Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-10-19
CITY OFFICIALS
WINASHOUSINC
HEADS BUY PIPE
Stornv Sessions at City Hall End
Whom Contractor Agrees to Use
Lead in Place Of Iren.
COMMISSIONERS ARE FIRM
Tiad a Supply To Be Had At a
Price Far Below the Govern
nleHt Estimates.


pock Island city hall yesterday ait
moon between city officials and
.bose Of the United States Hous-
ing corporation, the city won its
roint for the installing of lead wa
ter service pipe in the streets
where the houses are being erected
il this city.
Before the housing representa-
tfyes entered the session the city
o4icials were talking OF swearing
ant warrants for the arrest OF
nose installing cast iron service
mines in the streets contrary to the
civ ordinance and IN violation of
an oral agreement made by the
bausiug representatives in session
with the commissioners several
weeks ago.
However. as the result of three
separate meetings yesterday after
noon an agreement was reached
whereby the contractors are to put
IL lead pipe.
Reasons given by the housing
CONSERVATIVES for not installing
LEAD pipe was inability TO procure
: City officials stated, however,
=
the housing work and in safeguard
ing the interests of the city in the
future. they would take it upon
themselves TO obtain the necessary
nine. In one hour a deal was clos
cd for the purchase of 2,100 feet
Cs zs-inch lead pipe from Crane &
Go. Of Davenport, which was Of
fered 10 the housing corporation
At cost The promise was made
thai an additional 900 feet would
be obtained Immediately TO make
I'd the 5000 feet estimated to be
needed.
Cat TIE Estimate.
The government estimate of 81
cents for standard 6s-inch pipe,
three pounds to the foot, was given
by E. \ Lord OF Monmouth, con-
necceG with the housing project.
The city purchased the pipe and
turned il over TO the contractors at
cost which was SI1-1J per 100
pounds, or SO 1-3 cents per foot.
The drsc representatives 10 meet
with the city officials yesterday
were W s Shields, project engi-
Leer. and D. y simouSO1, legal ad-
visor for this locality. They stated
that the war industries board had
announced that lead service pipe
IS not available and therefore could
not be used. Mayor McCOnochie
Questioned the right Of the war in
dustTies board to override city
ordinances. The lsueT's represent
atives replied that the war board
rad full power and that another
agent was on the way here to deal
with the situation. The mayor said
he would have 10 be shown. This
broke up the meeting The repre-
seHta-ives picked up their hats and
left. soon Il A Lord appeared tC
renew the discussion
The session following was the
hottest of them all Questions were
put 20 Ir Lord as 10 whether OF
not the United States Housing cor
p0ratiou was a government insti-
tuition or just merely a corpora
ton with the words United States
affixed. Charge following charge
vas made as TO the fairness of the
corporation in its dealings. Mr.
Lord finally stated that if the city
could obtain the lead pipe he would
take IL up with headquarters re-
garding its purchase.
Buys Pipe Outright.
Soon after Mr.. Lord had gone
Henry ". Horst, head OF the con
struCtfou contractors, appeared and
purchased the pipe outright
He, however, drafted a record Of
the transaction to be forwarded tC
corporation headquarters. This
statement set forth that the agree
ment between the city and the
corporation some time ago proyid-
ed that the city ordinance regard.
ing installation of lead pipe was
not TO be waived unless the leaC
pipe could not be obtained. Mr.
Horst recommended that the pipe
be purchased at once, at the actua
cost 70 the city, and Furthermore
as the workmen are now tearing
and have torn up the streets o
Rock Island, he has issued order:
On his own authority to purchase
enough lead pipe TO keep the worl
II progress until further orders
are received.
Nr. Horst ordered the wOrHneI
to take out the SIX connections o
eastirou pipe to the city mains al