Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-02-25
MAYOR WINS FIGHT
FOR WATER system
+ ECTS COMPROMISE WITH
COMPANY AND CITY COUNCIL
AUTHORIZES ACQUISITION.

COMPANY AND CITY COUNCIL
AUTHORIZES ACQUISITION.
Having effected compromise with
the owners of the local waterworks
plant to take it over at a price of
$1O2,5O0, requiring the company to
pay $4,000 in back taxes and its
Swantown box sewer assessment of
$1,7O0, and to return the $1,000
trust fund covering water meter
charges, Mayor Geo. A. hoffman
called special meeting of the city
council Friday morning when the de-
tails of the transaction were author
lied. The bonds have been sold to
John E. Price G Co., Seattle bond
brokers. The ordinances and resolu-
tions involved appear among the
"City Legal Notices" on another
page.
The city expects to take the plant
over on or about next Wednesday,
March l, according to a statement
issued by the mayor. The price
agreed upon in the compromise is
$4,000 more than the verdict
allowed by jury in the Pierce coun-
ty superior court in the condemna-
tion suit decided in April last year,
but it ends all litigation with the
company. The company's appeal
from this verdict is still pending in
the state supreme court.
The Offices of the company will be
moved Immediately to the city hall,
and the management of the water
plant put in the hands of a COM
mittee composed of Councilmen
,Yauger. chairman, Talcott and Ram
berg, G. A. Harmony, manager Of the
system for the last four years. re-
firing. This will mean a saving,
Mayor Mottman says. of 1925 month
fright OF the bat" The city will
collect the March water bills.
Ends Long Fight.
This compromise and its approval
by the city council closes the fight
for the acquisition Of the waterworks
which Mayor Mottman has conducted
since his FIRST campaign for election
in the fall of 1912, and is heralded
with much Joy in administration
circles. In this period there have
been three special elections. the last
being held last December when .
bond issue of $4,000 was author
lied, and various points involved
have been passed upon by the su-
preme court, the 100000 issue pre-
viously authorized having been de-
clared invalid in one instance.
In the measures adopted by the
council this morning. the bid of John
E. Price & Co. of par and accrued In
terest to March l is accepted, the
city treasurer is authorized to deposit
$102,500 with the Pierce county
court as payment to the company.
and special Water Fund Is
created, from which the treasurer Is
authorized to pay $4,242 to the Seat
tie law firm of Baliinger, Battle, Hull
bert & Shorts and the New York firm
of Caldwell, Masslich & Reed for
legal services, and $4,994.48 for sx-
penses incurred in connection with
the acquisition of the system. Upon
this authority, Mrs. Iona Smith, the
treasurer, has issued a call for most
of the general and current expense
fund warrants issued on the water.
works project.
Mayor Mottman's statement con-
cerning this action is quite lengthy.
After discussing the litigation of the
past year, he declares that "the
people of Olympia have lost since
March between SIS, 900 and $4,000
net in water rentals by being kept
out Of control and possession of the
water works and the income there
FROM" and then goes on to say:
Reason for Compromise.
LIS luIOIcTdOIc Wdo
liable to continue for another year or
longer, because there is no end to lit
igation under our system of juris-
prudence and the people were losing
about $50 a day by being deprived of
control of the water plant. With
these conditions confronting us the
administration came to the conclu-
sion that II a fair way and common
ground for compromise could be ar
rived at between the many conflict
ing interests in control of the water
works and the city. and possession be
had at once for the city and good
title secured, stopping all further ex-
pense and litigation, it would be good
business for the city, even if it had
to pay more than the jury awarded.
because the income would take care
of it in very few months. Pursuant