The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-21


every availab bic source OF information
present completely dry in an endeavor TO
get at the bottom of the business.
1t 'was rather queer and notable CO.
incidence, too, that this Important COM
mittee meeting, the result of long con-
tinued dry weather and the climax of
stupendous effort to overcome the diff
Guilty as it affected the water supply of
the city, should have been held on n
night such as last night, when for the
first time in months the only really wet
and satisfactory rain fell.
PROCEEDINGS DIVIDED.
BY twelve minutes past S o'clock all of
the members Of the committee Messrs.
l.. Is. Anderson Gin the chaiD. j. Il.
Peelie, j. l.. Farant, of the Common
Council and Alessrs. w. l.. Williams and
w. Il. Baldwin. OF the Select branch.
mad gathered at the committee room, to-
gcther with the CITY Attorney and q
score or more of witnesses.
Two minutes later DR.. Anderson called
the body together and stated that pro-
ccedinSs would be divided into two
parts
First. The charge against E. h. Free
man. that he attempted to secure an
option on Little Creek. al the same time
being chairman OF the Water Committee
and member of the Select Council. when
those bodies were investigating Little
Creek with view to its eligibility as a
S'bitf w NhttT supply LOT Inc Guy.
Second. The charge made against
somebody" connected with the Water
Board that he had divulged the secrets
of the board In connection with the pro-
ceedngs OF that body relative to Lake
Joyce.
DECLARED IT FALSE.
Mr. Wright, who was represented by
Judge ID. Tucker Brooke was first
sworn. He stated that at meeting of
tn In,,
had stated that he had obtained an OPP
ton on Joyce Lake with n view to un-
loading it on the city at an advance of
$4,000. He denounced this as false. He
then read his card in which he made his
charges against Mr.. Freeman, and said
he knew personally nothing about II,
but had his witnesses present to sub
stantiate those charges. He himself had
never had any option on Little Creek.
HON. w. \. YOUNG.
The next witness was Hon w. A.
Young. lie said, in substance, that in
the latter part of last June he
had attempted tn get an option ON the
Van Wyck property. He went TO Mr.. IL.
l.. Page ana offered to buy the property
for $50 OOO Mr.. Page did no. think the
property could he bought for less than
$4,000; there We're u number of others
after it. Later Mr.. Page said he thought
S35, ,00O would buy it,
MIR. FREEMAN BIDS.
When he went to put in bid of $S5.-
900 he found that Mr.. Freeman had made
an offer Of $4,000 for the properly and
had deposited Il check of 81 900 to bind
the bargain. Mr.. Young said he went
to see Mr.. Freeman and told him he
wanted Ia get the property for the wa
ter that was on II. Mr.. Freeman said
he wanted it for the wood that was on
It. He then offered him the water prop
erty at $50 per acre, but reduced the
price TO $40
TO GET RID OF HIM.
Later. about the middle of July, Mr..
Young drew an option and submitted il
10 Mr.. Freeman. The latter next day
submitted another paper which he
founS) could not accept. Then MIR.
Freeman offered him tYoung) s.. 900 II he
would get out of the field as "a bidder.
Then Mr. Freeman said that as he
was member of the Council he could
do nothing more in The matter, and re-
foTred him TO Mr.. Lloyd (his partncr),
with whom he chat:ed about the prop
erty, but like many other schemes this
fell through. He had had an eye on
Little Creek for IA long time as possi-
bic source of water supply for the city.
and had no objection 10 making a leeiti-
mate profit out of The city.
Speaking of the value of the property
at that time, Mir. Young stated that il
was held at about $500 all in ALL in
Guiding $1,000 for the woodland, $4,000
for the fisheries. and $4,000 for The
homestead.
FOR HIS HEALTH-NIT.
There was no question between him
and Mr.. Freeman that he CYoung) want
ed the water privileges to sell to the
city IL possible. AS near as he could re-
member. Mr.. Freeman was figuring on
getting the property at about sl4 or sl5
an acre. and selling it to him at about
$25 or $50
Judge Brooke: "Mr. Young. knowing
You as lie did, Mr. Freeman did not ex-
poet YOU TO make any profit out of the
clty?"
Mr.. Young: "Assuredly not. was not
In the business for my health"
Mr. Young said he was not there to
prosecute any one, but simply as wit
ness prepared 10 answer ali questions
asked that itw as in his power 10 an
swer.
From startto finish did Mr.. Freeman
ever refuse to negotiate with you in
regard to the sale Of that water property
at an advance on his own figures. and
knowing that you CYounE)were going to
sell 1t TO the city at an advance to your
sclf?"
Messrs. Williams and billiard objected
to the form of the question. Objection
over-ruled by the committee.
in answering, Mr. Young safd that