The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-02-25
Citizens Committee, City Council and
Waterworks Officials Discuss
matters OF Rates and Fran
chise
PROPOSITION Is MADE
Suggestion That Engineer and Expert
be Employed by City and Com
pany to Check UP
Claims.

the special water works committee,
the city council and representatives
! of the Keokuk Water Works Co., IN
regard to the proposed raise OF rates
and a franchise, resulted in the PRO-
posal of commission TO present the
claims of both sides, which would
subsequently be made the basis on
which to make the rates. The plan
proposed is for the engineer OF the
water works company to submit lts
figures on which the claim Is made
! that more revenue should be mad
The city will hire an expert to check
over these figures with the water
works companiy's expert
| President G.. l.. Hoffmaster OF the
company pleaded to nave the IN
creased rates of ten per cent more
than the present price, to go lnto
effect Immediately. The citizens
committee and the council previously
decided against such a move. Inc
present prices will prevail during the
discussion of the proposed raise In
rates. 1t was agreed that all OF the
ldata should be presented before April
II. These negotiations will be con-
sidered together with the considera-
ton of a new franchise for the COM
pany as well.
When the conference broke up yes
iterday at qurater to six O'Clock. AFTER
being in session since 2:30 o'clock, 1t
was agreed that the wafer WORKS ON
Gals will either accept the terms py
wire today from Chicago. or that
letter explaining their stand will be
sent to the council.
Wants Increase Now.
| Mr.. Hoffmaster asked that the rates
he was proposing, an increase OF Ten
per cent be effective at once, and tnat
they be allowed to stand for SIX
months, during which time board OF
engineers could look into the mater.
| Both the committee and the water
works people want to avoid any court
contests.
Mr.. Elder. chairman of the commit
tee, suggested that the company FUR
nish some figures, and said that in
his mind and that of the committee
the raise in rates should not come at
least until after some investigation.
Mr.. Hoffmaster urged again that 1t
was only ten per cent. The commit
tee felt 1t was a good deal like cutting
off the dogs tail, Mr.. Elder said; 1t
might be more humane to do 1t by
inches, but results were the same.
Mr.. Hoffmaster urged as a reason
for accepting his raise the fact that
IL have never Intentionally misrepre-
sented anything to you people IT
has been our company's aim to play
fair with you at all times" He said
the increase was in good faith and
necessary.
Mr.. Joy reminded him of the fact
that there was time when the COM
pany tried to make us content with
some pretty bad smelling water"
! This led to depression on water in
the spring, and Mr.. Biggs, an expert
with Mr.. Hoffmaster insisted that
water used in all cities, which is taken
from large streams. has an odor in
the spring This he said is due to
| the fact that the stream Is ice-bOund.
Law Part Explained,
| City Attorney Dickey explained the
Iowa statues in regard to rates, and
| the fact that the Iowa supreme court
has interpreted these statutes and
gives the sole right to regulate rates
to the city. He explained the city's
view point as regards the proposed
! increase, and he felt that there should
be no boost in rates until after the
matter had been considered.
do you think that is treating us
fairly" Mr.. Hoffmaster asked.
Yes, l think it is" Mr.. Dickey re
Piled
The increased costs of material, the
question of coal, of meters, Of posi-
BILE extension of mains to the Keokuk
Industrial tract, the amount of water
~f ,v,t.,
touched upon during the afternoons
session
AS to franchise. Mr. Hoffmaster
said he was not sure, nor could he
say that this was the best time to
talk about it. He did know that the
city's interests and the water com
pany's interests were mutual. and that
if the franchise would help to further
such interests it would be well to con-
slider it.
The conference even distressed so
far as to talk about imagination and
what men with vivid imaginations had
done in the scientific world, and In
the business world. Major Meigs
told about Cooper's vision of the dam
across the river and Mr.. Hoffmaster
told of the vision of Theodore Wohl
which resulted in the jamestown eX-
position, and which later was turned
to war work, and has made Norfolk
the greatest naval base in the world.
Officials are Still Here.
President Hoffmaster is still here
today, his plans having been changed
last night when Mr.. Biggs was taken
i'll here last evening. This may make
a delay in his acceptance or refusal
of the councils suggestion 4
So many people who have grand !
opera pocketbooks only have jazz !