The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-04-21
MAYOR ANSWERS CRITICISMS
ON FIJI TRATION PLANT SITE
Resolution Calling for Location Between Second Avenue South
and Second Avenue North Defeated by People
Site Not Fixed in Next Resolution.

| A number OF the citizens of Fargo
have criticised the city administra-
ton severely regarding the location Of
the filtration plant. In talking over
the situation this morning with rep
preventative OF The Forum. Mayor Low
ell said:
misconceptions frequently arise, not
only among the people, but among city
| officials. Alderman Cole stated the
other evening at the meeting of the
city council that resolution had been
passed by the council locating the fl
tration plant between Second avenue
south and Second avenue north, near
the business center OF the city. His
statement Of fact was entirely correct
but he deduced from 1t an erroneous
conclusion. At the meeting OF the
city council Jan. 8, 1910, resolution
was passed directing the city auditor
to publish notice of a special election
to authorize the city to issue bonds for
the construction of filtration plant
to be located at a point between Sec
ond avenue south and Second avenue
north, near the business center of tho
city, But at the election held on Jan.
2S, 1910, the bond issue was defeated
Dy vote or the people
Thereafter and on June s, a resolu-
ton was adopted by the city council
calling special election for July 6,
1870 for the purpose Of submitting to
the people the question whether bonds
in the sum Of $4,000 should be issued
for the construction of a filtration
plant without specifying in any man
ner where such filtration plant should
be located. An election was held upon
the resolution so adopted and the bond
issue carried. Under that resolution
and vote OF the people no obligation
rested upon the city to locate the
filtration plant within the territory
embraced in the previous January res
olution and notice of election, at which
the bond issue was defeated.
con July /, 1910. the council adopted
resolution that it was the sense Of
the city council that the filtration plant
should be located nearer the center
of the city than the site heretofore
purchased for such purpose and not
far from the present pumping sta
ton. Subsequently a conveyance was
obtained from the Northern Pacific
Railway Co. waving all objections to
the construction Of the filtration plant
upon the high point of land near the
present pumping station and on Dec.
20, 1910, the fire and water committee
reported favorably on such location
and the report was adopted. Neither
the action Of the city council on July
l or on Dec. %. above referred to,
were any part OF the proceedings re-
CURED by law to authorize the issue
of bonds. Both Of them were no more
than an expression of the views of the
council at the time they were passed,
which, like all other conclusions of the
officers of the municipality with regard
to the location of permanent improve
ments, were subject to change by the
same or any succeeding council.
Thereafter the park hoard adonted
resolution notifying the city of1cials
in substance, that legal proceedings
would be instituted to prevent th. usa
of the site chosen for the filtration
plant in the park The council con-
cluded, and I think wisely, that IT did
not desire to enter upon litigation
either for the purpose Of .condemnine
the park site or condemning any other
central site. Such condemnation pro-
ceedings would have delayed the con-
struction work until another year.
The construction of the filtration house
involves large amount of concrete
work which must be begun forthwith
In order to complete it before freezing
weather.
'Tnasmuch as the cost of pure water
to this city is so great an annual
burden upon the taxpayers. variously
estimated at from $4,000 to 100000,
1t seemed to the council that any site
which was deemed feasible by the
city's engineers should be selected, and
thus permit construction work to
| caroY1oauca inanoadiafaIxy