The courier-index., 1917-09-21
STATEMENT BY CITIZENS CON-
MlTTEE,

STATEMENT BY CITIZENS CON-
MITTEE.
On account of the expiration of
the temporary contract which has ex-
lsted between the city council and
the Arkansas Light & Power Com
pany since the first of August. 1915.
which contract involves the sale of
the Mariana water works system to
the latter company, the city council
mas been called upon to determine at
once the matter of wheth the sale
In question shall be consumated
The council has therefore very prop
/ erly decided to take the necessary
steps to determine that very import
ant question by the circulation of
petition approving the sale, which
must be signed by the majority i'm
value of the property owners within
the district before the legal transfer
of the water plant can be made
The council is also endeavoring in
very fair and impartial manner
to acquaint the public with a COM
plete history of the water plant from
the date of the first issue of bonds
to the present lime. In order to do
this they are publishing in this issue
of the Courier-Index a statement ad-
dressed to the public, giving all the
lacts as related above without COM
ment, leaving it up to the people to
decide whether they shall sign the
petition referred to when it is pre-
sented. The undersigned committee
has been appointed by body of citi-
zens who oppose the sale of the
water plant, to present a few facts
which are not shown in the state
ment published by the city council
and to present some arguments in
support OF their opposition to the
sale, which we feel sure must prove
convincing to any citizen who gives
the subject the careful study it de-
serves. In doing this the committee
is authorized to state very distinctly
that no criticism OF the action of the
council in the matter of the contract
with the power company is intended
to be made, neither is 1t intended to
question their absolute integrity OF
purpose in making the contract.
There is nothing of personal nature
the whole matter whatever and 1T is
hardly necessary for us to avow
our high regard for the gentlemen
composing the city council or our
confidence in their ultimate inten-
tions We do not believe however that
it would be a fatal error for the city
to sell it's water plant to the Arkan-
sas Light & Power Company or to
any other company or individual.
Believing this as we do, we urge
upon those citizens who are interest
ed that they refuse to sign the Pc
tition in question until they nave
made careful study OF the PROPOSE
tion and have become sufficiently in
formaa to decide the matter accord
ing to their very best indlvlduai
judgment
In support of our position we de-
sire to make a few comments on Some
of the facts as set out in the counc1fs
statement as we'll as on some fea-
tures of the sale contract itself.
which latter instrument, while avail
able for inspection by anyone inter-
ested. has not been published.
Referring to the councils state
ment relating to continued iapses
in the financial affairs OF the water
district during it's operation up t"I
1e15 II is true that from the install
alton of the water system up unuf
the time it was turned ever TO the
water company it's affairs suffered
various vicissitudes. Part OF the ume
tho revenue from water rents ex-
ceeded ordinary expenses and Great
ed a surplus; part of the tine re-
CENTS and expenditures were ABOUT
even. while most OF the slihe
saams the revenue was not equal to
the expense of upkeep and during an
of the time the plant and IT'S machin-
orv was being run down and depre-
oiated II is a fact that 1T became
necessary for the city to make
loan of $4,000 to the water district
in order that necessary repairs on
the plant could be made and IL Is
also fact that none of tins money
nor any of the interest has ever
been paid.
Let us call attention however 10
the fact that the city, with the
exception of the first three or four
wears has not to the present time
Maid to the water district one cent
for hydrant rentals. In the event
that this proposed sale goes through
however it is provided IN the con-
tract that the city shall pay TO tne
mower company s25 per month Tor
bvdrant rentals, which shows at