The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-15
BOOKS MUST
Be seen BY
THE PEOPLE
In Order to Secure Fair Wa
ter Rates, Says Attorney
Jessup, Affairs of Com
pany Must Be Known.


CulBS.
III you want to eliminate this idea
Of the present company that 1t has a
perpetual franchise you will have to
give, the franchise to the Campfield
company" declared Mr.. Campfield. 1T
may take some fighting, in case the
contract IL given us, to get the pre-
sent company to sell It's plant to us.
but we are good fighters. This plant
10 growing In size each year and In
few years 1t may be worth $1,500,000.
Al the city grows the plant enlarges
Z and naturally becomes more valu.
able"
The question as to whether the
Campfield company would consider 1t
held a perpetual franchise was asked
by Alfred Bavis.
Contrary to the belief of the Rich
mond City Water Works company the
Campfield company says that the
franchise has a value. However, the
latter company does not say that 1t
will give the city certain amount for
the franchise, but says that inasmuch
90 Il proposes to give the city free wa
ter while the other company does not.
that It 10 giving the city at least &c.
800 annually, which will amount to
4157,000 in the twenty-five years.
s'This Is the value we place upon the
franchise" he said. .
Representatives Of the Campfield
company believe that the rates as pro-
posed cannot be changed. while the
purchase clause may be. AS gathered
from the remarks made by them in
council last evening, the new COM
pany IL willing to make concessions
In more than one way. When asked
about the water rate for the public
schools, Mr.. Campfield asserted that
his company had charged the six-cent
rate because of the large amount of
wastage of water in the schools lie
said that his company may reduce this
rate to cents and when further
which 10 financially backed by eastern
capitalists may submit to free water
for schools.
In answer to question of E. H. Har.
ria 40 to what the company proposed
to do In case It was unsuccessful in
obtaining the water works plant II the
bid were awarded to the Campfield
company, Mr.. Campfield said that 1t
was the intention of the company to
build . new plant entirely. However.
he stated that every effort would be
made to get the present plant and that
he believed there would be little diff
ficulty experienced in doing SO.
Mr.. Harris then Intercepted Mr..
Campfield as to. who would pay the
cost Of the service pipes in case new
plant was put In. Campfield replied
that the owners of the property would
pay the cost of the pipes but that
thereafter the pines would belong to
the property owners.
The Campfield company will not &C.
cept franchise for less than twenty
five years. It prefers an even longer
contract on account of the large
amount Of capital which would have
to be invested In the plant. Mr..
Campfield said that nothing less than
( twenty-five years would satisfy the
company. while Mr.. Lindemuth said
that the company might accept TWEEN
ty.year franchise. although he is doubt
ful on this matter.
Compares Proposals.
Comparing the proposition OF the
two companies Mr. Lindemuth said
that the present company proposes
raising the rates for domestic consum-
ers and to take away free water from
the city, while the new company re-
duces the rates and gives free water
10 the city.
Caustically Mr.. Lindemuth spoke up.
bn the proposition of the Richmond
City Water Works.
"Of course. no one blames the com.
pany for trying 10 hold on" he said.
1.-THE Representatives of the company
evidently believe that they have a
good proposal. Our people are salts
He'd with s per cent return on the
Investment, but the present company
wants or 10 per cent. One reason
why we can do this Is because we will
have no difficulty in marketing our
bonds. Our bid should be accepted be-
cause we are giving the city the best
possible proposition. II the purchase
clause has to be cut out believe it
could be done and let the rates re-
main as they are. We agree to surren.
der any perpetual franchise right
which the present company contends
Il has, In case we buy the plant We
also agree to assume all responsibility
Of any litigation which may result.
"The city should not reject these
proposals because II they are rejected
the bonds are released and probably
- good a proposition could not be
made again by our company.
Continuing. Mr.. Lindemuth said
that the board of works or council
bad no right to cut out any part or
clause of either proposal as the state
law would not permit II. He said that
there was no doubt but that his com.
pany had submitted by far the best
and most equitable bid
Following the discussion Of the pro
poeal. Matt Won Pein. councilman-at.
large. took occasion to thank the board
u works for inviting the council to
hear the discussions and offer sugges
lions 40 to what the contract, which
will be awarded to one OF the two
eompanied, should contain.
The next meeting OF council and the
board on this matter will not be held