs. Waidele and
Weishaupt have stated that an investi-
cation should be made. as they believe
Il will secure better rates. II lower
valuation can be found. Councilman
Engelbert recently declared that he
did not wish to commit himself He
said. last evening that council could
DO nothing in this matter. and that he
could not see where the committee. OF
which he 10 a member, could arrive at
eny results. He said the board of
works should do this, and that coun-
ell did not have the power. 1t was
shown to him that council was the
only city body that had the authority
TO order an investigation. From pres
ent indications 1t looks as If the COM
mittee would return vote Of 2 to 1
lavoring the investigation.
City Attorney Gardner ia heartily
In favor OF the Investigation. He stated
that the city would be obliged to know
the real value OF the plant in order to
make q contract. Councilman Engel
bert asked II the council could inspect
the books Of the company II the city
had no Intentions of purchasing the
plant. and the city attorney declared
that the council had the legal right.
Discussing the question as to whom
the council would secure to make the
Investigation of the company's books.
Mr.. King of the Fifth ward declared
that there was no one in council who
was competent of making 1t.
III we hire an expert and he goes
through US like Maury did there
would be q howl" said Councilman
King.
Controller Suggested.
The name Of the city controller was
buggested as the person to inspect the
books, also the city engineer.
MnvOr Zin,un runan s,,UUoatcd EroH
Charles. city. engineer as the person
best qualified for making the inspec-
tion. He said that Mr. Charles is an
expert engineer and could give as ac-
curate a valuation of the plant as any
one.
Taking up Mr.. Kings argument,
Councilman Bartel said that the for
mer board of public works which en-
gagged Maury to make report on the
value OF the plant was badly disap-
pointed when the bill for his work was
presented for payment. Mr.. Bartel said
that the Investigation should be made
Mr.. Won Pein's opinion is that such
an investigation would do the city lit
tie good. However, he said that he
would not stand in the way of II and
stated that B. B. Johnson and Alfred
Bavts, two men who have a keen in
sight on this matter. should be appoin-
ted. He said. that nevertheless the wa.
ter works would ask what it wanted
70 even II a low valuation was found.
Another statement made by Mr. Won
Pein caused mild sensation. He said
that he had heard when the last stock
OF the company was issued the money
was paid back to the stock holders