The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1912-05-10

At the regular May meeting of the
City Council on Monday evening Capt.
William Herndon, one of the council,
made motion that body issue vouch
er in favor of one Mr.. Weaver for $500.
for perpetual water rights" at Dix
river. The motion was lost for want
of second, and the matter was re-
ferred to the finance committee for in
vsstigation and report.
We do not know if contract was
made in the name of the city with Mr..
Weaver, or if a contract was made,
who made it, or if it was made, if the
party or parties making it had authority
to contract in the name of the City of
Lancaster. If valid contract was
made with Mr. Weaver by anyone with
authority to make such a contract,
then Mr.. Weaver should be paid his
money, if such is not the case, then he
most assuredly should not be paid.
We are at loss to know why such a
contract should even have been con-
templated. When the water works
bonds were authorized it was thought
that Dix river would be the objective
point for the auxiliary pipe line, and
the Council had such a move in con-
temptation, but even then it would not
have been either necessary or advisable
to purchase outright either the right
of way or the water rights; what
would be the necessity of purchasing
when an option could have been OBJ.
tanned for a nominal sum, which would
have answered the same purpose, anc
then when it was decided not to go tt
the river, the city would only have
been out few paltry dollars. wherea:
they now stand to lose $500. We de
not know who made this contract with
Mr.. Weaver, the deed was not in evi
dence before the council, nor do we
know under whose authority they were
acting, but we are informed by at leas
one member of the City Council, Mr.
r. P. Gregory, that he was appointed
as one of committee to investigate al
to the water rights at Dix river, ant
that he never consulted Mr.. Weaver o.
anyone else in the matter, that before
he could do so, it was deemed advisable
to increase the height of the presen
dam.
With the small amount of money a
their disposal, less than enough t.
make such improvements in the presen
water system as are absolutely nee
essary, we deem it i'll advised to spen'
one cent of this money unnecessarily
and that the procuring of this waite
right at Dix River is unnecessary i
obvious, for if the Council have n
confidence in the plan they have ad
opted for the improvement of tn
water plant, abandon it at once, an
60 to the River: and on the other han
if they have the proper amount o
confidence in their undertaking, wher
/. is the necessity for perpetual waite
right at Dix River, or anywhere else
q We have confidence in our City Coun
Gil, and have never hesitated to expires
it, but with many cases of the diver
: sion of the funds voted for water work
improvements to unnecessary usages
we must confess our confidence will b
shaken. We think this matter shoult
+. be thoroughly investigated, and
j there be an honorable way to avoid tn
e payment of this debt, this useless ex
lpenditure of the City. Funds, of whic
they stand so sadly in need, it shoul
be avoided, and if possible save thi
$500. to be placed where it was ir
tended, in the Improvement of tn
! Water Works plant.