The record-union., 1893-08-29
ENGINEER RENWICK'S SPEECH.
It Causes Him to Lose His Position
at the Water Works.
Mayor Steinman Had His War-Paint On
and Lops the Engineers Head
With His Tomahawk.

yesterday.
The Trustees had only been in session
a short time when he sent for Chief En-
gineer RenwIcll of the Water Works, and
when that official put in an appearance
the Mayor handed him copy of last
Saturdays RECoRD-UN There's
report of speech you made at the pure
water meeting Friday night-dld you use
those words ?" he asked.
RELIABLE REPORT, OF COURSE.
Mr.. Renwick read the article, and,
handing the paper back, said: Yes, sir;
those are the very words"
The Mayor was quite pale and his
voice trembled with excitement as he ad-
dressed Renwick. He said that $4,000
had recently been expended by the city
under Renwick's direction for repairs on
the Water Works, and right on top of
this the engineer says the works are worn
out and useless. He said it was evident,
II RenWlck's statements were true, that
the money had been thrown away.
MIR. RenWick denied that the money
had been thrown away. He said the
Holly pump was in good condition, but
was too small. Very little had been used
on the Stevens pump, and this was the
one he had found fault with. He was
ment he had made.
The Mayor wanted to know if Mr..
Renwlck's s expose had not had its origin
in a desire to reflect odium upon the late
A. }. Stevens. rather than a longing for
pure water.
Mr. Renwick denied this emphatically
de said he had always entertained the
highest regard for Mr.. Stevens, and con-
sldered him one of the best friends he
ever had.
SAID 1T WAS INCENDIARY.
II would not blame the insurance COM
panles Tor cancelling every policy held
on Sacramento property" said the Mayor
de chan acterized Renwick's speech as
being of the incendiary species, and de-
clared II to be an outrage upon the peo-
pie. II, for one. don't like it," he con-
tlnued, "and l think it would be highly
proper at this time, sir, for you to hand
In your resignation, Ii / can get another
vote, III move to declare your place
vacant right now. The idea of you, who
are drawing good salary from the city,
TO get out in public meeting and talk
about your hair standing on end and
shout being afraid of being blown up-I
tell you, sir, it's shame. If you are in
such danger you ought TO hand in your
resignation and get out"
Trustee Conkhn tried to pour oil on the
troubled waters, but the Mayor would
not be pacified.
Renwick said if the board desired his
resignation he would not withhold it. He
would not take back a word of what he
had said. The board should give him q
hearing, he said, and then if the mem
bers thought he had done everything
wrong, he would step down and out.
suppose, Mr.. Mayor" ne concluded,
that should prove that my statements
were all true, would that have any effect
upon you"
RENwICK's FEARS.
They can't be true" declared the
Mayor vehemently. You talk about be-
ing blown up, and all such stuff as that.
DO you suppose you would be sitting
down there quietly every day if you
really believed what you told the people
at that meeting? DO you suppose we
would be sitting upstairs here, right
over the machinery that's going to blow
up? Not much. You ought to be
ashamed OF yourself You ought to hand
IN your resignation and get out if your
life is in danger. don't want to have
anybody's blood on my head"
The Mayor was emphasizing his re-
marks with his arms, and so forciblv thar
in the middle Of his speech the back OF
his chair broke, and he came near being
spilled on the floor. Kenwicl caught
him, however.
Trustee Conklin said that if Renwick
had done anything wrong the board
should proceed in an orderly manner bv
ordering him to appear for trial. 1t was
not proper to demand his resignation
without giving him hearing.
MR.. GREEN'S SAY.
Then Trustee Green had something to
say. He was against Renwick. He
echoed the Mayors sentiments all
through, and declared that Renwick, as
the head OF the Water Works, had no
business to expose the dangers that hung
over the city. Right at the present Time,
he said, there was liable to be trouble
with the laboring world, and such
speeches as Renwick's invited riots
MIR. Conklin warmed up and declared
that the people had right to know of
any and all dangers that were liable to
iniure them.
The Mayor turned loose on Renwick
again, and his ire rose to a veritable
white heat. 81 want your resignation y,
he exclaimed. "You have slandered one
one OF the best friends l ever had. re-
we're that man, God bless his soul. That's
y. J. stevens. And, sir, | will not sit
in this board and have him saudered -
The Mayors fist came down on his
desk with resounding thump as he said
this. He then moved that Renwick's
place be declared vacant
Renwlck replied in kind. He said
stevens was as great friend to him as
he ever had been TO the Mayor, and he
would be the last man in the world to
slander him. The engineer then asked
that the board appoint experts to exam
inc the Water Works and ascertain
whether or not every word he had ut
tered was true. With this the engineer
left the room.
LOSES HIS JOB.
But the talk proceeded Just the same.
the whole matter being gone over again
The Mayor moved half a dozen times to
declare Renwick's place vacant, but Mr.
Green, while siding with the Mayor,
neglected to second the motion.
MIR. Conklin and the Mayor got into
quite heated argument over the legality
OF declaring Renwick's place vacant.
"Yo on are talking nonsense" declared
Mr.. Conklin. II tell you, sir, you can't
do it that way"
"PH try it though retorted the
Mayor.
You have no right to come in here
with your private opinions" was Mr..
Conkhn's next shot.
mo private opinion about it," said the
Mayor. "It's the opinion of the people.
! believe that this man has injured the
city, and l don't think he is a I'll man to
be drawing salary from the city's
funds. Sacramento IS going ahead. We
are improving our streets and sewers,
laying new sidewalks. pulling down old
awnings, and we're going to have pure
water-and l consider a man traitor to
the city's interests who would do as this
man has done. l tell you it is an out
rage and now l move again that his
place be declared vacant"
" ell, second the notion" suddenly
said Mr.. Green. He had had quite s
struggle with himself
MI Conkhn now realized that the sig