Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-06-09
WACOS BRIDGE.
scenes at the Annual Meeting Of the
Bridge Company DirectOrT--AtUick
Of Houston Man.
Mayor stursis Retires from the Fi''''
denoy OF the Company ana Is sNO
oseded by Col. w. l.. Prather'
nnnolnl % tho eaaelto.

fpecial 70 tho Gazette.
waco. Tex, June S.--The Wtco sus- J
oens,on bridge is magnificent structure,
built some fourteen years ago, ~ COS.
OF st2b, 600, aud most OF the SOCK Is heio
nv non.residents Of Waco. The annual
meeting OF the directory was held yester-
dav evening. From all accounts there
we're come lively scenes. Some daysa
.he simple announcement appeared that
n,eetIng of the stockholders OF the waco
Rridee company would be held on June
y THE stockholders met yesterday ana
one of the llvehest sessions which has eVe'
marked the existence OF the cor
poratIon naJned, ensued. MT. b. a.
chenherd of Houston, who owns
acme $1,000 TO $4,000 OF stock, was
IN attendance. The meeting was lar
from harmonious and the courteous ~
gentleman from Houston cherged tnat
Tho citv government OF Waco, headed Dy
our honorable mayor, e. A. 8 urgis, was
disposed TO indulge in mot violence 10
depriye the stockholders ef the Oridge
company of the profit OF their invest
ment by ordericg the opening up OF tne
streets leading TO the Bragos river nc
was Joined by several Waco stOckaoiuefs
and In face CT such an onslaught mt'
Sturgls, who, for upwards OF eigilt years
has held the position OF president oil the
company, made reply which was chat'
acteristic, spirited and manly ana luiiJ
eyinced that in conflict between the W.
terests of the city and the Individual, lS,
az MAYOR, stood squarely by the city. lie
resented the insinuation that there was @
disnosition TO exercise mobYlolence upon
inc mart of the city OF Waco, whose head
no had the honor OF being, and IN terms
which expressed the depth OF his teeilns
he asked 10 be retired from tho pfesi-
dency and the directory az well. Dr. j..
If. Sears also retired from the directory
and the personnel of the new directory is
as follows. Tom z. Abeel, w l.. Prather,
n. A, Shepherd, w. Il. Kellum ana
G.. M. Seley From this directory pres
ident Is TO be chosen TO succeed Mayor
Sturpis. II Is needless to call atten'
tion to the fact that the above report
furnishes food for considerable rejection
and there Is a manifest curiosity to know
why Mr.. Shepherd OF Houston should
charge the CITY government of Waco with
mob violence because IL has seen III u
order the opening OF It's streets to thI
Brazos river. Mayor Sturgis owns near
" $4,000 of the bridge company'B stock
and during his administration as presl
dent he has been faithful, judicious anC
efficient officer, but he 10 an advocate OF I
free bridge over the Brazos, as he STATED
during the recent campaign, and he ha
no hesitation In expressing his sentl
ments. For this reason, rs much as am
other he says he met with opposition II
the directory and found occasion to eN
press his sentiments
The sequel TO the above occurred thi
afternoon, when the directors met an,
elected Col W. l.. Prather, a LEADING
lawyer OF Waco (who has been secretar
of the corporation for several years.
president, vice Mr.. Sturgls. r. 1. Nun
roe Of Waco was elected secretary. Tn
affair creates much talk tonight, and
IL believed paves the way TO making Oh
bridge question come up as q disturbln
factor IN city and county politics, Q
town and country people alike desire
have the bridge made a free one. Il
charter has seventeen years to run ye
and prohibits any bridge, except for raj
road purposes, being built within thr'
miles of It. II connects East and We
Waco, and has 475 feet span.