Shall We Have Water-works?

Tlie one great want of our city is a nui and Sbfflclent supply of water, lor ill'e househoid, and manafoctnrlng pnrposes, and we ara glad to know the Common Couiicii have taken the first steps towards meeting this want. And tliat cvt-ry resident of the city may know just what is proposed, we append a report made to the regular meeting of the Cour.cil beid on Monduy erenlng, togetber wiih the aecompanylng resolatlon and proposed ordlnanee: 'lo the Common Council of the City of Ann Arbor : The CommlUee to whoin was referred the question of the introduetion of water for lire, manufacturlng and oullnary purposes, beg leave to submlt the followlng report : The lmportance of an early Introduetion of water into our city, by the crection of water works on the " Holly System " (so called) is so universally acknowledged as to nced uo argument f rom your coiuniittee tosatisfy you of yonr duty to responrl to the demand of the people In some practicable form. Acknowlcdging the Importanc and uccesslty of the mensure, the only questions to be discussed are as to the particular mode of reachiug the desired eud. Your comniittee are of tlm opinión that the lurou river affurde the only avatlab'e suurcu of water for city pnrposes, and Miat y taklaK the water f rom the river aboye be city, aml (tering t ut the works.lt eau o funiished of cqual, if uot greatcr purlly han the average water furn 'shed towns ind ciiics. Yonr commlttee have not been ible to learn of any ivnilable water power o ralse the water, and cousequcntly are of In' (]iinion that steam power will be relllred, To the question as to the flrst cost af works adequate to snpply the city, with u extensión of 41,500 feet of street ma!n our comniittee have given the most careui attention. They are of the opinión that t will not fall short of $100,000, and may cach $120,000. They herewith submlt a )lau of the city showing the dlstrlbutlön f water pipe based upon tliis estímate. 'here are two ways in which the necessary leans eau be raised to erect the water vorks. First, The city may tax itself the necesary amount, or issue and place in market ts bonds; and from the proceeds thereof reet the works and control and manage he same and rfceive the protlts that may e deiived from the iMiial water tax after efraylng the expenses of management. Second, The city may graut such atd as ïny be necessary to iuduce a eompany to ndertake to erect and carry on the water works. This aid should be rendered in onsideration of a perpetual supply of wa.er lor tire purposes free of expense. The id reqolred Suould be uot less than 50,000 Vnd your comniittee are of the opinión hat should such aid be given, such repreicutation could be made as would iuduce )'ir cilizcns to take the stocks of a com any organized Dader an ordiuance herevith reported. To the flrst plan it is objected that it is lot usual lor public corporatlons to manige their affalrs with that degree of efficiency, economy and foresight that will nake the enterprisc a financial success, or ven a public teoefit. Whlle your commitec are not entirely trilling to acknowledge lie fu 11 forcé of this objection as claimed y some, yct it must be conceded that it ïas farce, aml wc may well hesitate before, is a city, we embark in a business enter-rise of this nature, provided private capial can bc eirfistcd in its behalf. In view ,hen of' an honest dlfference of opinión on his point, yonr cominittee are unwillingto ■xiinssany preference, and recommeud .hat the partlcalur mode of seciiring the 'uil benefit of water supply be Ieft toa vote f the people, aml recommeud thr passage [ the ollowing resolatlou and accompanyng ordinance. All of which is respectfally submitted. Silas H. Douglass, 1 Fbbd. öoug, ( n C. 15. PoRTBB, [' VOm' John N. üott, J ResoUed, That the .Mayor be and is herejy requeMted and directed to cali a public ncetlng of the tas payers ol the city ot' Vnn Arbor, at as early a day as practica jle, ut which i vote shall be taken by balot on the question of the issue of the bonds f the city, piyable in twenty years at 8 reent. Interest, pavable semi ammally, 'or an amount not to exceed $100,000, lor ,he erectloo oí water works The Mayor s directed to have the question submitted ,o tbe people in the followlng manner: All who are in i'avor ol' the issiu: of bonda 'for ,he object specifled in thi.s resolution, s!:al i'otc, " 15onls - Yta." All who are opposed hall vote, " Bonds - Nay." On a separate allot all who are in favor of the issue of jonds not to exceed $50,000, to a private ompauy, formed under an ordinance thií lay p;issel (provided such company shall je organlzèd) shall vote, " Bonds - Comany." All who are opposed, " JJonds - Jity." The Mayor is also directed in his cali to that the tax levled oü the properly of ,he city for the payinent of both principal ind Interest, shall be a dlocrlm'natlag