Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-11-29
PEOPLE WOULD
own WATER PLANT
RemOnstrance Against Granting
Bilger Franchise Election
Wanted for Voters to
Decide Question

ell and the publication Of the water
franchise ordinance now appearing in
The News, a strong sentiment has
developed among the taxpayers OF the
city against granting the franchise to
G. F. Bilger, and prior to December
Sth, when otherwise the franchise
would become effective according to
law, a petition, in compliance with
the state law, will be filed with the
city clerk. This petition will protest
against the granting of this ordinance
and will demand that the city council
call a special election in order that
the qualified voters Of the city may
have the opportunity to decide by bal
lot whether the aforesaid franchise
be granted to Mr.. Bilger or not.
The petition was circulated last
week and had been filed with the city
clerk, but later, on referring to the
statutes it was found that the petit
tion lacked about fifty names Of hav-
ing a sufficient number Of signers.
The law specifies that in order to
bring this particular question to a
vote of the people the petition. must
contain q number equal to 80 per cent
of thevotes cast for secretary Of state
at the last general election. That be-
ing the case the petition was with
drawn on consent of the council and
the committee Of the Chamber Of
Commerce which is back of the pro-
test against granting the private
franchise, between now and De-
cember 8, will go out and obtain the
additional names needed.
Apparently, to get the additional
signers will be an easy matter since
the petitions already contain q strong
representation Of the largest taxpay-
ers of the city and on every hand the
public is voicing complaint against the
wreched water service the patrons of
the water plant have received, partic-
-ularly since about October IL, when
the plant passed into the hands of
Mr.. Bilger, who is now seeking
permanent franchise.
Prior to that date the patrons had
been receiving a passable water ser
vice, but since that time it has been
only at intervals that some parts Of
the city have been supplied with wat
er at all. On a number of nights the
plant has been shut down entirely
and according to reports, at times
people have been compelled to 20 to
the plant and awake the engineer in
order to get the pump started so as
to provide water with which to per-
form their morning ablutions and get
breakfast.
Many people feel that the water
company has not been treating the
patrons fairly, in that it has not done
its best to give service under the pres
ent conditions, and they fear that the
city would put itself in a bad pre-
dicament If it should give Mr.. Bilger
twenty year franchise to continue
to operate the present old plant and
patch it up from time to time as ne
may be compelled to do. They fear
that under those conditions the city
never would have a satisfactory wat
er service.
The strong sentiment in Baxter
Springs, Enthusiastically is in favor Of
the city owning its own plant, and in
stead of patching up the old, worn
out plant, the people feel that bonds
should be issued in a sufficient sum
to enable the city to build an entirely
new water system, and one large
enough to meet the growing needs Of
the city.
Many feel that the city council in
the first place, several months ago,
should have called an election for the
purpose Of giving the citizens the
chance to decide by vote whether they
wanted to grant a franchise to pri-
vate parties to operate the old light
plant, or whether they wanted to
build and operate q municipality owned
water plant. Out of all the cities and
towns in Kansas only about 10 are
privately owned; all the others are
municipality owned and the rates to
the consumer average very much low
er and the water supply is always
more satisfactory. Many towns in
the state the size Of Baxter, have
water rates very much lower than the
rates specified in the franchise now
before the people Of Baxter Springs.
Mr.. Bilgsr, who seeks the franchise,
iS very nice gentlemen and would
no doubt do e. well BY the city a.
wy Otbsr vrivsts OWnsr, but b -