Our Street Railway

Monday evening, all the members being in their seats and the spectators seats well ülled. The main business of the evening was the consideration of an ordinance grantiDg a franchisa to the new street railway company. The ordinance, which was unanimously passed, will be found in another column. The committee who had it udder consideration, Aldermen Wines, Sutherland and Allmendinger are entitled to-the credit of securing such changes in the Kalamazoo ordinance, which was submitted aa a basis on which to work, as will make the ordjnance much more favorable to the city. The main ehanges in the ordinance as outlined in these columns last week are the cutting out of the two cents extra the company was allowed to charge for transfer tickets, so thatthe rate to any part of the city will be üve cents; the giving the city a lien upon the franchise and property of the street railway for all damages found against the city through any f ault or negligence of the company or lts employees, the changmg of the route, so that it will pass up William street, instead of l'ackard. The changing of the exemption for ten years from all city taxes to an tion í'rom a license tax for ten years; providing that the rails before being laid, shall be approved by the common council; providing that the cars shall be fitted up with the most improved heating apparatus in the winter time. The company is given the nght to make the road an electric railway, if they so desire, There are numerous other changes in the ordinance. A yea and nay vote was taken upon its passage resulting in fourteen yeas and no nays. On motion of Aid. Allmeiidinger it was ordered published in two city papers for two weeks. The petition of F. J. Schleede for permission to erect a frame addition to his store on State street was aenied. A petition of J. D. Baldwin to erect a frame shed in fire limits was ref erred to the flre committee. The report of the committee oq watei works sustained the position of the board of health and recommended that the company be required to clear out the water course and fence it to its origin or to pipe it to its origin. The comtnittee thought that stones in the stream did not answer the purpose. The conr mittee also referred the followiug eomm unica tion to the council. The report was adopted and the communication was ordered spread upon the minutes. The communicaüon isasfollovvs: Messrs. Bacli, Kearnsand O'Mara,ccmmittee: Gentlemex- A report in the Argus August lOth, of an interview with Mr. Hamilton, superintendent of the water company, quotes him as saying that 'the water from the streams draining the banu yards was used but oue day (in June) to flush the basin. Dr. Darling and Uity Marshal Sipley found it running into the pipe in April. Mr. Allen states that he never knew the dam to be down, f rom the time it waa built and the tile put in two years ago, until last April. Mr. Hamilton states that "the fence was built and stoues put in, under the directions of the board of health." This is news to the members of the board. Mr. Dodsley has been out of the city since, before it was built. To member of the city or township board was consulted about it, saw or knew of the fence until it was built. It is probable that Mr. Hamilton was told that if the stream was cleansed and fenced at a sufiicient distance on each side, its entire leugth above the pipe, that would be an efficiënt prUection from contamination bv cattle. He was also told thatto extend the pipe to the spring woulcl be better. We did not wish to embarrass the water company by requiring any particular method, only that it be efficiënt. The Communications to the superintendent were in writing, and though tvvoofthem specih'cally asked for au acknowledgenient in writing, and all of them deserve that courtesy, yet we have never received a mark of a pen from him. The board simply required that the water be shut off until efficiënt ineasures be taken to protect it from the filth. This is the point of the whole case at present. The history of past troubles is given to show t!ie justificiition of the board and that it has no other recource. Had we known that the superintendent woukl fumista the justification so plaiuly stated in the Akgus interview, that he "would never shut the watei off by order of the board of health," we might have spared some time and effort. From the fact, however, that he had twice shut it off, and stated before a meetiug of the board, July 2d, that the company "did not needthat stream, as they had plenty of water on the south side of the river," and expressed a willingness to comply with precisely the same recommendatious of the board, we had hoped to secure correction of the trouble without referring it to the council. We beheve our communication3 vvill show that the board treated the water company with more consideration than its superintendent seems able to appreciate . " We have heard no complaint of the number of miles of pipe laid or the amount expended in doing ït. We would remmd the superintendent that the point in question and in wlnch the board of health is properly concerned, is to be able to say that these pipes are fillcdivitk "whohsome water." That form of enterprise none will be more glad to commend and publish than the members of the board of health. As it is reported that men are now digging in the 8treara the water ought to be shut oñ while the ground is being stirred. In our opinión, tílling the stream wlth stones will not be a sutficient protection against othei organic matter nor permaneutly against cattle. As Mr. Hamilton coutradicts our statement to the council, we ask this to go on the record. Respectfully, ELI W. MOOHE, President of the Board. V. i BREAKEY, Health üfficer. C. G. DARLING. IJealth Officer A. A. TownshipAf ter remarks f rom Hon. A. J' Sawyer, Aldermen Ware, Allmendinger, Miller, and Spokes, the council adopted a resolution askmg the T. and A. A. for plans of their proposed new depot. The matter of payinj? the rental of the market place was brought up and referred and the council adjourned.