one, ind that. lío property shall le subject to , ix for the object specltted, situated to ex :eed forty rods in distance from the Water rtpe or street mata. Wliereax, It is deslrable that this city hall be supplied with water for donictic, Dauufactarlng, and flre purposes; umi Whercas, It is int xpedient for the City }f Ann Arbor, undcr the power granted in its charter, to build works for said SDpply ; lud in order to induce any company to imdcrtake to supply water for these puriosi's it Is necessary to secure to such comny exclusive rtgnta and privileges, sub eet to certain restrictions and conditions ; md Whereas, The Ann Ai'bor Water Com:anj', a Corporation lo be formed in Ann Atbor for that parpose, under and by vir;ue ot the act of the Legisl:iture of the State of Michigan, entitled an act to iiithori.e the fonnation of companies for the introduetion ol' water into towns, citics ind villagi's in the State of Mlch'gan, a]provcd April üd, 180!), the books of said company shall be open for the subscription uf stocks under the diivctlon of is commissioners, at the ollice of the City Recorder, and remaln open until the gum of flfty thousand dollars is subscribed thercto by persons vvhose rcsponsibllity are approved by said commissioners, will or may propose to fimiish wacer to the city aud its inhabitants upon the terms hercinafter mentioucd : Thereforr, He it ordaincd by the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen of the City of Aun Arbor, in Common Council assemblcd, that the exclusive right and privilege of erectlng Water Works withiu this city, of laying and CODtlnn'Dg water pipes along and aerOSS any and all of the strects, sidewalks, lanes, alleys, and public gronnds in said city, and of gupplylng said ci'.v and the buildings an streets therein, witli good and wholesome water, be, and is herebv grantcd and secured to the "Ann Arbor Witer Company," to be forraed under [the provisiuns of this ordtnanee, upon the conditions and undcr the regtrlctlons hcreinafter mentioned, so long as said company shall continuo to snpply water for gaid city, and shall coniply with the conditions and restrictions tierelnaf.er mentioned, pro vided, howov' r, and this grant i made subject to the (bflowlng restrictions and conditions, towjlt : That the said eomp;iny shall, withiu slx monthis, mnke and lile with the RecorJer, lo be recordcd and pre served, a copy of the art'cles of assoclation Of s. ld company, and wrltten assent o.' pai I company to the provlslons of this ordinance, and an ogreement by the sald coin] any, slgnecl bv tlie offleers of said oompany, to erect Water Works, and to supply water ns herelnafter mentioned tlmt the said company shall, wlthln two years commence the crectlon of Water Works in said city, and shall, Wltllin throe years lay down at least live thousaud eet of ten inch pipe, two thonsand fcet ofelght Inch pipe, twelve thouaand feet of six Inch pipe, twenty thouaand .Vet of foiir inch pipe, two thonsand öve hundred fret of three inch pipe or equivalent In sises and length, and f'nriiisli a good anti sullicicnt S ipply of water for the use of the city, from the Ku'on Rlver or any other sou ree, and shall snpply .and continue to SQpply all persons along the Unes of sucli raaln pipe, wiio may suttably supply tfcelr preinlscs and baildlngB wlth imitable: service ptpe, aud who may requlre aud pay tor the same and sifii the rules aiul regulatlons usual Wlfh water couipanics, Wlth water At such rales :s are prescrlbed by law, and to the Hity Ure pitias or hydrants for water for flre pur poses free of all expense; and that thereafter as other parta of the city may beoome more compactly bollt, thecompany recelving saüsfactory gaarantee that the water rutes shall pay at least ten per bent, on the oost oi the streetmaluon a proposed line of extensión, the said company sliall, within a reasm .bc tiuuafter rach appllcatión for that pui pose-, metend water pipos and fnrnish water npoH the terms afbresafd to such a.ldiüonal water takers; and that the company in dlgglug for and laying water pipes, shall take care not nnuecesairily or unreasonab'y to obstruct or Injure any street, sidewalk, lane, or alley, - and shalt iviihiu reasomble time restore ucfa street, sidewalk, l,:ne, or alley to as good a state of repair as the same was before disturbed by said co npanv, au i shall in a 1 respecta fuily lndemnlfy and save harmle s the City of Ann Arbor from and agaii.st all damages or costs whlch the city may be put to or sustain by reason of such diggiug ; and in case the dividends oí said company shall average to exceed Bfteen per cent. per annum upon a capital stock representlng the actual cost of the ivorks, exclusive of any ald the city may render the company in coiislderation of the above mentioned llfly lire pltlgB and a supply of water for lire parposes toe of expense, tlie Common Councll