Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-03-20
Council Last Night Adopts Ordinance Contracting for
 Water Service.
MUNICIPALITY TO
 COLLECT $lO5, ,OOO
Under Agreement of Company to Pay City Percentage of Gross RecpiptS, at Least That Sum Be Paid
 in 30 Years.

The city council last night unani- mously adopted an ordinance where. by new contract for water service is to be signed by the city with the Pine Bluff company, the terms of the contract being those agreed upon sec eral days ago. and described at that tune in The Graphic through which the city virtually becomes a partne. and sharer in the gross receipts of the company.
 Under the terms of the ordinance. the rental on each Of the 32O fire hydrants in the city is reduced from $43 to $40 per year, a distinct saving to the city of $960 per annum. and in addition the city will receive from the company percentage of the gross receipts of the company each year until 1947, beginning with the pres ent year.
 For the first five years, the city will receive 3 per cent. per year of the company's gross receipts; for th, following 15 years, the city will re- ceive , per cent; and for the sue ceeding 10 years the city will receive 6 per cent.
 lit estimated that the gross re- ceipts of the company the past year aggregated about $70,O00 Hence, the city will receive from the company, on that basis, the following sums:
 First years, $2,100 per year.
 Next 15 years, $500 per year.
 Next 10 years, $4,20O per year.
 This makes an aggregate of $105,- V11 O@ 4n1 .,~l~ tion the fact that the company's gross receipts will almost certainly show steady increase in the future, ts they have been in the past. The agreement on the new proposition was reached only after considerable labor on the part of the water and light committee of the city council, and after several conferences.
 The committee and the council have received very general praise. espe- cially in view of the fact that there is said to have been no means where- by the company could have been forced to make an concessions. The Pine Bluff company also has been compllmented on it's fairness and it's civic interest in meeting the council half way in the effort to better con- ditions.
 Bids For Light Service.
 The council adopted a resolution instructing and authorizing the board of public affairs to advertise for bids for furnishing street lighting to the city, and electric light and power to private individuals, for periods of E, 10, 15 and 20 years.
 The resolution rec.ted that the contract between the city and the Pine Bluff company expired in May, 1917, and on that account a new contract is necessary, hence the in- structions to the board of public ae- fairs to advertise for the bids.
 The council also instructed the board of public affairs to advertise for bids for the printing and bini- ing of 250 copies of the digest of the city ordinances just completed by City Attorney Earl Wood, it being specified that the board has author ity to reject all bids, if it sees fit.
 Introduce Chicken Ordinance.
 An ordinance was introduced and read twice, providing that it shall be unlawful for any person to allow his or her chickens or other fowls uo roam at large in the city of Pine Bluff, and also declaring that it shall be lawful for any person to impounl or kill any stray chickens found on their premises, and that owners If said chickens shall have no claim for damages because of such impounding or killing of the fowls.
 As is usual every year at this ea- son, there have been many con- plaints about the damage done 10 gardens by stray chickens, and the ordinance was introduced at the ur- gent request of quite a number of housewives, who have been handi- capped in their efforts to make ga.- dens, by the depredations of the chickens.
 At the suggestion of the council, Mayor Simon Bloom appointed a committee consisting of Alderman Frank Franey, City Clerk w. A. Lee and Chief of Police Frank Stewart. to straighten out telephone bill and approve it for payment, and to urge the installation of toll telephone station at police headquarters.