The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-06-04
MASS MEETING!
The Citizens of East Waco
Take The Bull by the
Horns.
A Resolution stating what
Their Demands Are ana
They want Done.
Committees Appointed TO Con
fer with Railroad Officials
i'm Regard TO the Matter.


About one hundred citizens of East
Waco, aud several from this side of
the river, assembled in the Baptist
church yesterday afternoon, pursu-
ant to a call, which had been pub
lished in the city papers.
Mr.. +. NJ. Makcig, took the stand
and called the meeting TO order, and
stated its object, which was TO ask
the Missouri Pacific, Houston ~ Tex
Ms Central and the Texas Il st. Louis
railways put openings under their
road beds SO rs to drain the water
which now comes down from the hills
and floods the valley in East Waco
and run il oil in other directions.
On motion Judge q. Il. Gerald
was elected chairman of the meeting.
and II. O. Plunkett was chosen secre-
tary.
On taking the chair Judge Gerald
said he thought every citizen had
rights which should he respected. and
it was time the people took hold of
the matter for which the meeting had
been called, and do something to pro-
tect themselves from being over
flowed by the water which comes
down from the country east of the
city. Before taking his seat, the
chairman said the meeting was open
for suggestions from any one who
wished TO speak.
+. NJ Makeig, Esqr, said there
must he remedy Tor the evils which
the citizens had been subjected to in
the years 1884 and 1885. Mr.. Makcig
said he had been living on the East
Waco since 1857, and lie had never
known the water to overflow the
houses on the east side of the Bra2Os
before this year and last year.
MIR. NJ made n picture of the country
which lay east of the city, and said il
was Hat with a gradual slope toward
the south, and unless water was
stopped aud turned the other way, il
would certainly find an outlet down
the Marlin branch.
Major j. +. Herbert said as for
what could be- done with the rail
roads he was unable to say; but he
knew the cause of the overflow was
from the embankmcnts on the Mis-
souri, Pacific and Texas Il ST. Louis
roads, which were so constructed As
to stop all the water from flowing
down its natural basin, the Marlin
Branch. and causes il to seek another
outlet through East Waco. The rem
cdy would be TO make openings in
the railroads where the water would
seek it, natural outlet.
Mr.. Tom Selman said he had been a
citizen of East Waco since 1851, and
he had never known of the water TO
overflow East Waco until last year.
lie thought the greater volume of
water came down the Centrafs track
through Mr.. kellum's farm and flood
ed East Waco. If there was an open
ing in the track in this farm the water
would run of in its natural channel
and not drown out the citizens OF
| East Waco.
MIR. Tom Davis thought the Central
was wholly TO blame for the flood of
water, which came from the country
west of Dry Pond. lie had appealed
TO the railroad officials to have an
| opening made across the track of the
Central, but they refused to do any
thing to relieve the people who were
| flooded near the Winship farm.
DIR. S. a. Owens said he had been
in Waco since 1856, aud last year as
the first time he had ever known the
water from Dry Pond to run across
the country to Judge Davis farm
thence down TO East Waco. Before
the embankmcnt was built by the
Missouri Pacific road at Dry Pond AZ
overflow was never known; all the
water which fell alter the pond was
full found all outlet in the Martin
branch. The Doctor said if the roat
had put trestlc work instead OF an
embarrassment across Dry Pond, East
Waco would not have been overflow
ed last week nor last year. Whcl
the water in the pond was full to th,
top of the railroad cmbankment, Il
was higher than the country west o
the pond, so il came down on thu
people in East Waco and Hooded theii
homes.
Col. George d. Gurley had made I
survey of the country west OF Dry
Pond. in running level from thu
Winship place to the Dry Pond hi
had found q natural drainage TOWARD
the Marten branch. The Dry Pom,
WAS level, but after IL was full to tn
top of the railroad embankmcnt, as I
natural consequence it overlooked tn
country west of it and ran down int
East Waco TO find an outlet.
Mr.. f. NJ. Mclicig offered the follow
ing resolution, which was unanimous
ly adopted;
Resolved, That it is the sense O
this meeting that we do not wish t
iniure the railways, nor to raise an
quarrel with them, but We only as
of the companies in spirit OF fail
ness to give us the relief we need b
making the openings under thci
roadways that the natural lay OF tn
land shows to be necessary. Tn
, we ask and this we believe we hay
: the right to demand.
r ON motion of Major John +, He
. bert committee of seven were AZ
A pointed to open communication wit
o The officers of the Missouri Paciii
Houston ~ Texas Central and Tex
and ST. Louis railways and ask the
that they grant suck relief as the eli
zens may ask in making openings
= in their roadbeds was TO allow n fir
y passage of water which has for Il
= past two years came down to Ea
6 Waco and Hooded the bu
II IT,, ,,art of tho riiV Tho tnllOuii