may, at any time aficr glvliig thirty days uoucep to show cause against such rcduction, have power to coinpel the said company lo maku a rcduction In the price of water equivalent to the execss of its dividends over (lftecn percent, per juinum. And it is fnrther ordalned and agreed that the foregolug provisión in this ordinnncc, rcqnirlng the suld company lo cona menee and complete the works wlthln a speclfled time, sh.tll not be binding upon the company unless the city shall, on or beiore the coinpletiou of the works ot the capaeitv lierelnbelore specilied, pay or secure to he sa;d company ihe'sum of llfty thousand dollars, incousidcrationof a sup:ly of water to the city for lire . purposes, ree of cost, so long as the il re plugs for that object shail be kept in suitable repair. The resolution and ordinance will come up for consideration at an adjourned mectng of theCouncil to be held on Monday eveniug next. We are in favor of Water Works, and in favor of entering mniecliately upon tlieir construction, either as a city or by atdlng a company. Indlrldually, too, we favor the work being done by a company, the city paylDg a specifle sum for the water required for lire purposes. A company will give us a supply of water quicker and cheáper than the city, and manage the works moro economically than the city can, or at least t so looks to us. But this liscussion should, perhaps, come after the adoption of the ordiuance. The pricc proposed in the ordinance to be paid the company, f50,000 or $1,000 for each flre plug, is that usual In cities wherc he works are owned by a corapauy ? The nterest at 8 per cent., or í-1,000 a year, is ess than a city can run an efficiënt flre de lartmcnt, with stoamers, if reservoirs were ivcn it, wliilc the protection afl'ordcd would be greater than any ftre dapartment with engines and reservoirs would offer. One point, howerer, it is proper to saxgest here. Too much time i.s glven a comany both to commence and construct the works in. We need Water Works In operaron neta, and they ought to b built, whether by n company or the city. In iess than the time deslgnated in the ordiuance. The Circuit Court is still in session. The 'oilowing caves have been disposed of siuce our last report: Michigan Air Line Rallroad rs. Thomas Ulark. Verdict for plainlifT, $701.41. Noticc of a new trial pending. Wines & Worden rs. James. M. Cook. Judgmuiiton delault, I167.Ö8. Thos. White vs. Thos. Kedmond. Verdict for plalntlff, $57 19. David Thomas ts. lillcy Jlead. Verd'ct for defendant. ■ Ilnldah Cole w. Aivin J. Cole. Jndgnient for plaintiffon default, s")T;;.r."i. Inmes Kelloy vs. Henry Goodyear. Judgmen:. Cor plalntlff On de.'ault, $189.77. Tlie Peoplc M. George Orr. Information for assan't and bittery with intenl to kin. Qnilty of assanlt and battery. Othcr criminal cases conti noed. Win. Cotton rs. John Wanner, Jr., on a patent right note. Verdict lor plaiutilf, $183.08. Fredcrick Fllbsr, by Henry Pilbcr, hls next friend, vs. Aaron Feldkamp Jury disagreed. Caroline D. Pulier es. John Schumachcr. Snit !ör cutting down slnde tree In front of premisos of p'a'iitiff. Verdict lor pialntlff, damages aasessed at $50.00. Ln.L H. IJnchoz rs. Mahoney. Court case prevloosly argaed. ())iniiii glven. ÜLfendant not guilty of unlawfully detalnlng property. Property assessed at $111 71. [timbero Gieske, an allen, was admitted to ( ttizcnshlp on Wednesday. The jury was discharged ycsterday sfteroon, and the Court cases and Chaucery calendar Will l)e taken ;ip lo-d.-.v. Ch'cf Eoglneer, W. II. Fuu.br, of the Toledo, Ann Arbor and Northern Rallroad Company, advises us that the surveys were completecl to the St.Uc line last Saturday. ín about ten days the final line will have been determlned from this city to Dundee, nul wlthln a few diys thereafter tne esimates will be made, and the work will be ready to award to con tractors. Meantime thosc stockholders and subscribers who have not yet paid the tcu per cent. assesment should cali on Mr. C. II. Mim.kx, the Treasurer, immediately. Now is the time to put your shoulder to the wheel. - We taear from Toledo thnt desirable connections can be secured, and that Toledo will be ready to meet tlie road at the State line Mrs. White, relict of Col. Ounw White, and sister of Capt. Ciias Thayer, died at her resklence in the Fifth Ward on Priday niglit last, and her funeral was attended from the M. E. Church, of whl.