Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-25
THEY FAVOR THE BONDS
A LABOR MASS MEETING ON THE
WATER QUESTION.
City Engineer Dockweiler and Mayor
Hazard Make Addresses - The
Mayor Goes for Attorney
General Hart.

The labor mass meeting at Turnverein
hall last evening was attended by over
700 citizens. The majority of those
present were members of the various
trades unions composing the federated
trades. They had gathered for the pur-
pose OF listening to arguments and ex-
plantations in favor of the water bonds,
! to be voted on November 9th.
Upon the stage were seated the mayor,
the members of the city council, the
city officials, the presidents of the vari-
GUS trades unions and number OF prom
inent citizens. They acted as vice pres
idents, while Sam j. Chapel, president
of the federated trades, was president of
the evening.
The first speaker introduced was Hen
ry Dockweiler, the city engineer. Mr..
Dockweiler made an extensive explana-
tion of the hill system of water works,
for which it is proposed to vote bonds.
The gentleman told OF the manifest BEN
efits that the city would derive by the
establishment OF the proposed system.
He made strong argument for the
bonds, which was loudly applauded.
The next speaker introduced was
Mayor Hazard, who received a hearty
welcome at the hands of the assembled
workingmen. The mayor proceeded to
ridicule the idea OF the city paying $2,-
100000 to the water company for its
plant. He gave Attorney General Hart
very fine turning over for the letter he
wrote, in relation to the issuance of the
water bonds. He inferred that he was
acting as tool of the water company.
He said that in his opinion Attorney
General Hart should be impeached by
theslegislature of the state for his action
in regard to the water bonds.
The mayors speech was very bitter
one. 1t was characteristic Haza ard
speech, but it certainly pleased his
auditors. He also entered into general
defense OF city ownership of water works,
which, he said. whersver it had been
| tried, had been demonstrated to be q
profitable success. A private water COM
! pany, he stated, was always dangerous
element in the politics of any city. He
cited, as any instance, the case of the
Spring Valley Water company, Of San
Francisco, which, he sclaimed, controlled
the bosses who conduct the politics OF
the city.
The mayor explained, in closing his
remarks, how the hill system of water
works, which it is proposed the city
should build, would benefit the lower
portions of the city by affording fire pro-
lection and lowering rates of insurance.
Superintendent of Streets E. H.
Hutchinson was next introduced. Mr..
favor of the bonds. He said that to
vote the bonds meant employment to
every workingman in the city for the
next two years. Mr.. Hutchinson went
into an eloquent appeal which was GER
tainly flowery.
Homer o. Katz on behalf of the
council of labor made a strong speech
in favor of the bonds. He pledged the
support of the workingmen Of the city
to the bonds.
City Attorney Charles Mcfarland was
the next speaker introduced. Mr.. Nc
Farland claimed that for four yearE last
past he had been advocating city own
ership of the water works. He was for
that idea now. He explained the legal
status of the proposed water bond issue.
He claimed that the city unquestiona-
bly, had the legal power to issue the
bonds. Mr.. Mcfarland gave detailed
history of the city water company, 60
ing back 80 years. The present scheme
Of the hill system, he said, in no way
interfered with the water company's
plant, and he could not see why the
company should object or fight the
bonds.
DR.. D. Granville MacGowan, city
health officer, was next introduced. He
said that he could not state that this
city was not altogether supplied with
bad water. The supply of water on the
western hills, he said, was vile. The
doctor thought that the proposition for
the city to own it's own water works WAS
a good one.
The next and concluding speaker of
the evening was W. A. Ryan, esq. Mr..
Ryan was enthusiastically received. He
spoke in favor of voting the bonds, and
cited the experience that Galesburg,
ILL.,, had gone through in securing NUM-
oi mol aurorahir Of tho uator auato.a