The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-08-29
UNLESS THE CITY
GOVERNMENT DOES
SOM Fl H IN 6 REAL
AND VERY QUICK
INDUSTRIES WILL
SEEK OTHER HON {
Action in Cutting Off the
Water Supply From Re.
fineries Will Retard
Growth of City

NO more deadly calamity can be-
fan city than to get withcu: wa
ter9.
These werk the words of warning
with which Mayor Freeman advised
the board of city commissioners .rela'
tive TO the water situation at the reg
ular meeting of the commission Fri
day evening.
The water question was brought
up when John Jeffrey, representing
the Ardmore Refining Company, ap
peared before the board and requested
that his company be permitted to use
CITY water for boiler purposes, and
that he and the men employed n. the
plant be permitted TO use for domestic
purposes.
Desuestic Supply Cut or.
Ii will be remembered that turing
the early part Of last week the board
of commissioners passed an ordinance
which prohibited the use of city wata
for any purposes other than domestic.
Together with the other industries OF
the city, the water supply Of the Ard
more Refining Company was cut off
from the city mains The line which
supplied the home of Mr.. Jeffrey, and
also furnished the employees OF the
plant with drinking water, was con
nected with the same line that furn'
ished water used in the operation OF
tho limo tht-
plant was discontinued the supply OF
water for domestic use in the plant
and at Mr.. JeffrI;s home was cut Off.
VIII Have 10 Shut Down.
In requesting permission to use the
water for boiler purposes, Mr.. Jeffrey
explained that unless such permission
was granted, the company would either
have TO shut down, or else seek wa
ter elsewhere. The water in the pond
near the plant, explained Mr.. Jeffrey
can be used for cooling purposes only,
and is prohibtive for use in boilers.
In considering the request, the may.
or stated that the water situation in
ArdmoI1 is as critical as ever. That
unless, by the grace of God" there
was heavy dowrpours of rain fire.
quently. more people would have to be
cut off from the city mains within the
next 10 days.
Hits Courthouse" Bunch.
The mayor also spoke of the ex-
cessive waste of water which takes
place in the city daily. He made es.
pecial reference to the courthouse.
where we get our punches" There,
he said, is such great waste that he
IS in favor of prohibiting them from
using water from the city supply.
Mr.. Fraley during the discussion
of the waste, stated that most of it
was caused by leaks in bathroom fix
lures.
A Tight Hole.
A period of silence ensued. Finally
the mayor remarked to Mr.. Jeffrey,
You've got us N tight hole. We
realize the great Importance of In
dustries to our city We do not want
the companies to think that the city
is antagonistic to them, for such ac-
tion on the part of the municipal
authorities would be suicidal We want
the industries, and desire 10 cooper.
ate with them in every way possible,
but the life of the city depends on
the water supply, and self preserva.
ton is the first law of nature
Willing to Spend.
we have done everything possible
TO make the supply of water sufficient
for all needs. However, we have not
been able TO increase the supply. If
the Ardmore Refining Company can
show us way, we will spend any
amount of money to bring conditions
back TO the condition we were in
before the present crisis came about"
Refinery VIII Move.
You've got us in q tight hole"
said Mr.. Jeffrey, unless the city al
lows us water for our boilers. we will
have to shut down or seek connections
elsewhere We want the city to meet
us as far as possible"
The mayor then inquired of Mr.. Jee
frey why he hadn't brought his com
plant before the body when publication
of the water shortage had first appeared
He stated that all the industries and
firms Of the city had been requested to
meet with the board some time ago,
TO thoroughly thrash out the matter
before decisive action was taken to
cut off the supply.
Mr.. Jeffrey explained that he had
been out Of townJ
Commissioner Fraley remarked that
If the board allowed the Ardmore Re
iining Company to have water, the
game permission would have to be
given every other industry which