Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1921-01-28
CITY MUST BORROW TO PAY Ex
PENSES-WATER RE-
PORT Is MADE

An ordinance providing for the is
suing of $35, 900 bonds for the West side
sewer was given its first reading: This
not being an emergency ordinance, it
lays over until the next meeting before
being placed upon final passage.
An ordinance authorizing $35, 700
bond issue for the construction of the
West side sewer, was given its first
reading.
Mayor Bergheim chairman of the
committee on water supply, submitted a
report on same which was accepted and
ordered filed. In connection with same,
the mayor stated that it would perhaps
be good plan to call one or more pub
lie meetings to discuss this matter, as
there are two methods of procedure,
namely: To submit the question of the
purchase price to a board of arbitration
or to employ an engineer to make sur
vcy and get an estimate on the cost of
building a plant and system.
Mr.. Taylor of the Water Power Com
pany,speaking Of the price submitted,
ing for good will but for tangible val
ue, such as cost Of financing such
project, promotion, expense, etc.
IHe N'aJci IePolt was ds loi'o"o
Little Falls. Minnesota.
April Il. 1920 your honorable body
appointed committee of four members
Of the council and five citizens as a
committee ito open up and carry on
negotiations with the officers of the
Little Falls Water Power Co., for a
service. or for the leasing or purchas-
ing of the water plant"
l. Almost Immediately after the nam
We're held in the month Of May with the
officials Of the company: The company
was unwilling to, submit q proposition
to think the matter over and report to
the committee in the near future.
Nothins was heard from the company.
Sc sent a letter to the committee in Which
among other things it said: AZ the an
nual meeting of the, stockholders Of
this company held October 9Th, the mat
thoroughly discnssed-it was. unani-
mously agreed by all the stockholders
represented that proper steps be taken
to assign or liquidate it's water system
take this matter up with Your. commit
tee at it's earliest convenience.
The chairman Of this committee re-
ported the termination of the negotia-
was concerned. to this council and was
instructed to- proceed further and Sc
cure. if possible proposition to lease
the property. -. -..--'
2. The committee resumed its labors
and discussions with representatives. of
the company and on December 18th,
the committee was advised that the
water works business in Little Fails
and for that reason it would be better
to- consider sale Of the, property than
lease. Any Price that the company
would, no doubt be an unsatisfactory
one to the city, hence, we suggest that
this matter be left to a board Of three
The committee thereupon had another
conference with the company's repre-
sentatives. and asked for the fixing Of a
definite price and on December 18th,
sentatives. submitted a verbal state
ment that it would take $122,OO0.O0 for
the water distributing system, exclusive
of the PUMPS: water wheels and other
and not valued at anything, and that il
the city could take over the system be:
fore April 1st, it would make q discount
cost Of the plant on these conditions
$112,000O0; they stated that this price
was based upon present prices Of labor
and material and that in this price they
for depreciation. The property to be
transferred, therefore, would consist Of
the fol1owing: mains, hydrants. meters,
fHS pses aes i! hher SS :4ss5
the price fixed upon said plant by the
citys own engineer. Mr.. Frederick Bass,
in 1918: but the company claims that
in the Price Of labor Ia s and I'd material: ns :Mr:
Bass basing his appraisal upon 1917
prices and the company upon present
Tho conon,;++oo hos +horofora como
as far as it can in this matter and the
issue between the company and the city
is clear. The city will have to buy the
S9 ft
tion and the courts. or refuse to buy
and build it's own plant:
4. The city is faced with serious and
it takes hold Of it in a business-like
manner. the better it will be for all con-
cerned. Municipal ownership of water
works is not new in Minnesota. About
80 per cent of our cities and villages
own and operate these plants and in
most cases they are operated with pro-
NJ + TResPsetfYlly gH S1,s submittsd: %,ai
January 22nd, 1921.
Alderman N. J. Peterson moved that
public meeting be held on February
1st, to discuss this question, the city
attorney to prepare display advertise
ment on same and to be run in both
papers.
The application of r. r. Reilly for
the position of city engineer was
broug up and on motion by Alderman
Brown, he was appointed. His PROPOSE
t'tion was the same as that of the former
engineers, the Pillsbury Company, ex'
cept that the per diem was fixed at SIS
instead of $12 and the maximum of
contract work at per cent be $50, 900
instead of 100000.
The mayor was voted a contingent
fund of 800.
Alderman Olson called attention to
the fact that the north wagon bridge
is in a poor state Of repair. The street
commissioner and city engineer were
instructed to make thorough examin'
alton Of the bridge and report as soon
as possible.
Council adjourned to Feb. 1.
The Kensington Embroidery, club VA
entertained at the home Of Mrs D. n
Cameron yesterday afternoon.