The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-01-23
CLOSED BANK BONDING PROPOSED
LEST WE FORGET

Just to keep the record straight is the chief motive of
writing this editorial with any hope that the city
mission will clean house in its engineering department and
cut off the indefensibe waste of public funds.
But another milestone in the controversy the
strcton of the works system has been reached
and as usual the taxpayer is paying the freight.
, Two winters and summer have gone by much water
ground first broken for k- municipal water plant
Ground broken before intake of
the new plant was fixed for service.
Mistake Number One
Then ground broken and the filtration plant built
the Bismarck Water Supply companys ground be-
fore title secured to the same
Mistake Number Two.
Fortunately this did not prove damaging as it might
the difficulty squeezed out of by reaching final terms
as to purchase of the old plant.
The Tribune supported the regular and extra waterworks
bond election the that all of the old equipment
of the Bismarck Water Supply Co., that could be used would
be utilized. This not done
Mistake Number Three.
second bond election to mistakes the first
bond election held which the taxpayer something
Mistake Number Four
But the taxpayers including, The Tribune quietly and
chartaby mistake number four and supported
the second election Everyone anxious get the
issue out OF politics and get it settled efficiently and
When the bond issue won overwhelmingly and the tax
vent to sigh of relief the orgy of spending
Mistake Number Five.
Promises and assurances were thrown to the winds.
Everything had to be Miles of piping ordered
and T. r. Atkinson proceeded to- direct the work with
lavish hand three and five basis-mosty five
per cent.
The city commission took back seat and let Mr..
Atkinson have his sweet 1t is true they ordered
after protests Before their orders were put into
effect however, more mains had been installed than
necessary.
Mistake Number Six
Mr.. Atkinson aided by his assistant, Mr.. Wolff whose
had the contract for installing the distribution system
began to build plant for city of $4,000. Some feeble
protests made, but Tim in the saddle and five
cent commission added to each and every contract
Mistake Number Seven.
The information before the bond elections and took
place after the elections explain why all the story not
told when the voters approved the pan No mention was
made that r. Atkinson to be paid gratuty of three
portions that WERE TO BE JUNKED. Oh, no! That was
him than $1,000.
1t limited that probably the plant could be put
before the bond issue voted What the people of Bis
marck were promised and what they got two different
things
First of all the old intake abandoned Pumps that
supposed to be to be discarded These
pumps and the old intake still doing duty efficiently but
the Atkinson intake wholly unnecessary short distance
down the river cannot be used Thousands of dollars have
been dumped into this intake and the probably
will have to decide who has been in for the last
or
T. R. Atkinson or The Woodrich Construction company?
But of while these two parties quarrel and bcker
the tax payer not Atkinson foots the bill.
Mistake Number Eight.
altered Then the cost plus arrangements went into effect
statement of how much the plant has the
cohtract price lgh pe lnerestng But SO little n1orma-
ton creeps out the water plant that most of the facts
have to be gained by hard digging 1t probably the
that the city commission has spent than the bond
election authorized Of the deficit there is any
will have to be made out of the of the plant.
Mistake Number Nine
Then to another mistake Instead of fixing the
city engineers fee straight salary basis the city
mission allowed commission contract This letting
down the bars to the orgy of spending that followed
Mistake Number Ten.
Will the city commission pass the expense of all these
mistakes the taxpayer Why not few of them
against the city engineer?
The facts before the people of Bismarck The
courts probably will have the matter and of the sord
tale will be written later.
Unless the City Commission is so impressed with the
efficiency of their engineering department that the tax
payers pockebook becomes merely secondary consider
alton there should follow housekeeping the City Hall
in the interests of economy and retrenchment
Commissioners REPORT To RE