The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-05-09
0sKAl0DsA MAY
BUY WATER PLANT
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF THE
PROPERTY is FAVORED.
PRICE or WORKS IS S275,OOO
Mass Meeting Of Citizens Discusses
Phases ot-the Situation DeVcl-
opcd by Council and Com
nercial Club.

. r. e
Oskaloosa city may buy its water
works plant and have municipality
owned property Steps in the diTec-
ton of municipal ownership were
taken Friday evening at a mass meet
ing of citizens held at the city hall.
1t was the unanimous sense of the
meeting that the city council and the
Commercial Club proceed with an CT.
fort to get together with the present
holders of the Water Company prop
erty, upon common ground. as a basis
of negotiations, with a view toward
purchasing the plant on a valuation
of $275,000,O0 The holding com
pany agrees to guarantee the main
tenanee of the present water supply,
or to secure the city against all pos
sible harm or damage to the water
supply from the drainage ditch now
being cut through Skunk river bot
toms,
Appraised valuation Of the proper
ty, according to the special engineers
Il secured about one year ago by the
L Oskaloosa city council to make sur
)vey of the property and report, is APP
proximately $24f.000.00. The Peo-
Pies Water Company asked round
$300,000.00 for the plant, as it now
operates. In the negotiations be-
tween city and company representa-
tives this week the men got together
on a basis of s275,OOO.0O as the mer-
charitable valuation of the property.
The city, should the proposals un.
der consideration come to issue, will
& issue bonds in payment of the prop,
crty and the bonds will be taken by
the present owners of the plant.
People Have Voice.
The proposition must be submitted
to vote Of the people. Any deal
made by the council, working with
the Oskaloosa Commercial Club,
must be placed before the voters of
the city for ratification or rejection,
as the case may be. Any contract
n made for the taking over of the prop
3crty must BIZ placed before the peo-
plc for majority approval so that
whatever is done by the council is
not necessarily binding upon the city
unless the voters of the municipality
ratify the acts of their representa-
tiYes. . e.. ~ .- ~. 81.
JuSt what means will be taken for
handling the special election, set for
Monday, May "a, on the proposition
to bond the city for the sum of $400,-
100000 with which to build new wat.
CT supply and distribution did not
definitely appear in last evenings
proceedings, but this did not seem
to fret the promoters of the business
at hand .Es
Total cost to the city Of the new
deal will be in the neighborhood of
$425,060.00. The price agreed upon
for the plant was s275, 100000, and
the sum OF approximately $3.50, 100000
will be required to make necessary
sniproyements upon the property to
insure better water for the city and
q permanent supply.
Des Moines river as source of
supply is out of the question A
plant at the DeS Moines would cost
not less than $3.50 100000 as II start.
!, e.. The income of the plant would
not be sufficient to meet the interest
on the bonds for this amount 1t is
therefore out OF the question.
Faced by Water Famine.
yOskaIoosa city is brought face to
face with the problem of ability to
obtain water at any price. AS one
speaker asserted, the city is confront
Cd with a water famine, definite and
certain II is no longer what kind
Of water can we have, but can we
have water Of any kind?
The situation looks to many as
hazardous proposition, with the PEG
pics Water Company anxious to get
out from under Oskaloosa water
supply is threatened by the draining
,of the storage basin from which the
NSupply is now taken and the city at.
t8rney says the city is powerless to
prevent the act by the drainage dis.
trict.
Whey, then. should the city con-
tract for something that will be rem
dered useless within short while
and the city left without water? The
Peoples Water Company, now hold
ing the rights~accruing to the proper
~. comes to the rescue and says, |
1--WE will guarantee your supply. We
will be able to defend the company'ss
holdings" sS4s
New Franchise Not Sought.
The city is up against another prop |
osition. The existing franchise held
by the company expires within two
years and the Water Company is not
seeking renewal Should the city
vote against the purchase Of the prop,
erty the company win elect to oper-
rte without a franchise and in so do
ing would be able to establish it's
own prices and to Increase rates for
service to the point where a reason
able dividend could be paid upon the
investment involved
Neither would the, present company