The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-09
Water Company Head
Agrees To Take
$265,OCO

AsSSOiutiOu SOUtNNlbSlVu
The formal resolution was passed
by the commission and signed by
Mayor Lenhart just before 3 o'clock,
the mayor signing with pen handed
him by B. E. Jones, who has been ac-
tive in the water plant fight.
The resolution Of the commission
follow:
Resolution of Commission
Negotiations having been carried
on between the Board of City Com
missions, and the Bismarck Water
Supply Company, pursuant to the Of
fer of $3.50, 100000 made by the Board
of City Commissioners at it's regular
meeting held on June 4th, 1923, for
the property of the Bismarck Water
Supply Company, and terms for the
purchase of such property having
been unofficially agreed upon.
"NOW. THEREFORE, BE IT RE-
SOLVED, that the City of Bismarck
purchase from the Bismarck Water
Supply Company the complete water
works system owned by such COM
pany, and that it pay therefor. with
in ninety days from the date hereof,
the sum of $265, 100000 in cash.
pc IT RESOLVED FURTHER
THAI in consideration of such pur-
chase it be and it is agreed that the
City of Bismarck shall not interfere
further with the enforcement of the
order of the board of railroad COM
mlssioncrs prescribing water rates to
he charged to consumers of water of
such city, and that the temporary in
junction heretofore issued by the
United States District Court njoin-
ing such interference may be made
permanent.
"BE 1T FURTHER RESOLVED
that all other suits now pending be-
tween the City of Bismarck and the
Bismarck Water Supply Company
shall be dismissed without costs to
either party, and that the city attor-
ney be and he is directed to enter
INTO stipulations regarding such liti-
CATION in conformity herewith.
"BA- 1T FURTHER RESOLVED
that Hhc president of the board of
city commissioners, and the city au-
ditor, be and they are directed to en-
ter into an agreement in writing
with such Bismarck Water Supply
Company for the purchase of said
property in conformity with the fore
going. resolution"
Lcnhart Opens Meeting
Mayor Lenhart, at the opening of
the meeting, at which members of
the city commission, the citizens, COM
mttce, Judge Flannery, Mr. Butler, Mr.
Kelsey and B f Tillotson representing
the water company, and a few citi-
zcns were present, said that it was
entirely informal, and the commits
sion was glad to hear the representa-.
tlves of the water company.
Judge Flannery said that he was
glad of the opportunity to meet in
formally with the commission and to
try to meet your manifest desires
to purchase the water plant and avoid
litigation"
said Mr.. Atkinson had kindly
furnished figures but there was Ii
mlted time for the water company
representatives to go over them. He
said he felt an injustice had been
done in fixing the value on the
plant the city had. He said he would
present, through Mr.. Kelsey, the en-
gineer's viewpoint of the values and
when we have done that we'd like
to see if not in your judgment you
should not help us to get together
on higher figure for the purchase"
He said Mr.. Butler was represent
ing a large bond holder.
TrIr,
self was not competent to speak on
valuations, and for that reason ask
cd the commission to hear Mr.. Kel-
scy SO that they could learn wherein
he arf Mr.. AtkinAon disagreed.
Mr.. Kelsey on Stand
Mr. Kelsey said it was nearly four
years since he entered the rate mat
ters involving the Bismarck Water
Supply Company and he was familiar
with the matter
81 doubt if you all realize you
have a very good water works here"
said lAr. Kelsey. |w don't believe you
could get very much better distri-
button system"
He said there was good pressure,
good reservoirs and outside of the
pumping system and other surface
equipment the plant was good.
II don't know of any town the size
of Bismarck that has as good a sys-
TEN as Bismarck" said Mr.. Kelsey.
He said there ought, of course, be
"a filtration plant. He said the COM
pany had three reservoirs ideally sit
uated. Some criticism, he said, had
bd IN made of part of the, reservoir
equipment because they were made
out of field stone. He said if all
could be made as good and as cheap
out of field stone all should be made
that way
He said he would admit some of
the pipes leading from the reservoirs
were not big enough.
He said he knew from experience
in the U. s. Reclamation Service and
also from st. Paul experience that it
is difficult to get good concrete con-
structon to resist water pressure.
He said that the field-stone reser-
voirs of the company had been de-
preciated in valuations, and referred
to stone aqueducts in Spain which
he said had lasted for centuries. He
said the reservoirs ought not to be
built without water-proofing mater
ial and there was none provided in
the city specifications for new
plant.
Have Good Plant
For a town the size of Bismarck
I d&n't believe you could get better
pumps than electrically driven CEN
trifugal, such as the Bismarck Wa
ter Supply Company has," he said.
He said new plant ought to have
standby pump and the present pump