San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-05

diatelv folio wing the election of Mr.;
upon him with reference to our
claim for $9,63s.ss, which claim
then amounted to 50, l67.46, request
ing that he investigate 1t, or that
q proper committee be appointed to in
veStigate the same. Nothing, however,
was done by the Mayor in regard to this,
so we continued to make requests OF the
same nature, which finally resulted in
his appointing the Finance committee to
meet us for that purpose. This commit
| tee did not act until some time In Novem-
| Der, 1893, and consisted OF your present
| Mayor, Henry Elmendorf, then a member
| OF the Finance committee, and the then
| City Attorney, Mr.. A. Levy, the remain
ing two members being absent, as we are
informed, one owing TO Illness, and the
other because Of being away from the
| city. At the meeting With said commit
tee we made a full and complete showing
Of our claim, and the committee agreed to
make report Of the same to the Mayor
for his information and action. Often
thereafter efforts were made by us with
the Mayor TO get a settlement OF our
claims. When making such requests for
settlement we distinctly informed the
city that the payment of taxes then
charged, or to be charged, against US
wOnld be withheld pending the settle
ment OF our claims, the city being then,
as 1t is now. VIGOROUSLY involvent, and
having established the precedent Of al
lowing claims against itself as an offset
to taxes owing by creditors. M having,
as we are advised and believe, a valid
claim against the city, we were unwilling
then, as we are now, to prejudice the
payment of said claim. We are prepared
now as We have been always, to take up
the settlement Of this matter with a view
- .s,s- - -. N 4 IL A~..
we are averSe to litigation with the city,
and have, therefore, at all times, pre-
ferred to comply with its requirements,
although not infrequently said require
mentS were unreasonable, and we are on
record with the city as being will
ling and DESTROYS Of meeting them
on every reasonable! proposition
1t has only been when the city sought
to Cypress, haraSs and embarass, and in
various ways ~endeavored the destruction
Of our property by making orders and de-
maDds as unreasonable as they were I'M
lawful, that we have been compelled to
invoke the protection of the Courts of
Justice. We have ~endeavored to peace
fully and lawfully conduct our business,
and within the strict letter of our con-
tracts with the city, and with due regard
to our obligations to the public, as well as
the city laws, as becomes good citizens;
we have constantly aimed to keep abreast
Of the times. going to a large expenditure
of money-the returns from which are not
in any wise commensurate with the in
veStment,-to give your city a street rail-
way service that is now second to none in
the state, IL, indeed, in the south. Under
our contracts with the city, as well as the
fact that we are citizens and tax pay
erS, we are entitled to have our
property and the free and unmo-
Tested use OF the same protected to
the fullest extent, and although we have
not been afforded such protection in times
OF need, on the contrary, its peace officers
having been rather used to harass and
em6arass US in the conduct Of our bust
ness Of operating a first class systen OF
street railway in the city Of San Antonio,
We have not complained unduly, but we
beg TO give notice here that we shall re-
sist by every legal method we may invoke
any such violent. oppressive and unneces-
sary proceedings as the resolutions under
discussion contemplates. Very Respect.
fully, w. H. WEISS, President.
MI. Weiss further remarked, Gas
sure the public that we will keep
on giving them the best street car
service in the state"