Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-18
AGAINST THE BONDS.
An Enthusiastic Meeting of
Good Citizens.
OPPOSING RECKLESS SCHEMES
g. w. Knox and Senator White
Speak-A Delegation from Santa
M0n.ca-A Determined Move.

oPcdh-A DelegatlOn from SANTA
M0n.ca-A Determined Move.
Turn Verein Hall was filed to over
flowing yesterday evening with an aud
ience Of thoroughly representative
character. II was gathering Of those
who are opposed to the issuing of tn,
bonds for the construction of the pro
posed sewer system. All the seats were
filed, including those in the gallery, ant
several hundred mem stood up in the
back part of the hall. Throughout the
proceedings the highest degree of inter
est and enthusiasm was shown, evidenc.
ing the fact that all present were thor
oughly in earnest in their opposition. In
the audience were large number of the
most prominent business and profes.
sional men Of the city.
The meeting was called to order at 8
o'clock by Hon. Stephen M. White, who
said that the call had been issued by
those who we're opposed to the erroneous
disbursement of the public money which
it was proposed to make for thereon
struction of an outfall sewer. He wished
to state that those present were not op.
posed to the construction of sewer, but
they could not advocate the proposed
scheme. The first thing should be the
election of the chairman.
Mr.. G. w. Knox was elected to serve
as President of the meeting, and Mr..
Joseph Mesmer was selected for Secre.
tary.
Mr.. Knox then spoke as follows: I
wish to express my thanks to you for the
honor you have conferred upon me. ]
have taken an interest in this question
since first it was broached, and have al
ready contributed to the literature OF the
campaign. I do not speak with any AMI
mostly to the City Council or any of its
members, who are all friends OF mine,
and are acting in this matter, believe,
from the most conscientious motives. /
am not opposed to sewering the city, and
1 believe that there is no one present
here tonight who is not in favor of an
economical and adequate system. But
we are not in favor of the proposition as
it is placed before us. This is matter
for discussion. I am not in accord with
the action of the Council, and will briefly
state the grounds OF my objection.
/ dieapprove of the manner in which
the mat or has been submitted to the
people for their vote. They are not Civ.
en- the alternative of voting for any one
of the three propositions which are en-
braced in the scheme. The first of these
is the outfall sewer to the sea. The sec.
ond Ia system of supply sewers-as un.
derstafsd the scheme-which are to reach
out into various parts Of the city, the
connections to which each property
owner will establish for himself. The
third proposition is to provide system
of surface or rainwater conduite. Now
the essential objection to the whole
scheme is that these three different
things aie all linked together. in such a
way that not one of them can be adopted
singly to the exclusion of the others. /,
for example, may favor the outfall sewer
and the building of the supply branches
here in the city, but be opposed to the
expenditure of half million of dollars
for storm drain. To get the things
something that / believe to be bad.
Now, am unwilling to insinuate that
the Council has originated any part oi
this scheme with ulterior motives, but
this storm drain proposition certainly
looks as though it had something lying
back of it. Thus far in the history Of
the city We have never felt in an unusual
degree the necessity of storm drains
We are just now going through period
of stiingency such as was never before
known in the history Of Los Angeles
There is depression all over the country
we don't know just how bad it may be
elsewhere, but we can see with our OWL
eyes how bad it is here. Now, this
scheme proposes to use $508, 200 of the
peoples money to construct a drain tc
carry off the extra water which falls
during thirty days of the year. Is it 6
matter OF crying need? If not, why
should we be called upon to vote money
for it at this particular time? 1 believe
that somebody who has an object in view
has been manipulating our Coun'
ell. Last winter, you will rememb Der
aft or the rains the cable company were
much annoyed by the rain water flowing
through their tubes from which a great
quantity of mud was deposited. 1t had
to be taken out at considerable expense
This company would be greatly the
gamer by the proposed storm drain. But
suppose that the $l,2S0, 900 is voted by
the people, do you believe that the sewer
will be constructed? If any gentleman
! here believes it, let him go and consult
I his lawyer. II the latter answers him
that the sewer will 60 through let him
call two other reputable members Of the
same profession into consultation and
if three can be found in the city who vii
positively assert that the sewer can be
built and put into use without injunc
tions and long and tedious court pro-
ceedings extending we know not how
many years-then l will pay for the ci
gars and silk hats far the crowd"
At this moment the band without be-
gan to play and a crowd of several hun
dred people from Santa Monica entered
the room. They were greeted with louc
applause and cheers. The speaker con
tinued:
"The entrance of these gentlemen
brings me directly to another matter o.
which l was just about to speak. How
can any citizen of Los Angeles favor fol
one moment scheme which will result
in the absolute annihilation OF the
Queen of the Pacific Coast? There IL
not another resort that looks out upor
the waves of the western sea which car