The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-06-13

1ect was thoroughly discussed.
r meeting was presided over by DR.. Pric
lit, chairman of the township comm
tee. He stated the object for which t
taxpayers had been called together al
called upon Alvin Sleeper, the townsh
engineer, to give his ideas about &
value of the plant OF the Mount Hol
Water Company, which it was su
gested ought to be the property Of Il
town.
Mr.. Sleeper had given very careful
tention to the matter, and he told VIII
is owned by the company and what,
his opinion, its value is.
After he had concluded, james
Royle, a member of the township con
mittee, read a lot of statistics concerl
ing the comparative values Of the Moui
Holly company and the Moorestow
company, the conclusion drawn bein
that Mount Holly could run a watt
company cheaper than the Moorestow
plant is being conducted and that "
could pay expenses and interest and n
tire $4,000 of bonds each year.
DIR. Prickitt said the water compan
had agreed to sell for $l03, 500 and tina
it might be necessary to get abou
S22, 900 more to install wells and put tn
plant in firstcIass condition. He referre'
to the fact that there are wells in opera
ton now-at Chances factory and a
the works of the Hollyford Ice Com
pany, and that they show traces of iron
but he thought there was possibility o
digging lower and getting water that
would be without iron. Even if THU
substance should be in the water OBJ
tanned it could be eliminated by process
of chemical treatment and aeration. DIR
Prickitt thought that artesian welli
could easily be sunk and that good
water could be obtained in quantities
sufficient to supply the entire town
leaving the creek water as a reserve
source.
During his remarks DR.. Prickitt said
there had been some boring done by the
water company but he had been given
to understand that the man doing the
work had been instructed to stop when
he found there was possibility of good
artesian water being located, the infer
ence being that the water company did
not want to go to the expense Of driving
wells as it was cheaper to draw from the
creek. This assertion of the doctor was
not contradicted.
The idea OF municipal ownership was
very favorably considered by those pres
ent, but the main gu estion was whether
there was to be an improvement and
better water supplied, or whether the
purchase Of the present plant was mere
ly letting the stockholders out at the ex-
pense of the town.
DR.. ]. H. Carter thought the most
practical plan would be for the township
committee to bore well and see what
kind OF water could be secured and then
it would be time enough to talk about
buying.
DR.. Prickitt said this would cost money
and the township committee had but
$500 at its disposal to experiment with
and that sum would not go very far
towards driving well. Asked if there
were not always some unexpended bal
ances which might be diverted, the doc
tor said there were not, as the appropri-
ations were always exhausted at the end
of the year, but the report issued Deem
Der 81, 1915, shows that there was a bal
ance on hand of $1.972.67. This ques-
ton also brought James t. Royle to his
feet with the statement that he would
not, while member of the township
vote for exceeding any APP
If we are not mistaken Mr..
Royle was director of the lighting sys-
tenn in the year 1915, and there was
spent for lights not only the $1,000 APP
but $225.98 of the balance.of
S519.96 from the previous year was also
expended. This may not have been
exceeding an appropriation, but the
fact remains that over 5000 more than
was appropr lated was spent.
The subject opened up many discus
sions and the suggestion of the chair
man that questions should be asked was
taken advantage Of. Robert s. Gasxill
referred to the condition of the pipes
through the town and thought that it
might be necessary in the course of time
to replace many OF them, as large
number now in use are rusty and old
and in some places will not supply the
fire engines with water. During Mr..
Gaskill's remarks he was interrupted by
chairman Prickitt, who referred to the
attempt to start new water company
some time ago when mains were laid on
Brainard street and then the work stop
ped. To this Mr.. Gaskill replied that
he was in that new company and that
as soon as the work was commenced the
old company reduced its prices Is per
cent.
There did not seem to be any chance
of coming to definite conclusion on the
subject, SO to get vote, motion was
offered that the township committee
sink an experimental well and discover
if good water can be obtained. This
started the discussion again, and the old
bugaboo of where are the funds to come
from ?" was again raised. Mr.. Mason, q
former member of the committee called
to the fact that on one occas-
ion there was a fire which damaged q
lot of hose. New hose was purchased
and the money raised on an emergency.
He thought what had been done once
might be done again, especially where
the movement is for the benefit OF the
town.
But there appeared to be but one
thought in the minds of one or two, and
that was "buy the old plant" The ar
gument was advanced that if a we'll wa
sunk and good artesian water could not
be secured the expenditure would not b,
wasted, and if good water was the re
suit of the boring the township woul,
not be out any, as it would have on
we'll that it would not have to bore il
case of purchase.
But every suggestion to do somethin
to get an idea of what would happe
was frowned upon by Messrs. Prickii
and Royle. who were the spokesman fC
the purchase, Notwithstanding all IL
other members of the committee wei
present. This led to remark, possibl
out of place. that it looked as ''if thel
was an effort to cram something dow
our throats," remark that cause