TheHelena water company, of which^Woolston waa the champion, and still ia^the champion for that matter, waa knocked^out in the supreme court yesterday, and^the company is probably satisfied with the^deciHi'.n, as it Is underHtiHMl that the presi^^dent ^ f the company has announced that^he will not carry the matter to the supreme^court of the I'nited Stat- s. The gist of the^matter is this: (ieorge K Woolaton came^to Helena about two years ago, and secured^valuable franchises for putting In a water^plant. The water furnished the city at^that time was unsatisfactory In quality^and quantity, so the proponal of Mr. Wool-^stun to furnish the city with a bountiful^aupply of pure water met with favor by the^council, and an)thing Mr. Woolaton asked^for waa readily granted. Woolaton asked^and obtained permission from the council^the exclusive right to furnish the city with^water at a rate per h)dranl which would^tiring a revenue into the company of 815,(100^a \ear, a very high price
Thecouncil made thia contract with^Wisilstori, despite the protests of the citi^^zens generally, who readily recognized that^Woolntoh, if allowed the hold he wanted,^would ataa auck the treaaury dry, and the^council was enjoined from paying the^money demanded. The case waa tried In^the lower court, which decided that the^famouft ordinance No. Ml, giving Woolaton^the exclusive franchise to furnish the city^with water waa null and void, aa bids for^furnishing the city with water hail never^been advertised for. The matter waa taken^to the supreme court, which confirmed the^decision of the lower court, ami waa again^heard yesterday on an appeal for a new^trial. Tbeeaae wasahly argued by coun^^sel on fHdh sides, nothing but legal ques^^tions being involved.
