The chronicle-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1920-1941, 1921-02-11
STATEMENT BY CITY COUNCIL
TO OUR FELLOW CITIZENS:

on February fourteenth, relative to th
bond issues to be voted upon tina
date, but there has been so many con
i hicting statements and statements no
based upon the real facts, made by
various parties in good faith no doubt
that we deem it our duty as your rep
lesentatives to make statement o.
the facts on the subject and gice tC
you the basis for our action, as to al
: three propositions, to be voted on, in
the pending election, that there may be
no misunderstanding, and confident
that you will, when you have analyzed
: the matter from every angle, as every
good citizen should vote as seems to
you for the best interest OF the com.
munity.
We feel sure that these subjects are
too important and too grave in their
effect upon he future OF the community
and the expenditures too large, for any
citizen to permit personal or political
and grievances or personal or political
differences, likes or dislkes, to, in any
manner, influence vote for1or against
any one of the matters involved in the
pending election.
Contract to Purchase Water Works
and Electric Line.
The history of the troubles and vex-
ations with the Pascagoula Street Rail
! way & Power Company the rejection
! of the Paterson franchise, the almost
unanimous vote for the municipal
ownership of light and water plant,
the great cost at which we now Sc
cure current (though fortunate in Sc
curing any at alD, is too fresh in the
mmory of all to need review, but are
nevertheless the cause which lead up
to the proposi+' / now before the peo-
PIE OF Pascagnu.a
Following the desire of the people
as expressed at the polls for municipal
ownership. the Council proceeded to
enact all the lasal requirements for is
suing sufficient amount of bonds to
provide a water and electric plant but,
were unable to sell the bonds at par,
as required by law, to be sold.
Recently a reputable construction
company offered to build the electric
plant accepting bonds at par in pay
ment fer their work and all material
aud paying cash for the balance of the
Londs. After years effort to sell
the honds. this was the only bid made
for the bonds that within the require
ments Of the law, and the council,
seeing no probability of legal offer
being made for long period of time,
accepted the offer.
Prior to entering into this contract :
the water plant had to be considered. (.
One of two propositions was involved,
first, new pipe and water source or /,
The purchase of the old water works. !
into the consideration of this problem /;
here entered necessarily, the cost of :
new water works system, as the :,
mount required to cover cost OF a
lew system, after paying for the elec-
rical plant, was limited.
The council thereupon proceeded to
.et data and expert information on the
ost OF new system covering the same
rea now covered by the present sys-
EN-, with proper fire protection, CON ~ !,
ections, etc., and found the cost of =;
UGH new system would be, includ- u
lg site, approximately $75,000.0O, ;,
7hich was more money than was avail ~ ~
BILE from the bond issue, after setting "
side the cost of the electric plant con ~
acted for.
The owner of the old water system II, II,
as then approached for price on 8.
lis system, together with pole lines -. g.,
nd electric connections, as a pole line -. ~
I'D connections had to be provided w w
II the new electric plant, out of the 70 80
roceeds of the provided bond issue. ", -,
This property, including the two a o,'
is upon which the WELL stand-pipe ~ ~
Id pump house are now located, two -!
'orthington pumps and certain other W., w,
tachments and paraphernalia, as set ~ ~
It in published resolution, was offer an '.,i
at 9,45S,98, which amount includ- w,
100000 paid by the present owner -,
lowering, caulking and repairing az ~
aims south of railroad necessary be- oi Doi
'e laying of pavement, within the po' i;,,
we'd area, and plus 100000 paid by ani ei
y for lowering mains north of rail ",s pos
i'd and taxes for 1920. .e,, 81,
The engineer in charge of the paw '.,a o,'
:, required, before permitting the sys
to be laid, that all water a,,o
es under the pavement stand test 80 oys
25 pounds. Accordingly as the water aI apr
'es were exposed for lowering and n
liking, the engineer in charge, in 1,ya
presence OF a committee of the AZ AZ
lncil, applied test of $50 pounds, ano a,'a
Ter the shock system, running the smL s,,,,
ssure suddenly, from 80 pounds to ono ano
pounds to as high as $50 pounds ,a,it, aiT
is is said to he the severe,t test wv. WIZ
t can be mad y and all leaks shown 80 go
er this test re-caulked, ard again oIs pu,,
ed until no leaks were shown. po,e i'o.
ull opportunity to examine the con- ,,o,,
oI on VI .ne waeel mains miicn mus EST
council and those who expressed
mselves to the council the. mains
e in remarkably good condition. 1000
y one member of the council is ex- loOo
enced with the life of electric wire iolo
wiring. His judgment announced 1lOo
he council is that the wires are @ aooU
4 for many years to come. En- oooO
,ers with whom the council have looo
erred have made the same state. 2400
is to the council otan
ne poles are mt in good condition A
y being rotten at the ground, but Mt
rye number put in from time TO w
|. are in good shane and will last Spir;
a long period of time. M MuaiV
was manifest to tbe members of 600
council that the value of the old New
'rworks system depended largely
he condition of the mains and the
able life of same and on this point wa
concentrated their efforts for in ing
ation, and naturally inquiries were IN
tied to the highest source of for p
ority and not to laymen or men apprc
tier lines of business. The result
efforts convinced the council 16 m
f1e of cast iron pipe, such as line
te old water works system per
.Ifar as ascertainable, up TO 500 {
'enneiiof its use in the world, from
othss 70 hundred and fifty years.
pipe of the latter age i} -