Baxter Springs news., 1919-04-18
CITY COUNCIL
SH STANDS PAT
Interesting Session City COun-
ell Wed. night-TO Advertise
for Bids on Completion
Of Sanitary Sewer

Wed. night there was something do
ing down at the city council chamber.
the council room being crowded.
The first business before the ses-
sion was the subject Of the deep well
for the waterwOrlrs, which has now
reached . depth of 1,106 feet. At this
depth the drillsr, J. 7. Phipps, had
not found sufficient flow Of water,
and his contract being at an end, he
came before the council for instruc-
tiOns. There was due Mr.. Phipps ST.
$3.50 which the council by an appro-
priatiOn ordinance paid of. Then the
council entered into . new contract
with Mr.. Phipps at the rate Of IS per
foot to proceed with the depth Of the
well another 500 feet, or at such
shorter depth at the option of the
council as to warrant q sufficient vol
ume Of water. Mr.. Phipps is waiting
on some supplies and will resume op-
erations tomorrow.
In the well now going down, the
sand in well No. / at $50 feet, was
not penetrated, altho the wells are
only 20 feet apart.
Council Stands Pat
The important question before the
council was smoothing out the sewer
proposition. Under the advice Of
Lawyer COwan Of Wichita, the coun-
ell has no contract at $2.S5 per foot
with the Empire construction Co. to
complete the sewer system At the
same time the Empire people have an
unpaid claim against the city for 912
feet Of sewer ditch at $2.S5 per foot
which the council desires to pay but
cannot at this time without recogniz-
ing the validity Of the $2.S5 contract,
which account If paid; or partially :
paid, would.givss the Empire people
the right TO proceed with the work.
Me6srs.. n. N. Sweetman, A. F.
Earbacher and Mr. Thompson, mem
bers Of the firm Of the Empire Con-
structiOn Co. Of Kansas City, No., and
also their attorney, E. F. Cameron of
Joplin, were before the council. The
attorney made q statement Of the En-
pire side Of the controversy and said
hey were ready to lay their cards on
he table and get a settlement. Mr..
Sweetman also had the floor for q
while.
The mayor and council went into
general discussion with the Empire
representatives, the mayor and cOun-
ii taking the position that they stood
,at on the recommendations Of their
Wichita attorney. The council was
eady- to settle with the Empire peo-
lie If they would relieve the city Of
my future liabilities; the council
VOuld pay the bill and give them the
ght to come back and be competitor
idders at q future time to complete
he sewer system. This proposition :,
Vas made by City Attorney RoSen-
tein, but the Empire. people rejected "a
bis proposition. 80, a-'' "-'''"d -
Councilman Wells then moved
that it be the sense Of the council
D advertise for bids until 2 p. m,
lay /, for the completion Of the un-
Ompleted part Of the sewer system
( Baxter Springs." This motion was
arried unanimously by the council.
he city clerk was instructed to ad-
ertise the proposition in the West
m Contractor, or some other trade
aper.-
Engineer A. C. Moore was before
ie council and took part in the dis
1ssions. He brought up the question
the tank and tower for the water
Orls and gave the council some in
ght as to where the tank and tower
lOald be erected. He recommended
Iat these be placed in Library Park
, some other place south, where the
mount Of water could be doubled in
Ise Of FIRE. II placed At the pump
g station. the tank supply would b
It OF BY reason Of the pumps in the
imp house already keeping the main
II.
The council would not accept the
lrk site for this and agreed 10 pur-
Iase q site sufficient A committee
imposed Of Councilman Wells, Lewis
ld GriGard was named 10 select q
te.
VIII. m AT Joplin