-h s!ie had long been a member, on Hunday alternoon. Mre. White came to Ann Arbor with her husband 47 years ago, at whlch time there was but one liousc where our city now stands. She Iivcd to sec " the wilderness blossom liko the rose," and died full of years. Thus one by one llie connecting links with the past are bcing severed. Chas. E. Foote bas commenced work in this city and vicinity for the Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Company, to which we callecl attentlon last weck. We areconiident that this company is sound, that it Is dolng business on sife principies, and that it eau give the public uood insiirancc as clieap as any reUable co.npiny. He'.ng a mutual compauy the Insared particípate In the protlts, and flnd thcir preintuina radaced thereby as age Ulereases. Besldes, it loans its moneys on the best ofsecurltles in the localily where collecte. I, making it really a home compauy. Qlve Mr. Footic a fair hearing. They were disons&ing a uiasqnerade and endeavoring to select the ohard in which thOy sliould go. "How Ihall ] goV" ftaid oor voi-y tall and alendor Ei tend W'illiani. " Chalk your head and go i d billiard cue," was tho rosponse. First of the magazines upon our table for Jannary, J872, - thlnk of that! - is Oodey's Lady Jiook. It is a capital numbcr, excel Ing i is usnally good appWïance both in plutes aiul othcr contents. The number contains a liaiulsome steel píate wlth tlie title " Tlie Secret," a steel title page, a tableaux picture, and a very fine fafthlon-plate. In addition to these an extra fine piale Wll bc foand of parlot ornamenta, or more properly a design for fumlslllng a bay window, and also u doubleplate, " Mis. Loüpop's Party," tlie lirst of a promlscd series. And any number of engravlngs belonging to various departmeuts. A number of stories and niiscellancous readlng, a plece or' musió, nnd a subnrban ri'sidenco In tlie Itallan style, complete tlie attractions of tlie Jununi'v number. (8 Ajear. Address, L. A. Godey, N. E. corner sixth and Chcstnut Btrects, Philadelphla. - Godey and the Argus for $4 25. - Tue Hcruld of llcaWi for December contains a ramarkable paper on How Uest to Promote the Cause of Temperance, by O.. B. Frothlagham ; Oíd Age, by Hev. C H. Brlgham ; A Health Trip to the Oriënt, by Dr. Lyditt F. Fowlcr; T.rssmi from the Chicago Disaster, by Thomas K. Buechcr, aud mimerous otlier papers which can be read wlth prolit. A series of papers on llealth by the üld Writcrs will bc an Important feature In the programóle for the corohlg year, the lirst of which will be a lecture deUvered in Harvard University In 1804, on the Efïect of Tobacco, Licentiousnci-s, and Drink on he Health of Young Men. $2 a year with premium; $1.25 without. Wood & IIolbuook, 15 Laiglit Street, New York. Any of our subscribers who remlt thcir animal subscription, can, by addlng $1, !iave the Herald sent to them for onc year. - The Ocerlnntl Monthly for the present mo.ith is on our table, with a table of contents rcadable nnd interesting. Among otlier articles are : Wiue-Maklng in California ; Bribery la Elcctleus ; Kirwln. ; A Pecp at an Hacienda ; Tree aud Brook ; The Lost Trcasurc of Moutezuma ; A Day up the Canon; Motherhood; Our First Telegram; Plurality of Wlves ; The Rose aud the Wind; El Tesoro; The Work of Relief in Chicago; Etc.; Current Literature. 4 a year. Address, JonN H. pABmant & Co , publishers, No. 409 Washington Street, San Francisco, Cal. - Arthur's Lady's Home Magazine for December, is a holiday number, and the publishers claim for it the high distinctlon of being " the queen of the Lady's Magazines." " Kept In," " A Merry Chrlstmas, ' and "Check," are the lllnstrations. The l'ashions are well represented, fnll and varied, and the reading matter Is of good moral tone, and the stories, both short and serial, are readable and of interest. Now is the time to subscribe. Terms, $2 a year, with a rcductiou to clubs aud spleudkl premiums. - Tlie Children's Hour, from the same publishers, is just what the little folks are delighted with, and will prove a welcome visitor to every family blessed wlth the wee people. Try it for i year. $1.25 per annuni. Address as above. - The Ladie' Rcpontory ha a very flne steel landscape, 'At Home and at Peace ; a portrait of Hev. Luke Ilitchcock, D. D. ; flve illustrated articles: The Minstrel of the Sky, The Giant Cities of Bashan, Infusorial Animáis, The Fabrlcation of Silk, and The Column of Trajan. The table of contents is not exhaustcd by these but covers a wide range, while the " Children's Repository " aud Editorial Department are both full and instructivo. The Iïcpository is a well from which no impuro waters are drawn, and has a place at the head of the list of magizines for the family. 860 a ycar. A good time to subscribe for 1S72. Address Hitciicock & Walden , Cincinuati. We have the December number of the Mïichffan Riilroad MontMy, publishcd at Jackson by S. E. Rookkb. Containing full time tables of all .Michigan roads, - corrected to dato,- and mach other railroad informatiou, railroad and business men and t ie traveling public will lliul it a valuablc guide and ald. Fifty cents a year, Pork is coming in quite frecly, commauding $4.50@4.75 per cwt. The carnings of the Central Puciiïc R lilfoad for 1871 will amount to $16,000,000, and tboir exponsos are estimated at 8,000,000.