The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-11-07
Campfield Threatens to with
draw Eastern Company's
Water Bid the Latter Part
of the Month.
COUNCILMEN STATE
DEMAND is BLUFF"
General Sentiment Was to
Take Plenty of Time in
Reaching a Decision on I'M
portant Matter.

The action Of +. NJ. Campfield in de-
tmanding that the city council either
accept the bid of his company or
that OF the Richmond City Water
Works company before November 80,
or he would withdraw his bond, came
as a surprise when made public last
evening and had several councilmen
"guessing." Mr. Campfield, in a let
ter to the council, gave as his reasons
for this that the changing condition
of the money market forced him to
ask council to arrive at some definite
conclusion in the near future.
Some OF the cOuncilmen were frank
and concise in expressing their opin-
Ions on the letter. saying that it was a
mere case OF bluff" They declared
that Fuqua. Tying and Company, the
concern represented by r. M. Camp
field. is attempting to force the city
into accepting its proposition.
Opinions Are Varied.
Other city fathers gave varied opin-
ions on the matter. Councilman Won
Pein declared that there will be no
benefit derived by the city from de-
lay in bringing the matter to a eli
max. He said that 1t would be dan
gerous to allow the Campfield com.
pany to withdraw it's bid when it is
much lower than that of it's competi-
tor. The matter OF granting gas
franchise will soon take up councils
time and attention. he said, and that
1t would be expedient to get the wa
ter works franchise out of the way as
quickly as possible.
To Reject Both Bids.
The mayor said that there Is little
doubt but that both bids will be re-
.jected. He said that It L. q physical
impossibility to force the board of
works into an undesirable contract.
1T looks like bluff to me-" declared
Il. A. Bescher, city clerk.
The letter from Mr.. Campfield read
last evening as follows:
TO the Board Of Public Works and
Common Council of the City of
Richmond, Indiana:
Gentlemen:
Having had under consideration the
two bids on water works franchise
and contract since June 1911. it ap-
pears to us that there has been ample
time, for full, fair and legal investi-
cation of the merits of said bids. Our
bid Is so very much lower than that
Of our competitor and is SO generally
understood as to render it apparent
to all that we are legally entitled to
the award While desiring to give the
city all time reasonably required to
investigate and consider the merits of
the two bids, the changing conditions
of the money markets requires us to
ask you to come to some definite con-
Clusion in the very near future. I'm
less an award is made by the thirtieth
day of November, we shall ask to with
draw our bond.
Very respectfully
Edwin Nj. Campfield Company.
Resident engineers for l.. H.
Tying.
What WaideIe Said.
In answering another councilman
who advised haste. Councilman Wal
dele. chairman of the contracts and
franchise committee, explained his
reasons for not urging council to ar
rive at hurried conclusion. He de-
clared that the present council should
lay the foundation for municipal ow-
nership for the water works plant for
the future generations and he express
1ed confidence in doing this. If the
council took ITS time.
"All we have to do is to get down to
brass tacks and think it out, he de-
>Clared alphabetically. There is no
use to hurry because there is a way to
arrive at q solution of the problem. l
have a method on which l have been
working"
Maybe Mr.. Waidele has a plan in
k6is head by which the city may even
Hually come into control of the water
works plant, but l don't think it is a
8easible plan." declared Councilman
Won Pein. HE ought to bring it be-
fore US at special meeting and let
sus thresh 1t out
To this Waidele retorted quickly.
'@'No one will thresh anything out that
CONTINUED on PAGE TenO