The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-04-30
WATER WORKS
Being SOLVED;
SUPPLY FROM
Wells FAULTY
State Board Of Health Says
~ Water Not All That
3 1t Should Be.
FRIEND OF WELLS SAYS
USERS EXTRAVAGANT
Legal Opinion City Has Right
To Clean Up Lake Shore
Police Report. 49,

=. ,
.4s.sN The. water works problem of the
city of Bemidji is being rapidly
solved land when the council adj
journed last evening it was to meet
again Thursday night, when F. L..
-Apders Of Fargo: will. be present. =,
-5sF To satisfy himself concerning the
:water1sor Bemidji, A.. L. Molander
sent samples OF water from the wells
and from three points in the river
and Lake Irvine to the state board
of health and the report of the board
was to the effect that the water from
the wells was not what it should be
as regards purity, which would again
indicate that Bemidji needs a filter
system and guaranteed supply OF
pure water. ~. 49,
Wells Have Advocates. 4 .
There have been rare instances
where advocates Of. the present well
system have endeavored to show the
advantages of the wells, but Presi-
dent Clark of the council and Mayor
Vandersluis take the opposite view,
citing the thousands of dollars al
ready spent in maintaining the wells
which are constantly out Of water
and needing replacing at big ex-
pense to the taxpayers, The idea is
to obtain an adequate supply OF wa
ter and make it. pure and solve the
vexatious, problem definitely, and
they have the support Of the city
council, and it's; a certainty that the
people of Bemidji want water suit
able for every purpose and plenty OF
it..
~ People Own System.
One of the advocates Of the well
system said in a communication that
the people of Bemidjf were extrava-
giant in the use Of water To this
Mayor Vandersluis expressed himself
that the people of Bemidji were en-
titled to all the water they desired
to use and pay for, and that he didn't
think it was up to the city to tell
the taxpayers how much water they
could use.
Store Owner Own Boss.
An interesting feature of the meet
ing was a legal opinion by City At
torney Fisk anent petition of some
of the barber shops of the city rela-
tive to setting closing hour. 1t was
several weeks ago that some Of the
master BARRIERS signed an agreement
to- close their places of business at
$50 o'clock and at the last meet
ing of the council one of the BARRIERS
appeared with petition that the
council Dpass an ordinance regulat-
inga the closing of shops at certain
hours The matter was referred to
the city attorney, who gave his
opinion that as there was nothing in
the city charter regulating the hours
of any business in the city, except
as to Sabbath observance, and as
there, was no state law regulating
the hours of business houses, the
city council could not attempt to die
tate to a business man what time
he could open and close his store
or other place of business, and that
if the owner of a barber shop wanted
to observe hours to suit himself that
was his business. And the council
accepted the report and filed it.
g. : = Can Clean Lake Shore.
City Attorney Fisk also returned
an opinion asked for by the council
concerning the power of the city to
control the lake shore in the removal
of ramshackle boat houses, remnants
of such and other unsightly objects
built by private persons. The at
torney holds that the city can clean
up the lake shore, or order it done
!, ncih nd I'll
obey the order to remove the un-
slightly objects carry penalty. The
city can also remove the distractions
if the one responsible fails. and re-
cover the cost at law. This is to
be made the subject of an ordinance
to cover the lake shore from Fourth
to Fifteenth street and carries PEN
atty of fine of $1O0 or 80 days in
jail. The city attorney stated the
laws of the state were ample to gov
ern the point at issue.
.. Water Service Estimate.
An estimate of extending the wa
ter service to the house of Fred Pet
rie where the city poor are taken
care of, gave s3,1S5.95. 1t was laid
over for consideration until Thurs
day evening.
Fred LaRoux of Duluth, represent
ing the Standard Oil company, and
G. p. Ballou, resident manager, Be-
midi, asked the council for permits
sion to move the company's depot
and supply holders from their pres
ent location to the 500 right of way
near the 500 depot. Referred to a
committee for investigation as to fire
CONTINUED on Page Fourl