The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1920-10-14
WILL ASK $4,000
WATERWORKS BONDS
CibCounciI OPiOvideF FOrFuture MAX
ing Plans For Water Extensions
MUST HAVE ANOTHER BIG WELL
Rapid Growth of City Causes Auth
critics to Begin Making Plans for
Furnishing Sufficient Water to
Meet Public Needs.

The city council at its meeting
Tuesday night decided to ask the
voters to vote $4,000 for water
works improvements and extensions.
A representative of The Democrat
interviewed Mayor Griffith yester-
day evening in regard to the issue
and was able to gain a great deal of
information regarding the needs of
the city as effecting the water sup
ply.
According to Mr.. Griffith the lay
ing of the paving necessitated many
changes in the mains and the laying
of new ones. Some of the old mains
were too small to serve the territory
and they were replaced with new and
larger ones. This has been done
at considerable expense, but was nee
essary if the paving was not to be
torn up for the changes later.
Another thing which is going to
be necessary is the drilling of an
other big well like that drilled this
spring. This well is good for 500
gallons per minute, more than all
the other wells put together This
is going to be sufficient for the
winter, but the increasing consump-
tion will render the present supply
inadequate when warm weather
again comes. The laying of the paw
ing has been responsible for a great
deal of lawn improvement, and this
is going to call for an ever increas-
ing supply of water.
At this time the city has a pump
borrowed, and pump must be pur-
chased for the present big well as
well as for the one to be drilled.
The city engineer has been busy
making plans for the additions and
extensions and estimates that fund
of $50,000 must be made available,
to take care of present needs. The
council is planning on making the
additional fund fast for two years,
saving the time and expense of an
other election, but The Democrat
is of the opinion that the council is
expecting too much.
There are at this time between
twenty and thirty new homes going
up and the greater part Of them are
modern. Modern homes consume
greater amount of water than the
old kind. At the rate we are going
now if the council can make the $685.
900 last whole year we shall con-
slider they have done well.
There is nothing which adds to the
desirability of town as much as a
good steady water supply, and moth
ing which detracts as much as a
poor one. Liberal has been reason
ably fortunate in the past in having
enough for pressing needs, but at
this time we must look into the fu-
ture and plan ahead as the town is
growing so rapidly that few months
may change an adequate supply into
a shortage.
The election will be held on the
same date and at the same places as
the regular election in November,
and the city Of Liberal should vote
the full issue. If the full amount is
not needed it will not be used, but
it will be we'll to have it available.
Without the finding of oil Liberal
will grow amazingly the next few
years, while an oil strike will mean
that every service plant in the city
must be doubled two or three times
right now.
We believe the council 5 entitled
10 the money to make these neces-
,ary improvements and additions and
that the peoplew i'll see it in that
light and support the Issue as they
nave in the past.