The Bismarck tribune., 1922-05-03
HIGH COST OF INVESTIGATION

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HIGH COST OF INVESTIGATION
Practically the same ground as was travelled
in the other cases of the City against the BIS
marck Water company is being gone over again
before the members of the Railroad Commission.
Whether the decision is favorable or adverse to
the city, an appeal to the courts doubtless will be
made This will mean more. attorney fees and
fresl1dplunden fortheoutiity '"experts" at S35 a
day. a4adt ssSSpfhses and % p}TS9Sbtably p}SS more.
arOnce the case gets into the courts, it may hang
fire ff6r year or so or probably five years and
many people who are now drinking Missouri
water at the present price and quality will be beg
ging1a drop in some other realm before any OF the
objectives thh city has started out to reach have
been realizedbns5ta @%@
ssThe preVSioag Pate hearings have cost the tax
payers of Bismarck some $1l,66400. Under the
ruling of the railroad commission there is assess
able against the water consumers some $23,85o
expended in the various phases Of the litigation
by the Bismarck Water Supply company.
TO date then without any charges being assess
ed for pending litigation in courts, for the present
hearing and for what litigation may follow, there
faces the taxpayers and water consumers OF Bis
marck some $35,515, enough probably to- have
built good Qualification plant and much needed
main extensions.
The city has employed an "expert" in this case
at cost of $35 day and expenses. The records
show that this man not many moons ago was a
bookkeeper for the St. Paul Water company at
salary of $205 month. His own testimony on
the stand Monday was to the effect that he was
ooloor font on onp
familiar with utility matters, ss .,.s.a,
There can be no criticism of :theacity romthis.
sion employing the best talent to defend the in.
terests Of the city. But if the city had expended
this $11 ,664.00 on experts who are qualified II
utility matters doubtless some progress would
have been made To date there is nothing to show
but a series of reversals and pending cases OF
doubtful merit, @a%t$'s 81,
There is an almost unanimous demand among
the taxpayers and the water consumers to acquire
the water, plant but the expense piled up to date
in futile litigation has cooled their ardor, and
dampened their enthusiasm. ~
: The city started out to acquire the plant by
eminent domain. That failed. There followed
a suit to cancel the charter and other petitions
and complaints were initiated which are either
ptAulllS VI VIII never Oc puSlleu. N1OSC VI tneSe
cases were started not to lower water rates
pf better quality of water for Bismarck, but as
punitive anh spite, measures instigated largely
because of political grievances or factional strife
between the two major utilities-a controversy
which is of common knowledge and for which the
Taxpayers and water consumers are paying dear
~ and will continue to pay much more before the
final chapter is writteh9unless halt is called.
II Gantetr-senaeth hing ssnstructye and direct be
done looking toward arbitration and the purchase
of the plant in an orderly and businesslike way
with prejudice and politics eliminated?
4 The city commission has a great opportunity
before it to end this futile expenditure Of money
and get down to brass tacks in the interests of a
city owned water plant by the only feasible, quick
and direct route purchase by arbitration.