The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-02-19
Executive Says Contract Must
Be Kept if Utilities Ex-
poets Money.
ASKS FOR LAWYER TO
ADVISE CITY COUNCIL
Recommends Drastic Action if
State Commission Refuses
To Give Relief.

-hdSO VI hdSS ucllNClSu Spectral
message to the City Council last night,
in which he advised the city to refuse
to pay bills presented by the Missouri
Public Utilities Company, if the water
and light were not up to specifica-
tons.
He urged the City Council as a
whole to register complaint TO the
Missouri Public Service Commission
and that in the event that body did
not give relief, he recommended the
appointment of an attorney to advise
the Council as to what course the city
should proceed to get what it con-
tracted for from the Missouri Public
Utilities Company.
Mayor Kage's message, in full, fol-
lows:
Honorable President Pro Tenn and
Members of the City Council.
Gentlemen:
I'm my communication to your hon
orable body on January IS, there was
matter to which l intended to call
your attention, and that was in refer
ence to the quality of the water fur
nished by the Missouri Public Utilities
Company. 1t seems, however, that the
cc.l.lnittee on Water and Light,
through its chairman, Mr.. Black, took
the initiative and notified the State
Commission of the fact that said COM
pay had not been furnishing water
that was pure, but on the other hand,
furnishing water that was not pure
and wholesome, but contaminated and
dangerous to public health; but we
believe we have no record of the re-
suit of the action taken by said COM
mittce
q have been hoping that the Mis-
souri, Public Utilities Company would
act in giving us good water and
lights, but as they have failed to do
so, and as the State Commission has
not been officially notified (on!y by
the Water and Light Committee),
suggest that said commission be no.
titled to give US relief and if they do
not act promptly, | suggest that the
Council employ competent counsel to
take the proper steps 10 cOmper 5alE
company to carry out the terms of
their franchise with the city.
professor MagilI, the bactcriol-
Ogist at the Normal, has furnished the
Board of Health, once a week, an an
alysis Of the water furnished by said
company.
"Of course, in the event said COM
pany fails to live up to its contract
with the city. and as a last resort we
are forced to bring legal proceedings,
trust your honorable body will act
on this suggestion and take prompt
action in the matter.
while we have no official record of |
the Missouri Public Utilities Company
having violated its contract and /
its franchise with the city, excepting |
as secured by the water and light COM
yet we have public information /
and complaints sufficient to Justify |
drastic proceedings.
"This company, knowing that it has
its contract, keeps; furnishing |
impure water and an inefficient light /
ing service, has gone ahead without adj
dressing the mayor or your honorable
body explanatory of such service, or
that the service would be remedied to
comply with their franchise.
q therefore see no other way than
to proceed against it by bringing the
proper legal proceedings, and further
by stopping payment for any bills
by said company for service
for water and light until said company
has fully complied with the terms of
heir contract and franchise.
hSSpGclIullN SuDhlllIeu-
T. A. Rage, Mayor
Upon motion duly made and second
ID, the suggestions Of the mayor were
received and concurred
n.
The water and light committee re-
ported to the Council that on Fe5ru-
Try Sth, a sample of the hydrant water :
n use in this city was sent to the Uni
'ersity of Missouri for analysis. and :
hat it had been pronounced as i'm !
,urc and possessed of sewage con- {;
animation which rendered it unfit for
se.
After the clerk had been instructed I
0 notify the Missouri Public Utilities s
company that steps must be taken to /
orrect the conditions, the committee {
listed the water and light plant and {
ound that there had becD, installed I J