Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-08-03
COUNCIL. DECIDES TO
ACCEPT N. |. l. & T.
{ CO.'S OFFER
MEANS BIG SAVINGS
ACTION LAST NIGHT DiSPOSES
OF ONE OF MOST IMPORTANT
MATTERS HANDLED BY PRES.
ENT ADMINISTRATION - ENDS
PROLONGED LlTIGATioNS AND
RESTORES "PEACE."

Accepting motion by Mayor
Weeks with an unanimous vote the
city council at its last nights meet
ing ing formally adopted the N. |.
l.. a. r, Co.'s proposition to electrify
the pumping station with all that
went with that proposal.
Accomplishment of this important
step was achieved with little or no
debate. The plan which was present.
ed the administration two weeks ago
carried with it several guarantees
which were:
Furnishing all materials and equip
ment necessary to electrify the pump
ing station.
Furnishing meter by which all
the water pumped by the electric
equipment can be accurately meas
ured before it goes into the mains
Withdrawal Of petition now in
pendeney before the Sangamon coun-
ty courts for permission to abandon
all the company's tracks north of the
Rock Island tracks.
4 Withdrawal Of all objections to the
north side paving.
Giving to the city at the expiration
of the contract the machinery and
meter installed during the process
OF electrifcation
City Pays for Power
The contract imposes certain oh
legations upon the city such as pay
ment of certain amounts for all the
water pumped and cost of power con-
sumed.
The company guarantees to save
the CITY annually at least $4,000 on
coal bills and assures that ordinary
overhead expenses at the station can
he greatly reduced. Indications were.
il was pointed out, that the saving to
the city would run closer to $4,000 a
year on the cost of operating and
maintaining the plant as it is now
equipped.
The city and company, long at outs
on the issues involved in the above,
end all hostilities and return once
more to peaceful and friendly bas-
is
To conform with it's portion Of the
bargain will cost the traction concern
in the neighborhood of $4,000, 1t be-
ing conservatively estimated that
new trackage over the Columbus, Nor
ris and DeLeon street lines will cost
approximately s2I000a assessments
for the paving will add $4,000 more,
while the installation of electrical
machinery to replace the pumps and
equipment now in use at the city wa
ter plant will b $40 600 more.
Asked Time to Study Offer.
When the proposition was first
brought up to the council, it caught
Commissioners Bradley, Dougherty
and Palmer without having had an
opportunity to investigate thorough
" all the phases of the plan. They
asked for more time to study the sit
uation. Mayor Weeks and Commits
sioner Sticklen had been over the
matter on half dozen or more oc-
casions with experts representing
both the municipality and the trac-
tion company and thus were we'll
apprised Of all that was included in
the contract.
Last night the commissioners stat
ed that they had studied the offer
thoroughly and had come to the con-
clusion they we're ready to vote in
tcll;gontly for what they considered
to be the hest interests of the city.
No Need of Advertising.
Commissioner Palmer raised only
one point. He inquired whether or
not the council could legally enter
into such contract without first adj
vertising for bids. Mayor Weeks gave
it as his oninion that there being no
opposition in the city nor any COM
petition to the N. 7. L. G. T. company,
the formula of advertising for bids
would only be a foolish waste of
tine and money He said he felt
snre in view of the local situation
where q bidder had the field all to
himself, there was no need of going
through the process of advertising
bids and letting contracts. The may
or said he felt confident the contract
would stand up in any court should
the council accent II.
The motion which, was made by
Commissioner Sticklen and given the
ave vote of every member of the
council, prnvided that the mavor and
city clerk he authorized TO enter into
a contract which will be binding upon
the city over ten year period.