Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-01-25
GORDON DENIES CHARGES
PREFERRED BY STATE BOARD OF
HEALTH ON WATER SUPPLY,
BEFORE COUNCIL


the city hall Wednesday evening, Al
dermen Hall, Moeglein, Blake, Brown,
Falk, Farrow, N. J. Peterson and
George Peterson being present.
Alderman Brown brought up the rest
room matter and it was discussed brief
ly. No definite action was taken, the
council only passing resolution favor
ing a rest room in the west room on
the first floor Of the city hall. The
matter Of arranging this room so that
it could also be used as headquarters
for the county agent. Alderman Moeg-
lein, Brown, N. j. Peterson and Far
row were appointed as a committee to
meet with the farm bureau committee,
show them the room and see if it would
be satisfactory for the office Of the
county agent.
T. c. Gordon of the Water Power
company was at the meeting and was
given a hearing regarding the COM
plants made by the state board of
health on the city water supply. Mr..
Gordon emphaticaEy denied the recent
charges made by the state board of
health regarding water being pumped
into the city mains by the Pine Tree
pumps. He stated that this is not pos
sible without opening certain valve,
which has not been done at any time.
It is possible for the power company
to pump water into the Pine Tree
mains, he said, but not vice versa. Re-
garding the suggestion of the state
board of health that a duplicate chlo
rine plant be installed, this will be
done, he said, if the board so orders.
George Emder, chief of the city fire
department., stated that the water pres
sure is very low, that this city has out
grown the service it is now getting.
Even if the company should bring the
pressure up to the required amount,
this would not be adequate for the
proper protection of the city, he said.
The present system was meant for a
city Of about $500, he continued, and
if the city now is to have proper pro-
lection it is necessary to have pumps
on the east side of the river or to en-
large the mains.
Mr.. Gordon stated that the pressure
for fires had been 100 to 10 pounds
and he exhibited charts from the pow
er station showing the amount of pres
sure at the time Of the various fires.
The company had never been in the
habit Of putting on more pressure than
this, he said, and he went on to say
t'>ot there had been no direct COM
-: for lack Of pressure for long
time.
Cl:: lcs Sylvester thought that 2-foot
mains are needed, as it is known thai,
with the present mains when more than
one stream is used the pressure is vely
low. He recommended the purchase of
a fire engine as a solution of the pres
sure problem, saying that this would
be cheaper than the enlarging of the
mains or installation of a pumping sta
tion on the East side.
City Attorney D. M. Cameron stated
that if the company is not furnishing g
the city with the water pressure con-
tracted for some arrangement should
be made whereby the company shall be
paid only for service rendered.
Chairman Hall suggested that the
city clerk write to the state board of
health, informing them that the coun-
Gil had taken up the matter Of the
water supply, with the company, and
advising the board as to the conten-
tions of the company.
| Mr.. Gordon stated that. if desired
the company would supply :thero city
with monthly report Yof7 ethhe AVA tel
supply and that lit toaldo even fheauade
weekly if so desiraa.a Ut h@ nanHen of
improving the service as f&h zasrWes-
sure is concerned dIshe lsaid, Il 81 matter
for an engine eer,- hnde h6a dicatea Z his
willingness to cooperate with hel[eoin-
Gil in getting good engineer otb figure
out just what is aneedAde,There is no
need Of anyone agetting excited over
these things, he said, as there is no
real hurry about it.
On motion by Alderman Peterson the
committee appointed to investigate the
water conditions was continued indie
fnitely, and the company was asked
to file a report of the water supply
with the city clerk as offered.
The matter Of getting Mr.. Bass Of
the extension division of the state uni
versity to come here and figure out this
matter was talked over and it was
thought that this would be good idea
The city's water contract expires in
about-a year, it was pointed out, and
it would be well to investigate things
connected Herewith thoroughly be-
forehand. It was decided to defer any
further action in the matter until the
next meeting, the committee to meet
in the meantime and prepare some kind
of a report to be made to the council
at the next meeting.
Alderman Farrow Of the committee
on the quarry road reported that the
committee had been up to look over
same and that they had tried to get
farmers to do corduroying in some low
places, but that no contracts were let
as the price was considered too high
The price asked was $15 per rod for a
layer Of rock one foot deep, he said
and the committee left that it could
be done for approximately Sc per rod
by day labor, few men having offered
to do work by the day when they had
any spare time. Ga motion by Alder.
man N. J. Peterson the committee was
continued and was authorized to 60
ahead and get the work done on this
road by day labor, giving due consid-
Grafton to the charter limitations on
expenditures.
| Some improvements are being made