Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-08-05
THE OTHER SIDE.
Mr.. Potts Gives His Views Of Mr.
Beaudry's Franchise.

EDITOR HERALD: In the Express of
the Sd inst. there is an article on the
discussion between Mr.. Beaudry and
myself, in which the Express seems to
me to make weak attempt to justify
Mr.. Beaudry in trying to make his
water franchise an exclusive franchise
by stating the expense he has incur
red in one way and another in carry
ing on his enterprise. In the Express
of the Sd inst. there is communica-
tion from Mr.. Beaudry, in which he
makes very earnest appeal to the
public and to the Common Council to
sustain him in all exclusive franchise,
and in which he attempts to show his
tights by the most absurd reasoning
ever offered by any man who has so
recently taken the stand that he did
to obtain his own franchise, as well
as his election to the Office of Mayor.
1t is we'll known to the citizens that
Mr.. Beaudry always maintained the
ground during the canvass for Mayor
that he was working against monop-
oily, that he was opposed to exclusive
franchises, that he wished every man
to have the right to lay pipes on the
hills to supply them with water, and
that if he got water on the hills he
would charge no more than the City
Water Company, and always left the
impression that he would charge less.
Now that he has obtained the Office of
Mayor and thinks he has an influence
over portion of the City Council, he
comes out In long letter and asks
the public and the Common Council
to reimburse him for his outlay by
crushing anothers interests. He as
signs rs another reason why should
not have the franchise that there was
no water in the Reyes Canon previous
to the construction of the WOolen
Mill ditch, and that l own lot in
block 40, and asks what security Mr..
Potts can give the city that he will not
Use the water, and says many other
simple things in this connection to
show why he should have an eXclus-
i've franchise, with the privilege of
charging a bonus sufficient to amount
to contiscation of all the lands within
his jurisdiction. Another reason is
urged that the spring on my lands
would not afford more water than
would fill an inch pipe. Grant, for the
sake of argument, that it would not.
If so, what has Mr.. Beaudry to fear
in the granting of this franchise. AS
for taking the water from the ditch or
reservoir, Mr.. Beaudry knows as we'll
as most of the Council that my petit
tiOn names the place where the water
is to be taken as lot 8, block Al, and
lot 3, block 80, and that these lots are
at least 60 feet higher than the reser-
voir.
And now allow me to say a few
words in reference to my own enter
prise. have opened Temple street
and Second street; have opened road
down Hope street to Third, and from
Third to Pearl street, at a cost of $l0,-
600, and l claim that this has done
more to enhance the value of hill lands
than Mr.. Beaudry's water works with
his bonus hanging over them. pro-
pose now to lay pipes and develop
water on my own land, without the
aid of Mr.. Beaudry, and shall not ex-
pect the city to reimburse me, as does
my friend Beaudry. IIthink L am en-
titled to just as much credit for my
enterprise as he is for his, and 1 go
before the Common Council not as a
suppliant for favor, but as an Ameri-
can citizen, claiming what is justly
due me, and would simply ask any
reasonable man why the Council
should rstrain me in my enterprise for
the reason that Mr.. Beaudry is an en-
terprising man, and thus place an OBJ
stacle in the way of the progress of the
city by fastening his bonus of 500 per
lot on all of my lots by their official
acts. J. w. PORTS.