San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-23

| graded and plOwed was reported on ia
/ vorably, Sl25 being appropriated.
Ghe Gas and Water Committee report
| ed on a recent communication TO lay gas
mains in the eastern portion OF the city,
comprising 74OO feet Of pipes, and asking
the city where gas lamps should be
placed. The committee recommended
that twelve lamps be placed on Burnett,
blackberry, Olive and Nolan streets.
The report was adopted.
Mackey-I have Il resolution to the
Council put in about four or six weeks
ago. called for it a short time back,
and IL could not be found.
Mayor-Please state your resolution,
Alderman Mackey.
Mackey-It was something like this /:
Be il resolved that Your Honor, the
CITY Attorney and one of the Aldermen
of each ward be appointed to correspond
with the President OF the Waterworks
Company with view of purchasing
said waterwOrks for the benefit of the
| city.
Mayor-I believe that the Committee
was appointed at the time.
French-It was referred to the Gas
and Water Committee to confer with the
| President.
Mackey-Not until the opinion OF the
| City Attorney was rendered.
| Gallagher moved the adoption of the
resolution.
Conner-It seems to me there is no
! trouble about buying the waterworks, as
| soon as the new additions are completed,
they will be for sale If the city wants
| them.
Alderman Mackey made the following
| speech:
HIS HONOR AND GENTLEMEN-The reso-
luton that now offer was given to this
| Council several weeks ago. This Coun-
Gil then thought best 10 defer action I'M
| til we had secured the opinion of the
| CITY Attorney whether the present con-
tract between this city and the Water
| works Company was binding on the
part of the city or not. The City Attor-
| nev has presented TO this Council a
! lengthy argument, holding that the con-
! tract is binding, as far as it goes, against
! the city. But he says that his attention
! is called to section 3 of the contract,
which is claimed created monopoly.
| Section 3 reads: 1.-The said city further
| obligates itself not to grant to any other
! body of men or persons during the con-
! tinuanCe of this contract the right to
furnish water for fire hydrants or other
public purposes"
The City Attorney says construe sec
ton az strictly as you please, it does
not prohibit any other person or corpor-
alton from erecting and operating a
system of water-works within the limits
| of the city of San Antonio. Nor does it
prohibit the city In its corporate capac-
| itrfrOm erecting and operating its own
water-wOrks. The city simply binds
! itself not to grant to any other body of
men or persons desiring the continuance
of this contract the right to furnish for
fire hydrants or other public purposes.
Now, | wish to call the attention of
your Honor and this Council to this one
very important point of his opinions:
Where he is positive as to the right of
this city TO build and operate its own
water-wOrks. | am satisfied with this
privilege.
Hon. l.. d. Dibble says that he cannot
see any valid reason why the city is not
at liberty to disregard the present agree
ment and grant the privilege to any
other person or company to put up wa
ter-works or do it itself as city. Judge
| Robinson is of the same opinion. Both
take the broad ground that the contract
is not binding on this city.
Now, If this was so beyond question,
| would have no desire. as member of
| kulb NOuuCll' " any
more harm than ! could possibly help,
as a member here looking after the in
| terest. would most cheerfully give my
vote and influence, If any, TO fully COM
pensate them for every dollar their
water works are worth to this city.
would not wish any profit or loss to
them. This city with its present con-
tract would he the same as if made with
a private citizen. If this city has not
contracted away the right 10 build and
| operate its own water works, L want the
taxpayers of this city to know it, and
| it is our duty to gather all the informa-
ton we possibly can, and that informa-
ton belongs to the people. Mr.. New
| toms opinion as to the law of section 3
of the contract ought to be fully under
stood by every voter of this city. 1t set
ties our right to operate our own water
works.
Suppose the Water Works Company
| found that they could not make any
money, and was supplying this city with
water at loss to the Company. Does
any member of this Council doubt but
the Company would have the best attor-
neys in the city looking over this con-
| tract for hole TO crawl out. 1t is human
nature. Now the city has found large
crawl / propose that we try and do
some tall walking. Let us all keep step
| to the music. We are band
of brothers marching on for the
| improvement of San Antonio. We
have the right TO condemn property
for the city's good; you have exercised
| this right on several occasions, one is the
property of Mr.. Lockwood on Digno-
witty Hill; you cut road through his
property and placed his barn on one
side of that road and his house on the
other to his great damage. But he must
stand it; you say it is for the best inter-
est of the city and you made the road.
Now the city demands that We own
and operate the water-works; we can do
so and not trouble the present company;
why not make the effort? This resOlu-
ton is to give the Water-works Com
pany. the opportunity to present in writ
ing TO this Council their wishes. If they
refuse to sell or place an exorbitant
price on their works then this Council
can better determine what course to
take. | want this city to own its water
works together with a splendid system
of sewerage. We need both; we cannot
afford to wait l6 years longer for this
water monopoly TO grow big rich at the
expense Of this city. If we have
the right to build and operate eur own
water-works it is best for everyone in
this city to know It. Let us
do our duty and call on them
to do theirs at the ballot box;
Our city is growing every year in num-