Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-02-27

was raised to meet the expense Of the
Main street lights. but the water de-
| partfnent has stood alone and has PAID
| (sinee 1SO5) out Of It's water collections
| for every improvement and expense u
all kinds, and no property holder In thaa
| city has paid to the city one sinelt
| solitary cent he would not have paid
had no improvement been made. When
| II is borne in mind that the water
works is q municipal plant. and one
| that has been almost self creating
growing little year by year. extend
I ing itself to meet the needs OF grow:
( ing city, outsrowing old machinery
with the needs OF the years, meeting
new conditions as they rose, until from
q little plant it has grown into a pretty
healthy plant. worth today probably
nearly or quite a half million dollars,
| with many things yet needed to make II
| complete. ard only owes $4,000 In out
| standing bonds
| It's suppiy Of water IL as good or bet
| ter than any in the state. Its water
rates average as low or lower than
cities turnout the state and these rates
were in force prior tn the year of 1905.
think Mr.. Greene. now candidate for
mavor. introduced the ordinance. Az he
did the meter svster' ard the latter
speaks volumes for his isdom.
Now II we take level view If what
the water works plant has done IN
growth and what its future means to
the city. and remember II has been
nearly self crea ting. we shall be fair il
SOM. mistakes occur.
Now let us see what the water de-
par'ment has done since the year 1908.
Without one cent of tax levy 1t paid for
iall Of the costly litigation growing out
of the dam controversy. it bought and
paid for the old dam with Its perpetual
power rights. thus ending for all flu
ture time any further interference
with our water supply, it bought and
Ipafd for the old mill property of seven
acres, with a rentab1e dwelling house,
Joining this land to the Pierce park
land. with ownership of the river be-
tween. 1t built and paid for the new
concrete dam. with the long retaining
walls for the future protection of the
water works and the reservoir. and the
foundation for a future water power
plant. BY donation of little strip
of the old mill company's ground to
Marshall county, 1t has enabled the
supervisors to move their river bridge
SlIdlS ltSIl tIltlI "IuSh
the river channel thirty feet. 1t has
pulled, cleaned, and replaced the forty
wells of the citys system, and re-
newed all defective piping in its water
field and paid for it. 1t has paid for
some $4,000 worth of needed water
mains with their fire hydrants and,
lastly, it has built and paid for the
much needed and more-maliSned ele-
waited water tank around which cluster
more misleading statements than any
other city proposition. This tank was
put into continuous service in August
1910, and has never been out of service
a half hour since. OF its efficiency
am going to say that since Its installa-
ton it has been under the supervision
Of Mr.. Madsen, chief engineer at the
water works I think all will agree
that. from Mr. Madsen's long and fine
service with the city, that in strong
sense. he Is man apart from any par
ticular administration, and can rather
be considered an asset of the city from
his long service. He will tell you what
he knows to be true l do not believe
he will mislead any one.
This tank was built by and thru the
advice given to the city council in q
written report made to 1t, after per-
sonal investigation by Professor Mars
ton, Of the state college at Ames. 1t is
in possession of the city clerk subject
to inspection.
The object OF the tank was to guard
the pumps from the sudden draws OF
large quantities of water taken by the
railways and manufacturers. to main
tain a steady uniform pressure. with
an added increase sufficient to enable
the sprinkling system for stores or
factories to be installed with success.
The old pressure would not have put
water on the fifth floor OF buildings
such as the new Masonic temple. 30
much for the tank.
To sum up the credit side. The de-
partment has, by its efforts, got $4,000
from the state, S4.03G from the county.
To E. T. Mack, who suggested and
helped to interest the county in NOV
/! ing bridge, etc, and to DR.. w. S. De-
vine who, with myself. took the mat
| ter I'D with the state Of Iowa, the de-
partment owes thanks. To the mayor.
| at whose solicitation the Marshall Ice
Company donated $1,000, and to the
| donor thereof, the city owes thanks
1 feel that all these inprovem ents
are stable, solid and substantial. calcu-
! lated to better the water works sys-
| tenn, and last thruout the years-lons
after our petty politics OF today ID
forgotten, and are, l feel, potent factors
in our city water system. system
which. IL carefully studied, must
| strengthen faith In the wisdom Of
further ownership of other important
public utilities.