The Contract With The Water Works

As will be noticed by a reference to the council proceedings, the council is soon to take into consideration the question of the contract with the water works company, the question being whether the thirty years contract is a valid one or not, or whether it creates a burden upon the revenues of succeeding years, such as the charter prohibits a council from making. The franchise of the company for thirty years by which it has the right to furnish water to private consumers is not questioned, the only question being the contract made with the city for furnishingwaterforfire purposes. This contract was for ioo hydrants at $45 per year and extra hydrants at $40 per year. At present the city bas 123 hydrants, which would make the annual rental $5,420. If the present contract should be found invalid, the council would have a right to contract with the company from year to year for water for fire purposes, the same as is done with the electric light company for lights. The question of the yalidity of the water works contract for a series of years has been brought up in other cities and Niles and Monroe are examples of cities that are making annual contracts.