The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-06-25

AccorulllB 10 StdteIiltHl Hidue Wy
Water Commissioner Tom Carter this
morning the city may be out Of water
from Hickory creek for ten days or
two weeks, and consumers compelled
to use the muddy stuff now being
pumped into the mains from the city
lake.
The commissioner states that
latest trouble caused by what he term
ed a useless test made OF the Hickory
creek pipe line that was supplying
the cry with one half million gallons
OF water daily more than it was ex'
pected TO when the line was laid
AT q recent meeting of the coi ..is'
sioners, the mayor insisted that u
hydrostatic test be made of the line
before 1t was accepted by the city.
This is in accordance with one or
the terms Of the original contract,
but inasmuch as the various terms OF
the contract. according to allegations
had been violated, both by the con.
tractor and by the city, and for the
reason that there had been some de-
fective pipe used on orders given by
the commissioners, which resolution
is on file at the city hall, and for the
further reason that the line was fur
nishing more water than it was ever
thought possible for II to do, Com
missioners Young and Carter voted to
accept the line without further ado.
while Commissioners Wilson and Fra
ley tied up the vote by voting in the
negative.
The deciding vote being up to the
mayor, he very promptly voted to
nave the test made with the result
above stated.
There has been persistent grumbline
by many of our prominent citizens
over the pipe line controversy, some
openly charge the mayor of over-zeal.
BUSINESS in this particular matter, and
cannot see why a useless test OF the
line should have been made with the
almost certainty of causing break
owing, It is stated, to defective pipe
purchased by the city and used upon
recommendation of the board OF COM
miss.oners. when the line had already
been in good working order for 20
days, furnishing more than half Il
million gallons of water daily more
than was expected Of it,
Test Made Tuesday
Commissioner Carter who for some
time has been standing alone in this
fight to accept the line without the
test. Commissioner Young having tax
en- sides with the opposition AT the
second meeting OF the commissioners,
stated this morning that Engineer
Matthews made the test of the line
al 1915 Thursday morning and con-
tinued until 1925 at night, when the
gauge registered So pounds pressure,
it suddenly dropped TO 20 pounds
showing conclusively, Commissioner
Carter said, that break and perhaps
several had been made in the line,
but was no more than what he had
been looking for.
Mr.. Carter stated today that the
line would be followed and the break
repaired as soon as possible, but he
had no idea of the extent of the dam
age or the length of time it would re-
quire to repair ii. and have water
running through once more.
Commissioner Carter In concluding
his comments on the present situation
said today:
Il am getting tired of this whole
controversy, 1t looks TO me as If the
public was being played with by some
in authority who should have the in
terest of the whole people at heart
and not be swayed by any personal
prejudlces that they may have.
THE public was generally satisfied
TO let well enough alone and accept
the condition that existed regardless
of the. contract or whether 1t hac
ever been violated or not, just so Ions
as the line was furnishing 90 percent
more water than was expected Of 1t.
IF | should purchase one-tor
truck to use in my transfer bust
ness and found that 1t was capabls
of carrying half-ton greater loa'
than was recommended by the man
ufacturer, IL would be the height o
folly for me to test it out with
fiye.ton cargo and then expect j
10 stand up under the strain.
That is exactly my attitude toward
the Hickory creek pipe line, it wa
furnishing more water than was eS
pected of it, and can see no goot
reason why II should have been jeop
ordlzed by q test which looks to m,
TO be entirely uncalled for"