Clean That Reservoir

The cnuncil last Monday evening showed no particular symptoms at first of being on the war path. It was not until Pres. Watts let off a war whoop of a verbal report on the water works and Aid. Wagner touched off a cannon cracker of a resolution on the same topic that the belligerant nature of the meeting became obvious. Then breathings of threatening and slaughter were heard on every side and dim visions of ascalpless water company seemed to appear to the startled imagination. The mayor, city attorney, ex-city attorney Lawrence. a few citizens, brand new alderman Wood and all of the regular members of the council except Herz, Schairer, O'Mara, Kitson and Prettyman were present. Aid Wood was installed and got in his lirst vote on the subjects of paying Alber $250 and compromising his suit against the city instead of ñghWng it out in the courts. Alber ran a blacksmith shop in the triangle now formed between the embankments of the M. CR. E., Detroit-st and the Huron. The damage done him was caused by building the high grade embankment for crossing the raflroad. Mr. Lawrence stated that the city was technically liable probably; it would cost $250 to try the case and besides defeat would be expensive. He advised accepting Mr. Alber's offer to compromise for ï2,0. The City Attorney and Mayor gave similar advice, and the Council concluded to adopt it. Wm. Biggs and others petitioned for a sidewalk grade out Geddes ave; and H. Bannister and others petitioncd for a years respite before building certain sidewalks out Seventh-st on the ground of hard times. Alderman Wood was appointed third member of the committees on flnance and Uceases and flfth member o f the committee on sidewalks. The board of public works asked for $500 to build a stone culvert on 5th-st and $75 to change the water course on Church-st irom Washtenaw Ave. to Willard-st. Various committees reported. The sidewalk committee asked that 21 different pieces of sidewalk be ordered built. Aid. Snow asked where that electric light was that was to be placed at junction of Catharine and Main streets; but he found it not. Then arose thesensation of the evening. Pres. Watts for the special water committee reported slight progress. He said that a very satisfactory conference had been had with the Water Co. but that the performance of the promises there made had been very unsatisfactory. The cleaning had made no perceptible knprovement. The offer to blow out the mains had been made when there was no water to do it with, and had not been done. In the reservoir the pavement was not good. It looked asthough alotof stoneshad been dumped in, not as though paved. Mud and slime still present. The Superintendant of Water Co. had reported the cleaning as complete but he couldn't see it. Chief Sipley was called on to report on the test Monday afternoon at the court house. He stated thatsixstreams were set going through 100 ft. of hose, witli an indicated pressure of 60 lbs. at the engine house. The maximum height reached was 65 ft., and during the test the pressure declined to 40 lbs. Later a single stream through 50 ft. of hose, pressure 15 lbs., was sent to a height of 25 ft. Chief Sipley then read a report of the readings of the water guage at the engine honse for a week. It showed a startling array of variations from 60 lbs. to 0. When the pressure is down to 15 lbs. they fire up on the engine. This record is to be a permanent feature of the fire department and made the basis of settling future accounts with the Water Co. Here an interruption occured long enough for Aid. Martin to introduce a resolution calculated to make City Engineer Key hustle around a little livlier about his reports on grades, and Aid. Snow made an effort to get the outer edge of the sidewalk on Ann-st opposite the court house evened up to a 12 foot line. Then Aid. Wagner carne at the situation with the following resolution: Whereas, it appearing on inspection that the Water Company has failed to obey the order of this council in the matter of cleaning its catch basins and reservoir, therefore, Resolved, that said company be and ís hereby ordered to forthwith complete the vork within one week, draw off the water trom its catch basins and reservoir and thoroughly clean ;md cleanse the same, that said work be done under the direction of the water committee of the council and the said committee be and is hereby ordered to euperintend the same and report to the council at their next meeting, and that the city clerk do deliver a copy of this resolution to the supeiintendant of the Water Company as soon as practicable. Aid. Manly gave a graphic description of how he scooped up an immense handful of mud from the alleged clean reservoir and how prolific it was in lrogs, crayfishes, sunfish, and he also declared that a fine black bass roamed those placed deths. Ohief Sipley was again called on to answer for fire protection during the cleaning process. He declared in favor of water and plenty of it, through the present dry time, at all hazards, and let the cleaning-up go till a wetter time. Pres. Watts and ot.hers stated that the reservoir pressure had been off for some time and would so remain. The pumps are sending by direct prpssure to the city, and consequently the reservoir is not of any use to the city at present and might as well be cleaned. The resolution was adopted. Aid. Manly moved that the justice docket of Mr. Bennett be allowed, but the motion was lost. He stated that he had investigated the matter and now believed it all right for the city to pay for it. Mis. McCollum of the Fifth ward found it uneasy living: in her house with the sign "Kellogg streel" tacked to it, so the council agreed to have the said sign moved across the street. Aid. Taylor then introduced a resolution making C. C. Clark, Leonard Gruner and Jacob Ganzhorn the city's commissioners under the new peach yellows law for the enforcement of said law. Then after a brief speech from the new ftldei man, the cou;uil adjourned i,r one wer-k. At the specU.1 onncil nieatine las evenini: tlie Ma; or advo:a!ed filling the large reservoir with 2Í million gallons of water i nimediately for fl re protection. Meanwhile have people stop sprinkling for three days. Then let the catch basins be cleaned. The reservoir should be kept till üctober, then emotied. clpaned and paved.