The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-03-19

for the office of mayor in an ADDRESS
to the voters Friday night at the dis
trict court room gave a thorough re
view OF the administration of city af'
fairs from the adoption of the present
charter and installation of the present
officers down to the present time ana
particularly reviewed the administra'
ton of the water department as pre-
sided over by himself.
Mr.. Dawson stated, that while he
had been elected by the votes by the
citizens of Ardmore commissioners OF
the First ward he had not been elect
ed water commissioner. He stated
that he became water commissioner
by reason of the fact that the other
three commissioners and the mayor
had arranged among themselves as to
the department each preferred to pre-
side over and that he took what they
left.
He reviewed the condition of the
department prior to his assuming
charge and referred to the fact that
the city at that time although engag-
ed in the business of laying sewers
and water lines. making connections
between said lines and residences, was
without any tools or workshop, was
without a horse or conveyance for the
use of that department and without
supplies. He stated that one OF his
first steps was to provide workshop
and tools and to provide the necessary
ccnveyances TO properly attend to the
work of the department. As to the
bond issues he pointed out that out OF
the total amount of bonds voted by
the city his department received all
except about $4,000, and that the bulk
OF the city improvements were put In
under his supervision after being or
dered by the board.
Meters.
He stated that when he went into
office he found that the former ad'
mnistration had agreed that 1t was
for the best interests of the city to
contract to install the meter system
in supplying water to residences and
places of business.
And that he had been Informed by
the city clerk that the city had a con
tract with the meter people whereby
the city could purchase as many
meters as they desired at a very rea-
sonable price and pay for them
twelve months from date; that he
took the question of the continuation
of the meter system to the members
of the board and that he was In
structed to proceed with the system
and purchase additional meters pro-
v.ded the old contract continued in
force: that he thereupon took the
matter up with the representatives
of the people who manufactured the
meters and found that the contract
did continue in force and thereupon
ordered coo metres. He stated that
at that time and up until few days
ago he was under the impression that
there was written contract on file
with the city providing for the pur-
chase and terms of purchase of these
meters. but that upon investigation
the clerk was unable to locate any
the conclusion that only verbal con
tract was made in the first instance
To ascertain the true facts in the mat
ter he requested Mr.. Morris Sass, wa.
ter commissioner, under the last ad-
ministration to give him a statement
with reference to that; Mr.. Sass did
so by letter, which Mr.. Dawson read
as follows:
"Ardmore, Okla, March 10, 1911.
MIR. ID. H. Dawson,
"Ardmore, Okla.
Dear Sir: Replying to request for
information concerning the purchase
of water meters for the city during
my term of office as chairman of the
waterwOrks committee. beg to say
that without any data before me to re
fer to my recollection is that in No
vember 1908, we decided to install as
many meters as our finances would
permit and . salesman for a company
(who [ do not now recalD made us
price of $500. on a reliable meter
that Mr.. BroadanaX superintendent
of water approved of.
Mr.. BroadanaX arranged to get a
number of them to be shipped month
ly as they We're installed. My opin-
ion is that up to April, 1909, we had
purchased about two hundred and
twenty-five meters. Trusting that this
covers the information desired.
Yours very truly
MORRIS SASS"
Mr. Dawson then stated that in ad-