The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-05-25
WATER or NoiwATER

hiH HfpNfteFh tfteN 10 nUiNe NHhht
tho Property h0Iders hud Business
men Yesterday,
la order 10 ascertain the views OF
tho representative properly-holdera
aud business men VI the city upon the
question OF tho water supply for city
purposes, u few names were selected
from among this class Of eltlaens Who
were called upon yesterday evening
by representative OF THE HERALD,
IL viii DO seen that their Views vary,
yet u true status Of tho controversy be-
tween tho company and city council
can DO Seen Ia considering the express
sion of these gentlemen IN "A whole,
The first ono called upon was
NIX. W, q. oONNER,
who was NJ the time engaged In con-
veraatlon upon the subject,
The question first asked was, "HOW
stands the water question, captain ~
To which he replied ~ follows: swell,
40 much has been said ana ~ little
done, that hardly know what 10 say
10 you on the subject. The committee
from the council appointed 10 confer
with the company, agreed upon u
proposition which think was decided
ly IN favor Of the city. The company OBJ
ligat0d themselves 10 extend tho mains
some two miles and set twenty hyd-
rants within the next twelve or elgh-
teen months, which would have added
greatly TO tho fire. protection Of the
city and given facilities to our fire do
partment which are greatly needed In
tho residence part OF tho city. The
wBtor company conceded every point
made by the committee, and have
acted throughout In spirit Of fairness,
being willing TO do all that was In their
power 10 settle the matter amicably.
The price agreed upon was fifty dollars
after the number OF hydrants reached
sixty, which was the old proposition
from the last council, Indeed, we give
the city every advantage In the propo-
slti0n.
Reporter-D0 you think you will
come to any agreement with the city
soon?
Connor--l cannot say, The company
In willing to concede everything that
IL just and right, but when the guess
ton came to n tie vote and the mayor
decided against the company II looks
TO me- like he was "playing dog in the
manger" with smile) because he
could not get the people to pay him
and his company fifteen thousand dol
lars per annum for what we offer to
furnish for three thousand dollars.
He voted against the proposition aud
! understand he has since said he was
sorry for IT, The company IL not for
II IL IA better offer than we are Mt pre-.
sent prepared to make.
Reporter IL the price you ask,
compared with the prices charged for
water by other cities?
Common The price we offer To
furnish the city fire protection
for IL lower than II IN In any place In
the United States that know of, and
you must understand that It costs more
to build here, on account of the great
distance we aro from places where
wnterworks material Is made.
Reporter Ia reported on Tn street
that you intend to resign M chief OF
the fire department. Ii that 30?
Connor--Above all things, this |
would most regret to do, for my asso'
citation with the liremen of Dallas has
been 40 very pleasant. II | do resign,
which | have not fully decided to do,
1t will be the last resort to protect my
private interests, which have often
ignored in my official duty AZ chief.
Rep0rter-One more question, Cap
tain. What do you know OF the Kidd
spring proposition?
Common look upon the whole thing
AS II matchmaking scheme and | must
confess | am surprised to see some of
the members of the city council give the
matter any attention. | made several
visits to the spring, and with Il
hydraulic engineer. before engaged
in building the present works, and 1t
was his (the engineers,) opinion that II
would cost some thirty.five or forty
thousand dollars to get the water to
the city. He also doubted the supply
OF water. In word, it is another
New Jersey gas works." and
will explode just as soon,
COLONEL J. +. CALDWELL
Thought the company should have the
contract, but sixty dollars per hydrant
for forty hydrants, for five years with
no extension Of pipes, as proposed
by Colonel Ervay ut the last meeting,
was too much.
MR. W. X MCINTYRE
Said the only difference between the
water company and himself was the
price. He said, 81 am not in favor of
contracting for five years unless at
lower rate than has been offered. My
reason for this is that it prevents cons
petition in that line.n
MIR. DAVIS,
of Schneider Il Davis, said that he was
in favor of the city accepting the prop.
osition to prevent an increase in in
surance. When the waterworks We're
put here our insurance was reduced
about fifteen per cent. | am also in
favor of the city taking more hydrants
than it now has for the resident por
ton Of the city, for there Is no protec-
ton against fire in that part OF the
city. | think the city council ought to
talk little less and do little more.
CAPTAIN A. Il. HARDIE,
president of the city bank, said he be-
lieved the city council knows what it is
doing. We have elected them to re.
present US. They are doing just what we
citizens would do. Suppose the board
of underwriters should put the rate
ofinsurance,up it is just as well to pay it
to the insurance companies as the
water company. | don't take water
now, except IN the bank, because of
the price. | had 1t cut of at the Ele.
vator and Compress for that reason.
Mr.. GOLDSMITH,