Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-11-16
Answer of the water Company.

MEMPHIS, November Is, 1888.
Mcssrs. J. NJ. Goodbar, L. Z. Wright and C. B.
Clarke, Committee:
am in receipt of your communication
asking the response OF the Water Com
pany to the action of the citizens meeting
last Tuesday night, the 18th instant. |
was very much disappointed at the failure
to agree that night, and felt that the single
condition insisted on by me should have
been conceded by the committee and by
the meeting. / had always maintained
that it was possible to secure a Mississippi
river supply in the mode proposed, but
denied its feasibility as business PROPOSE
ton; that is to say, a sufficiency of money
would secure it, but at a loss, in my judg-
ment, to those who supplied the money.
frankly so stated before the committee
and again before the citizens meeting,
and such is still my opinion; and would
be alike untrue to myself and to the pub
lie to withhold that conviction. | simply
make distinction between possible and
profitable venture, and confess that the
latter is the only kind in which ] would
willingly own stock.
4 thousand or more citizens might be
willing to risk a few hundred dollars each,
or few hundred of them several thou
sand each, even in hazardous enterprise,
in their anxiety to improve the water sup
ply, but the proposed terms forces on a
number of stockholders the alternative OF
selling or taking very large risk in what
they regard an extremely hazardous VEN
ture. Hence, ! was anxious to incOrpor-
ate condition that would enable us to
fully equalize the hazard, while imposing
on us our full share of the risk. as citizens,
by providing for the option of retaining
only our average proportion of the total
stock, which certainly should be satisfac-
| tory.
But it at once became evident that I'M
less we Internationally accepted the terms
| offered by the citizens an effort would be
made, however unjust, to convince the
people that the responsibility for failure
| to secure Mississippi river water rested
wholly on the Water Company. Fully
aware of the urgent necessity of vigorou:
steps for providing greater quantity az
well as better quality OF water, and anx
ious to remove all differences between the
company and the citizens, / convened oul
board this morning and submitted a ful
report of the situation, and advised the
unconditional acceptance of the terms pro
posed by the citizens. It was prompt,
and unanimously adopted, as the followin;
proceedings will show:
OFFICE OF MEMPHIS WATER CoNPAEY,
November Is, 1888.
Pursuant to special call of the president tn
following members were present: i. j. Latham
S. Bruce, c. b; Bryan, S. II. Dunseomb,
L.. Meacham, G. W. Overall and A. Hayes, jr
On motion, J A. Hayes, jr.' in the absence
The president made written report in regar
to the action of the citizens meeting and tn
committee hereunder, and his connection there
with, which adopted. He also explai ned tn
=. difference between him and the Citizens Com
mittee, and not feeling authorized to act withou
an expression, recommended the board to aceeF
the terms of the citizens meeting;
Thereupon W. 5. Bruce offered the followin
resolution:
WHEREAS, At a citizens meeting on the 18th in
slant certain terms for supplying Mississippi
| river water were approved and a reso!utlo
adopted asking response thereto from the w ate
Company, which terms were, as we understan
them, as follows:
The citizens are, at their own expense, to hay
two competent engineers of good repute, one
submit carefully prepared plan with probabl
costs for supplying an abundance of Mississippi
river water from above the mouth of Wolf river
between apS the pfSSRss Ssssspp @ rner
work to be awarded to the lowest bidder, or bio
ders, under good and sufficient security for th
work. and nd Il for i its satisfactory performane,
, Should said engineers disagree they. are
, choose third one, and the decision ),
tions are complied with and said work, m,
chnery, reservoirs and said other improvement
satisfactory, the cost thereof is to be paid by Il
3. citizens. The Water Company is thereupon
; issue to those who may have furnished the none
( for said surveys and plans, and the money for a
said improvements, stock at its market value (b'
! not under par), to the amount due to such pc
sons.
ResoIred, That the Water Company accepts Il
terms above proposed, to the end that a satisfa
tory solution ofthe water problem may be reache
The resolution unanimously carried.
8 I. j. LATHAM, President.
) J. A. HAYES, JR., Acting Secretary.
Allow me, gentlemen, to congratula
you on being the medium of communica
, ing to the public the gratifying INTEL
( gence of termination of this perplexir
: question. AS "Mr. Micawber" would sa
5 "Tm glad that's settled" Very respec
: fully, TJ. LATHAM.