San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-25
AT CONVENTION HALL.
ANOTHER ONE-SIDED DISCUS
SION.
What Was Said in Favor OF the
Waterworks Proposition.


purchase the waterworks for $4,000
payable in fifty years at 5 per cent. inter-
est, large number of people, most of
whom stood on that side of the question,
assembled at Convention hall last night.
The addresses that were made at the
meeting could hardly be designated
thorough discussion of the question, as
they were by but three men who repre-
scented one side of the question only. The
hall was filled at an early hour and the
seven or eight hundred people began TO
get impatient when the meeting was
called to order by Mr., w. Ferguson, who
was elected chairman of the meeting.
DR.. Lehman and Mr.. Nicholson were
elected secretaries.
Everybody was anxious to hear some
thing and Gen. McLeary mounted the
roStrum and responded to the calls for a
speech He said that he had changed his
opinion on this subject several times and
thought it possible that he would
change it once or twice before
the election if his conscience would de-
mand it. He favored the city ownership
of the works and said that the only ques-
tion of debate was the price asked and he
figured that the entire plant and land
was worth S2,03S, COO. He argued that the
waterworks would bring the city such a
revenue that the tax on the property
holder will not increase ten cents on the
S1CO, and he believed that Bryan Callag-
han would run the works economical
enough for such result.
Then he proceeded to laud Bryan as a
great and glorious statesman and hoped
that he would be our mayor forever. Con-
tinuing the discourse, he figured that the
city could run the waterworkS at an eN-
penSe of 5000 per year Dit costs the pri-
4 81 - ~ q ha
city would therefore clear S134,OO0 profits
yearly.
Pleading for an honest investigation of
this question, he finished his speech,
which was thoroughly appreciated and
applaudeG by the administration men,
who were out in full force. While the
general was retiring, Captain CardenaS
about the 10 per cent. sinking fund. Mr..
McLeary replied that the succeeding
speaker would answer that.
Colonel II. Il. Andrews took the
stand and put in a second plea for the
proposed purchase. He said that it was
not matter of dollars or cents, but the
principle that city must own its own
waterworkS. The question was: is the
offer worth the price to the city, and not
what it has cost the owners. He wanted
to know if every man in the city did not
want to become part holder OF the great
waterwarkS plant.
George Breckenridge" he said, was
entitled to every cent that he had made
out of the system. III the administration
would not operate the waterworkS to the
city's benefit, it could be turned out at
the polls. He said that the sinking fund
of 10 per cent did not cut any figure as IT
was matter of error, and the contract
would fix the sinking fund of the purchase
at per cent.
upon 10 speak. The city owed Col:
breckenridge nothing. He said, that at
Saturdays meeting he had heard the
charge that to buy the works at present
would saddle upon the city debt of 10
per cent of its taxable value. He cOnsid-
cred il a serious charge.
The first question, he said, was wheth-
er the city ought to own its own
waterworkS, and cited figures showing
that in cities where towns own their
own system, the consumers obtained the
the water cheaper.
He argued that the city could not put
up a system, cheaply or advantageouSly,
claiming that we can get no water that Is
healthy or sufficient except from the head
of the river, and that is owned by Colonel
Breckenridge. More people, he thought,
would use the waterwOrks water If the
price was lowered by the city. He said
that the water consumers were paying
$40 CJ per year anyway, without receiV-
ing ANYTHING for it in the end. The year
ly increase of taxable property would
make the tax so much every year. lie
construed the voting on this matter to
mean that if the question is carried the
city council may purchase the water
works if it deems it wise to do so. This
talk of ten per cent. sinking fund.-" he
went on to say, sis the most veritable
bosh l have ever heard Of" The voting,
he contended, was whether or whether
not to empower the city council
to close the contract, which contract
could be closed after the next legislature
rectifies the error in our charter. At this
iuncture the electric lights went out and
left yelling audience in the dark. Mr..
Houston said that when the city owns
the head of the liver, it will put up an
electric light plant that will not leave the
people in the dark, as they were at that
moment. The electric current was turned
on again and Mr.. Houston proceeded with
his talk. He too, figured how this city
could clear $l34 coo profit yearly, and SAID
that if this would not cover the interest,
the city could utilize the water power at
the head of the river and erect its own
electric light works, make up the de-
ficiency that way and gain SlS,OOO per
year besides. If necessary the city, could
put out a real estate sign and sell the
land. making a large profit on the same.
When Mr., Houston had finished, Chair
man Ferguson wanted to hear from an
other speaker and part of the audience
cried long and loud for the stately city
attorney, Oscar Bergstrom,. As it was
already late. the motion was made to ad-
ourn and Mr.. BergstrOm mounted the
chair and made a remark that pleased
everyone. IL was second TO the nom
ination and the meeting adjourned.
"
Capt. Turner has sold out his confec-
ti0nprV store on East Houston street to