Baxter Springs news., 1919-02-14
WOULD BUY THE OLD WATER PLANT
Thinks Il Inadvisable at Present Time to
Build an Entirely New Water Plant
on Account of High Taxes.

Well No. 1, recently completed for
the city by Contractor J. T. Phipps,
was formally accepted by the city
council, at the regular meeting Of
that body Tues. night and final pay
ment ordered. The well was sunk to
the depth Of 1901 feet. The water
was analysed at the state laboratory
at Lawrence, also by the Waring d
williams laboratory in Joplin and
both analysis showed it to be excellent
for drinking and household purposes.
It compares closely with the water
in the well now in use as to purity and
softness, and evidently is the same.
The well cost about S6,125 and the
casing which the city furnished was
exKa.
After accepting the well just finish
ed the council by resolution author
lied Mayor Wright and City Clerk
Shields to enter into another contract
with Mr.. Phipps for the drilling Of q
second well, according to the original
plans. On account Of having the drill
ing outfit on the ground Mr.. Phipps
agreed to drill the second well the
same depth for $500 less than the
cost Of the first.
As soon as Mr.. Phipps is given the
location of the second well ne Will
move ON and begin work. It is the
duty Of the water works engineer, A.
C. Moore, Of Joplin, to come over and
give the driller the location OF the
second well according to the blue
prints, but members Of the council ex-
pressed doubt about being able to in
duce Mr.. Moore to come over. He
hasn't been on the scene for long
time, now.
Besides the FIVE per cent he gets for
supervising the sewer job, Mr.. Moore
gets an additional 3h per cent Of the
$4,000 voted for looking after the
installation Of the water works sys-
tenn, or $2,975. Some members OF the
council feel that he is getting alto
Rether too much in view Of the small
amount of attention he is giving the
work. but the city is tied up with n
contract and cannot help itself. 1t is
very.pIain that some are not as strong
for Moore now as they were q while
back "a
!. difference Of opinion arose be-
tween Mayor Wright and the mem
bers of the council present relative to
the advisability Of going ahead now
with the second well. Mayor Wright
addressed the council on the subject.
In substance he stated that it was his
Opinion that the matter should be de-
ferred for q time. Mr.. Wright stated
that Engineer Moore had advised him
that the $4,000 for which the city
voted bonds last year would be suffl-
cient only TO sink two wells, erect the
power plant and reservoir and run q
main down to the business section OF
the city. There the work would have to
cease until the city should vote more
bonds. The engineer estimated that
TO run adequate mains over the city
would require another bond issue OF
sl5O.OOO to 100000. In view Of the
fact that taxes in the city are already
80 high that they are proving bur
den, he felt that to vote more bonds
would not be popular.
On the other hand, the city after
having expended the $S6I0OO, would
not be able to serve the public except
In the business section.
Yet, the withdrawal Of patronage
IN the business section from the Pri-
vnte plant now operating would re-
auce the revenue of the private plant
% a point that would mean loss to
Il. and the owners might do the natur-
Al f.inE and quit, rather than to lose
meuey. In that event . large portion
n the city, the entire residence dis
trjct in fact, would find themselves
without any water service Whatever