The Sentinel=record., 1913-11-29
CHANCELLOR REVIEWS MUNtCi. PAL SITUATION IN THE MOST
 STRAIGHTFORWARD TERMS.
INJUNCTION WAS GRANTED
Requirements of the Underwriters Should Be Considered and Petty Politics Should Be Dropped When Municipal Welfare Is Concerned.

In one of the most exhaustive ana lar reaching decisions eyer handed down from the chancery court Iudgc Henderson yesterday dealt at lengtq with municipal conditions. and made II plain that there was so mucl wrong, because of politics interfer ing with municipal welfare, that the time had come when only the future Of the city should be considered.
 Judge Henderson quoting from the Insurance Journal report on condi. lions here. said that he regarded i; as q serious reflection on this city for 1t 10 he said of them that "loli- tics is The cause Of much Of the mu- nicipal deficiencies in our beloved city"
 Politics has no place in the dis charge of the great duties public ser. wants owe the people" continued Judge Henderson, and nothing should
 
 room for such an accusation,'
 Judge Hende9sons decision holds that the Board of Public Affairs ex- ceeded its authority when it made the 5000 feet of hose purchase, with. out the authority of the city councn and also holds that the counchmer who signed the authority 10 the boald - "a make such purchase should hay acquainted themselves before makins the recommendations, and it was great negligence of duty for them not 10 have done so.
 The decision in full, which should prove of absorbing interest to every taxpayer and citizen, is as follows.
 C. $. Williamson. Jr, Paintih; ys Gus Strauss. j. W. McClendon, Geo W. Housiey. Henry Higgins, and Loyc Tate. Defendants
 The facts are, the City of Hot Springs, after tine great fire of the hfth of September last; had only l,5Ol feet of fire hose. and some of it was cid. and now full of pin holes, anC cannot be used for that reason. Ina old hose. when the same commences to break into pin holes, is not safe anC 10 undertake to fight fire. dependins on the same may prove very de'rimen tal. for at any moment it is likely tI burst. and its use is then retarded t' the extent of the break, besides, I a any moment may become absolute ly worthless, and the fire departmen thereby crippled iii it's usefulness II preventing the spread of fire or eA tngushing the same.
 After the big fire, at the instance Of the councilmen, it being considered case of emergency, the Board Public Affairs were directed to pun chase and did purchase 1000 feet . hose, and after the purchase, Ih council passed an ordinance authoHl ing said purchase and directing pay ment for the same
 The Chief of the Fire Department after the receipt of this 1000 feet q new hose gave notice that he neede s,c00 feet more hose for the saie an economical operation of his depaf ment At the time of this notice, tW hose companies had representative in the City. The City Council not D' ing in session, and would not De 10 several days thereafter, an ordinanc in io,m was drawn authorizing th board of public affairs to purohas said 5000 feet of hose which ord rance was presented to ten or tn twelve aldermen. eight of whom slsi cd a statement authorizing the Pu chase and agreeing to pass the oru nance for the purchase at the he' meeting of the council; two reiuse of whom is the plaintiff in this caus of whim is the plaintiff in this caus
 The two representatives of the nos Companies, after the above authoIU placed their respective hose and pric' Before he said board of public ahaI and tne board purchased the ''o' feet of hose in controversy when VI shipped, and remained for some O'i' a' the freight depot at Hot 9prlhE on account of a contention as 10 WI should nay the freight. the board GU tending the Hose Company was to p' the same, when it had been sent The cost Of the City. The board coi nnnlcated with the Hose Company to he freight and the matter VI finally settled by the Hose Couhpai paying the freight
 After the freight bill was seiiie