South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-10-29
LAKEVILLE SPLIT
ON WATERWORKS
Climax Comes tuesday When
Board Members Are to
be Elected.

LAKEVTILE, Ind. Oct 29.-This
city is engaged IN one OF the bitterest
political controversies It has ever
known. The battle. which centers
about the town board and the ques-
zion Of the installation OF a water
works system, Is at its climax. With
the date for the election OF two new
members OF the town board but few
days distant the quarrel has develop
ed from a municipal problem into a
clash between personalities.
The controversy has been brewing
since early last spring when the town
board organized "A semi-municipal
corporation for the operation OF a
waterworks systems. The fight reach
ed one or its first cEmaStS when a
suit for injunction vas f1td In the
circuit court at South Bend by half
a dozen citizens opposed TO the move
ment. The case was venued to the
superior court and is awaiting a hear
ing before Judge Ford and meanwhile
the town board has its hands tied
and is the center Of the opposition
fire.
Candidates Silent.
Next Tuesday an election Will be
held at which two new members Of
tho town board will be chosen.
There are four candid ates in the fight
for the offices and aithOugh none OF
the quartet appear to re in favor Of
the waterworks plan those favoring
the move are silently working TO elect
two OF the men who may be per
suaded 70 change their minds and
join the wet" forces, as the water
works advocates are called.
The waterworks fight dates back a
number of years. When the subject
OF q waterwOrks system was preached
49, d. Trrr raerN
postmaster, was president of the town
board. He opposed the plan upon the
ground that the town could not afford
the improvement and organized the
peoples party 10 fghS the step. Until
last spring Barley and the peoples
party have been opposed to the move
ment,
BarLIey Switches.
Last spring Barley switched. He
says that he felt the time was ripe
for the improvement and agreed with
the town board. composed Of DR.. g. S.
Wiseman, president; w. ID. Wilson
and G. Il. Rensberger. that the wa
terwOrks should be installed. The
town board with Barley, Dr. j. L.
How and ]. +. Steel of the Lakeville
bank very quietly investigated the
proposition and finally organized the
Lakeville Water & Light Co, without
calling in any large number of citi-
zens for advice.
The company was incorporated un-
der the recent enactment of the leg
islature which permits the town to
take stock in corporations. The wa
terworks plant was TO cost something
less than $4,000. Under the plan the
town was TO take the controlling in
terest, all but three shares of the
common stock, and the remainder in
preferred stock was to be sold TO pri-
n "a n ha
bonded to $1,000 and there is $500
in the town treasury. The town
board was to issue bonds amounting
to $4,000 and draw $1,000 from the
treasury which was to be invested in
the stock OF the waterwOrkS COM
pany. This would give the town
board the controlling interest and it
was the aim Of the board TO gradually
buy up the preferred stock and
eventually make the waterwOrks a
municipal concern.
Floyd Barley was chosen as presi-
dent OF the company, Dr. T. ]. Howe,
vice president, and J. r. Steel, sec
retary-treasurer, and the plan was
formally disclosed to the public.
Opposition looms Up.
Then real opposition sprung up.
The opposition cOntended that the
plan had been evolved without con-
sent OF the people and a petition was
NnAeAAEu RAOA0SNAA&6 a6dAllSL the COM
pany. The town board after looking
over the injunction declared that it
had petition bearing a IA name ma
iOrity and refused to consider the op~
position further.
FcIr men. +. f. VanLieu, T, A.
Barley. Alex Moore and c. +. Annis.
ct al, filed a request for a restrain
lng order in the circuit court through
Moon & BerOth and Slick < Slick of
South Bend. The case was venued TO
Judge Ford and the town board is
powerless 10 take action until a hear
ing is conducted.
+. A. Barley is township trustee
and is an uncle to Floyd Barley. the
president OF the company. The ques-
ton has developed into a semi-family
AFFAIR, particularly among the Bark
eys. This is not the only enmity
hat has sprung up as a result of the
controversy for half Of the Lakeville
population stands against the other
hall.
Drys Called cold Fogies".
The town board and supporters of