Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-10-17
COATES REPLIES.
More of the Worlds Fair
Controversy.
Commissioner Coates
Refers to the Record.
The Reply Takes On a Strong
Personal Character.
What Might Have Been Done, but
What Quite Unfortunately
Was Not Done.


In a marked copy of The REPUBLICAN,
forwarded to me from Phoenix, my at
tention ie called to second letter from
the Hon. W. 0. O'Neil, which to those
acquainted with the facts, reads like
one OF the gentleman's articles, descrip-
tive of strange men and impossible an
imals, written to fill space in the San
Francisco and eastern papers at $40 per
column. The incidents OF the articles
being located in Arizona, and like those
of the Arizona Kicker, adding nothing
to the outside standing and credit of
the territory.
With his usual candor, the gentleman
mistakes, to place it mildly, the points
in my communication, and to his own
advantage. There is no controversy be-
tween Governor Hughes and myself.
The controversy is between Mr.. O'Neill
and the records, the former trying to
show there was an expenditure of but
$29O3 81 provided for during his con-
nection with the board as president,
and the record showing the amount to
be $13, ,837.32. In his wild Indignation
over the lack of an agricultural display
he evidently forgets his letters to the
Phoenix cham ber of commerce, in which,
replying to further request for an ap-
preparation for the county, he states,
and on his own responsibility, that no
further appropriations could be made,
the money being needed for the pay
ment of freights and other expenses.
In view of the insinuations cast upon
his former associates, and of the fact
that he resigned because the board re-
fused to appropriate $4,000 to scheme
which they thought to be pushed in Mr..
O'Neill's private interests, am | not
justified in wondering what the fnan-
cial ideas of the Hon. Bucky were re-
garding the appropriation, and what if
any balance would now remain, had he
been permitted to carry them out? His
report to the board outlining the ex-
penditure of the $4,000, which was at
his request placed in his hands by Gov.
Hughes the day of his (Mr. O'NeilPs)
resignation, and which at that time
mysteriously disappeared, might be of
interest in this connection.
The great interest taken by Mr..
O'Neil in an exhibit of the territorial
resources is shown by the fact that
while he is prominently connected with
the largest onyx claim in the territory,
the only dressed and polished onyx in
from parties in Chicago.
1t is shown by the fact that he posi-
lively opposed any further appropria-
tlons to the several counties, and that
his entire energies were turned toward
securing an appropriation of $4,000 for a
scheme for which, while making many
claims, he showed neither letter moi
document to prove that any one was in
terested but himself. His great inter
est is also shown by his concealing from
the board the profer of the Arizona
Lumber Company and Flagstaff Sand.
stone Company, by which fine build
ing could have been erected at but little.
if any, above the cost OF the present
one.
He was the one factor whose active
interests in securing an appropriation
came near defeating it in the legisla
ture and whose election as president
anne near causing it to fail OF confirm
tion at Washington. But the gentle
man is too we'll known to necessitate
any further intrusion upon youl
columns.
In his suddenly disinterested concern
for the financial interests of the terri
tory he is what Artemus Ward would
have called ''a most amoosin cuss."
Had he shown, as president, the un
selfish interest he now assumes, the
work of the commission would have
been more complete and the exhibit {
greater success. l now leave the hon
orable gentleman to his wild rambling
satisfied that his anxiety for a granC
jury or legislative investigation is sim
ply on par with his unselfsh interes
in the appropriation, and know tha
either would place him in true bu
very unenviable position.
GEO. f. COATES
CHICAGO, Oct. IL, 1898.