Baxter Springs news., 1917-08-16
NOTHING DOING To.
WATER FRANCHISE
Council Divided With a Major,
ity Opposed 10, Passing
Ordinance in Present
Form

The proposed water works
franchise has been hung up in
definitely. The interruption came
in the very first section after the
Ordinance had been put on its
second reading. Councilmen Con-
nor and Stein pointed out that as
the section stood the water com
pany might take over any street
or public property for the erec-
ton of buildings as well as for
laying pipes. He contended that
it did not properly safegard the
city. The section was amended
and an attempt was made to
pass it as amended but apparent
lily it was unsatisfactory, for
when the vote came it stood two
for the adoption of the section,
Rummell and Skies and three
against adoption, Barnes, Stein
and COnnor.
Interrupted on the start and
without any probability of reach.
Ting an agreement, the council
laid the whole matter on the
table.
In the morning it was reported
that the franchise had been
killed. In an exact sense this is
not true, as the ordinance can be
taken up again. Two PROPOSE
tions appear now to be under
discussion both within the council
and among the people generally.
One is for a municipal water
plant and the other is that the
council again take up the subject
with Mr.. Foshay and endeavor
to get an agreement on a fran
chise that will give the city a
better deal.
Just what will be done rests
largely with the people, and it is
important that steps be taken at
once to settle the proposition.
All city development now is at a
standstill, waiting for some
action on the water question.
The public cries out to the coun-
ell to stop wrangling and get
down to business.
A mistake was probably made
when this franchise was drafted
in not following the expert ad-
vice for which the city paid $1OO
about six months ago. An ex-
pert water works engineer eau
toned the city council and rec
commended that in case the city
should contemplate letting a wa
ter franchise to a private party,
before doing so it should engage
q competent water works engin-
eer to represent the city in its ne
gotiations, else inexperienced men
ignorant of the vital points of q
water system, would find them
selv es trying to negotiate with q
clever hand at the game and all
the time looking out for his own
interests, and as the result the
city would be liable to make a
bargain that would work to the
disadvantage of the city.
The council did not follow this
sound advice after paying for it.
It went ahead on its own judg-
ment and in some particulars
it might have done better.
1t isn't too late yet. Why not
call in an expert now and let Mr..
Foshay and the expert agree on
O contract if they can and if they
can't we had better get along
without Mr.. Foshay and his wat
er plgnt.
Another idea: While the two
factions in this town are show
ing so much eagerness each to
knock out the other mans fran
chise let the people step in and
end the controversy by sending a
petition to the council demanding
an election to vote on a munich
pal plant.
K. L. Koelker was appointed
city engineer and directed to
establish the grades for the eight
miles OF sidewalk recently
ordered.
- -
nl.. Mi L. D.A