The Winslow mail., 1926-05-07

Douglas and councilmen was filed
in the superior court at. Holbrook
last Monday by Attorney G. H. Jor-
dan, in which Mrs. Della Hunter
as plaintiff, asks that, among other
things, the city officers be per-
manently restrained from entering
into the ice distribution business.
The proceedings are a result of
movement backed by opponents
of Mayor Fred Douglas and the
present council
In the complaint filed by Jordan
it is also sought to restrain the city
officials from acting as agents for
the Bryan Harvester company, now
furnishing heating plants for the
City Gas company, and also asks
that the city be restrained from
making necessary repairs on the
bath houses at Clear Greek, while
it is also requested in the order
that the city be restrained from
purchasing fire truck.
The complaint which covers some
6 typewriter pages covers at
length the allegations of the plain
tiff seeking to permanently restrain
the city from what is termed Illegal
entry into the ice distribution bust
ness, acting as agents for the Bry-
an Harvester company and repair
ing the bath houses at Clear Creek
as well as purchase of fire truck.
But little comment was made
following serving on the complaint,
by city officials at the council meet
ing Tuesday night, awaiting the
outcome of the hearing for tempor-
ary injunction to be heard before
Judge Crosby at Holbrook next
Monday.
City Attorney P. A. Sawyer will
represent the city at the hearing
and pending the hearing he said he
did not care to venture an off-hand
opinion.
Speaking of the filing of the petit
tion Mayor Douglas, speaking for
himself and a majority of the coun-
Gill; said yesterday:
81 do not know just why this in
junction proceedings was filed, un-
less it is to discredit our admins
tration, by the opponents of ad-
vancement of civic benefits in Wins
low.
Myself and a majority of the city
council, following complete in
vestigation of the prices charged
for ice, thought it best to have the
city take over the distribution of
this commodity at prices reduc-
tion right at the start of about 25
per cent under prices being charged
by the local ice company. 1t is
our plan to make further reduc-
tion within a month or six weeks
as soon as we can see just how
much ice is being used.
"Regarding the allegations of
the opponents of this administra-
tion that we are using and spend
ing money illegally in the conduct
of the ice distribution business,
possibly they do not know that we
do not intend and will not use one
red cent of the city's budget funds
in the conduct of the business for
the reason that the money from the
cash sales will be more than suffi-
cient to buy the equipment, pay for
all labor required and pay for the
ice contracted for from the Santa
Fe. The first week has brought in
over $500 gross business, and buy
ing the ice at $3.50 and selling at
the prices we have fixed which are
about 25 per cent lower than the
old prices, but still high enough to
allow for a good profit, means that
there is no chance to come out on
the losing end. In fact we know
we will be able to reduce the price
to Winslow consumers within sight
of a month or possibly a little
longer.
Our opposition's contention re-
garding handling of the Bryan
heaters by the gas plant intimates
that we might be misapplying funds
to purchase and resell these, but
all we have sold so far have been
handled at profit, besides increas-
ing the use of gas. Regarding the
repairs at Clear Creek, the city
owns a lease on the ground and
bath houses and it is clearly city
property and l believe we are en-
titled to maintain it for the bene-
fit of the children of Winslow, as
this is the only place they have to
swim in the hot summer months.
So far as the allegations about the
purchase of fire truck in concern
ed, this is certainly i'll taken as so
far as / know all this council has
done is to discuss this question in
formally, but | am sure that if the
property owners of Winslow knew
and understood that the purchase of
such equipment would reduce the
fire insurance rates and annual
premiums of about $4,000 year
they would be for such move
ment.
"The council doesn't intend to do
illegally, but we do want
to do everything for the civic ad-
vancement of Winslow and the peo-
pie and if we can do things to bet
ter our city without raising the city
tax rate one cent we believe the
people will sanction it, And if we
can save ice consumers all the way
from $40 to the smallest user up
to several hundred dollars to the
largest users during the summer
season l believe they will be for it