The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-03-28
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The Meeting on Saturday evening.

Agreeable to the call by several
citizens, and a hand bill which was
circulated during Saturday, calling a
meeting for Saturday evening, at the
Court House. to further the erection,
by the city. of water warks, "and pre-
vent another monopoly" a respecta-
BILE number OF citizens assembled
about eight o'clock.
After some delay, Mr.. Willard Car
penter called the attention of the
meeting, and said he had received a
note from Major Robinson saying
that be would be unable to attend,
and asking that the meeting be ad-
journed to Tuesday evening. Mr..
Carpenter was about to ask that this
request be complied with, By putting
a motion to that effect. when Mr..
John j. Chandler rose and objected.
Mr.. Chandler said that the call was
for citizens, and not exclusively for
Major Robinson. He presumed there
were people present who knew some
thing about water works, and had as
much interest in them as had Major
Robinson, who neither resided In the
city, nor had a foot of property sub
ject to be taxed TO build water works.
Referring to the call for a meeting,
headed, Down with monopolies," be
said there was but one monopoly in
this State, and that was the monster
on Main Street."
During Mr.. Chambers speseh he
was reminded that there was as yet
no organization. Thereupon DR..
Bray was called to preside, and the
representatives of the press made
Secretaries.
DIR. Bray in taking the chair, said
that this not being a political meet
ing, but one to consider a matter of
public business, we must conduct it
without reference to party question or
organizations. The question should
be considered as an individual would
consider a matter of business; and
first among the questions to be dis
eussed is: Are we able?' He be-
lieved that it would be better to have
wealthy citizens take hold of the en-
terprise in conjunction with the city,
for he believed in this way it would
be more economically done, than il
done by the city alone.
Mr.. Chandler resumed: saying thai
as far as regarded any attempt on his
part, as had been charged, to make q
monopoly of the water works, he
would take no stock in the company
if formed. He had been accused o.
being a horse railroad monopolist
yet he had offered on the part of the
Company, to sell out to any n whC
would pay $4,000 bonus into the city
treasury, for the franchise. He haf
done something for the growth of the
city, and put down monOpolies. HI
was in favor of the city building and
controlling the water works, if j
could be done without too great +;
sacrifice in the sale of bonds for tba
purpose. ave now owe over a mil
lion of dollars. Shall we add to i
the amount needed to build thest
works, and on account Of the increase
in our debt, sell our bonds at 60 cents
as was done in 1868 ?" He Offered
the following:
Resolued, That it is the sentimen
of this meeting that the Common
Council of the city should proceet
Immediately to erect water work.
adequate to the wants of the city
providing the same can be done b,
au issue of city bonds at a REASONABLE
rate of discount.
When the matter was spoken o
several years ago, and the canal wa
proposed as the source of supply, h
opposed it, and wanted something
such as is now talked of. The ide.
of having the works managed by
private corporation was advanced the
by Nj. Latta, of Cincinnati, as ex
empting it from the curse of changes
consequent on the varying politica
control of the city. He would hav.
, been glad to hear Major Robinson
, but let US, who have as much interes
as he, discuss the question. He hopec
the resolution would pass.
DR.. Morgan wanted to speak of gai
matters. Mr.. Keen objected to any
thing but the question under consid
Grafton, and the Chair thought thu
Doctor out Of order; but he explained
that he only spoke of gas as an illus
tration. He described the waite.
works of Cincinnati, and the opera
ton Of the system. He believed tn
works would pay for themselves il
few years. IF they belonged to
corporation we would be at thei
mercy, as we were at the mercy of tht
Gas Company now. The city ough
to have the whole thing in theil
J hands.
DIR. Keller was a recent convert t.
water works. He had thought WI
needed other things more, such as
hotel and county roads. but he hat
seconded the resolution. and in doing
so had calculated on what he did
He believed the city could real
ize considerable money from thu
{ steam fire engines and theii
/ houses, as the Holly Works made
them unnecessary; with this a goot
deal could be paid on the works
There was too much dog in tn,