The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-02-05
PHILLIPS ASSERTS
DEARMONT DREW
WATERCONTRACT
Candidate for Mayor Charges
Armgardt Had Professor
Edit Franchise.
OUTLINES PLATFORM
FOR HIS CAMPAIGN
Drumm to Run for City Attorney
and HutsOn Will 60 on His
Ticket.

J. w. Phillips, candidate for Mayor
to succeed F. A. Kage, last night an
nounced that he would make the race
on a platform that would declare for
pure water and good gas.
"If | should be elected l will exert
every effort to force the Missouri Pub
lie Utilities Company to live up to its
contract with this city," said Mr. Phil
lips. "The water which the people of
Cape Girardeau drink is not suitable
for cattle. There is no reason why the
company should not be forced to fur
nish pure water and good gas and
power.
81 believe the franchise the COM
pany has with this city was secured
through the dictation of Prof. Dear
mont. 1t was agreed upon without the
city getting all that it is entitled to.
"When the committee from the City
Council met with the representatives
of the Utilities Company for the pur-
pose of agreeing upon the terms of
the contract to be entered into, have
been told that Charles Armgardt
would agree to certain portions as
they would repudiate his actions of the
former meeting, and demand that fur
ther alterations be made before he
would consent to continuing with the
work.
George S. Summers, who was also
a member of the Council at the time,
and a member of the committee, told
me that he asked Mr.. Armgardt who
suggested the further changes, and he
replied that it was all right as to who
had made the suggestion, that it was
his business.
"Mr. Summers told me that Arm
gaTdt would take the typewriter
copy Of the matter agreed upon, when
he left the meetings, and when he re-
turned it would be covered with pen
Gil notations, interlineatiOns and other
changes. He said that when he told
Mr.. Armgradt that the changes were
in Prof. Dearmont's handwriting, he
replied that it made no difference
whose writing it was, it was his de
sire that the change be made. But
even as it is, it is of sufficient force
to furnish the people with adequate
service, if the city had someone with
backbone strong enough to compel
the utilities company to live up to the
requirements Of the franchise.
"The fact that the attorney for the
water company wrote the contract
naturally gives the company the best
of the agreement. The franchise con-
tainS many loopholes which would per-
nit the company to cause consider
able trouble, but the proper effort on
the part of the city would get for the
people more than they have ever had
before. The public is certainly en-
titled to get what it pays for, and Off
cials of city, and especially one so
large as Cape Girardeau, should bend
every effort to insure a square deal
for the people.
"If l am elected Mayor, the people
may rest assured that l will use every
legitimate means to force the COM
pany to carry out its contract. This
city must progress to grow as its peo-
pie would like to see it grow, and pure
water and good gas and light are es-
sential in the advancement of any
city. But the people must look to its
officials to take care of the public's
interests. If elected, l will be the
mayor of all the people"
Mr.. Phillips has not yet selected his
ticket, but it is nearing completion.
Jeff Hutson will go on the Phillips
ticket for Chief of Police and Edward
Drum will run for City Attorney. DR..
T. P. Fristoe is the Phillips candidate
for Police Judge and Henry Brunke
will run for the City Council in the
third ward. Councilman Fowler will
run on the Phillips ticket for Council
in the Fourth ward.
Efforts are still being made to in
duce Joe T. Num-, Jr. to run for City
Collector, but he has not gwen his con-
sent. Several have asked to have their
names go on the Phillips ticket for
City Treasurer and Assessor, but
nothing definite has been decided up.