The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-09-14
UHE WATER SITUATION.


iurv in the condemnation case, when
yaluation'of SSl. AL was placed on the
Pacific Power & Light Company
water system, although it was felt
that the price set was several thousand
dollars in excess Of the real worth oi
the svstem. the majority Of the eltI-
zens Of the city hoped to see hnai
settlement Of the affair. The verdict
yas in effect compromise one and
practically met both sides half way.
with the exception of the mayor IL
has been submitted TO by the city gov
ernment. who are earnestly desirous Of
assuming control Of the plant ana
fastening the much needed city I'M
provement.
From the attitude .of the attorneys
of the Pacific Power & Light Go. the
company will 10 all probability appeal
the case. However an appeal can IN
no event affect the transfer OF the
property z for the maximum price can
not exceed that agreed upon by the
parties to the suit. The only wise
measure for the city to follow is that
adopted by the city council, who have
passed an ordinance providing for the
drawing of warrants for the payment
of the plant. Until the same are
proffered, the city.can not assume CON
trol'of the plant nor will any revenue
be derived The action Of the mayor
in refusing to approve such an ordin-
ance and TO sign the warrants could
not better please the present owners
of the system.
The mayor by his attitude evidences
his characteristic obstnacy, a serious
impediment to the city's progress. A
continued refusal on his part to sign
the warrants will place him in the
"rara avis" class. He will be one OF
the city's greatest luxuries; for IN
effect the municipality will be paying
him a high salary, about thousand
dollars month. We can arrive at no
other conclusion when we realize that
by his action, the city is losing the
monthly revenue of the.water plant.
As to the communication of j. +.
Batchelder, which was presented to
the council at its Monday night meet
ing, its purport may be considered
meritorious in but one respect. In
deed. by combining the sale Of the
500, 600 water bond issue with that
necessary for the purchase OF the
water system the city might secure a
better bargain for the issues How
ever, the difference will be small and
the delay will be great. The city has
been too prodigal in its delays.
The time has come for definite ac-
tion. Popular sentiment should be |
needed, and it is demanding that the
municipal water system be hastened to
completion and that the much needed
street improvement be cared for.
In this respect the communication is
erroneous. It states that no work can
be done on the municipal water plant
until next summer. The assumption is
an entirely mistaken one. Contractors
can begin immediate work on the con-
struction Of the system. The laying
of mains could be completed Indeed,
with the exception of the concrete
work, all of the work could be com
ploted.
IL is to be hoped that the
city's chief executive will awaken to
the situation. lie states that if he
signs the warrants in payment for the
system, he will become personally
liable. We commend him for his
cautious business steps. However, the
placing of his signature on the war
rants Is no more than a ministerial
act He need fear no added burdens
TO his self-constituted responsibilities.
Whatever liability may be attached
will fall on the shoulders of the six
councilmen, who favor the drawing of
the ordinance. In fact no responsible
ity will attach to the councilmen; for
the vote of the people to issue bonds
to the extent Of S42, 800 created a fund
from which the money may be drawn.
The passage Of an ordinance, me-
chanical step, providing for the sale of
the bonds is all that is now necessary.