The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-04
MASS MEETING LAST NIGHT
A VERY LARGE ATTENDANCE
OF TAX PAYERS AND REPRE-
SENTATIVE MEN.
-FOUR CANDIDATES were NOMINATED
Meeting Started Off With Sensible and
Timely Advice by DR.. Swearingen,
Mayor Hancock, and Judge James
II. Robertson.

The mass meeting at the court house
last night, to nominate four candidates
for water and light commissioners, had
| large attendance, and the spacious court
room was well nigh filed with tax pay
ers and representative citizens.
DIR. X. NJ. Swearingen was requested TO
call the meeting to order, and he briefly
explained it was to nominate candidates
for water and light commissioners.
"The commissioners, as understand it,
| will have absolute control of the water
and light works, and it is important that
we select the very best men possible. We
want to select them irrespective of poll
here to select such, and it is a patriotic
| duty to do So"
Judge James II. Robertson was unani-
mously elected to preside. He suggested
that it was necessary that the water and
light plant be under the control of care
full men, and that the citizens can not be
too careful in selecting them.
ut is a business enterprise, and cost us
S1,GOO,OOO, and it will require careful
management to make it successful. Its
! success depends on the men you select
tonight"
Mr.. Randolph Lawrence was unani-
mOusly made secretary.
that Mayor Hancock explain the pro-
visions of the charter amendment, so that
those present could understand it.
Mayor Hancock said:
Il have thought and talked so much
about this water and light plant and the
amendment to the charter that l am al
| most sick of my own voice on the sub
ject."
He then said: at is purely business
proposition, and much depends upon the
selection of men by you tonight. The
plant and its management is nothing but
business. 1t has no place in politics, and
politicians must keep their hands off it..
1t is not for the purpose of rewarding
places for political work rendered any
man or party. If politicians take hold
of and control it and put men in to re-
ward them for their political services,
the plant will be a failure. You want men
in control of it whose honor and integrity
you can trust. You want men who have
the entire confidence of the people in their
unselfishness, their honor, their integrity,
their business qualifications" He urged
that business men were needed and said
the plant In the hands of such could be
! made a great success, and in the end
water and light would practically cost
the people nothing. He explained that
under the amendment the commissioners
would have absolute control of the plant.
Gen. Openheimer moved that COM
mittee of seven be appointed by the chair
to name four suitable candidates.
Mr.. Frank Maddox offered a substitute
that the chair appoint a committee of
seven, and that the meeting make nomi-
| nations from which the committee could
select four candidates, the same to be con-
frmed or rejected by the meeting.
Gen. Openheimer accepted the substi-
| tute, and it was adopted.
The chair then appointed the following
\ T. Moore, Joe Rogers. JEFF johnson. DIR.
X. NJ Swearingen. Maj. Ira III. Evans
| and Frank Maddox.
The meeting then made the following
nominations: John Orr, w. +. North, A.
NJ. Leitnaker. Paul +. Thornton, 4. Z.
Woodbridge. $. X. Morley, Frank Heller
man, DIR. Il. 2. Wilmot, Walter II: Cald-
well, Charles Schurr, VIM Won Rosen-
berg, ST., X. NJ. Castleman. Joe G. Booth,
| Taylor, Judge J. II. Robertson, JEFF
johnson, Geo. Feisle and d. w. Doom,
| The committee took the nominations,
and after an absence of nearly half an
hour. reported back, recommending Judge
| ID. w. Doom. A. NJ. Leitnaker, 5. X.
Morley and Randolph Lawrence as can
didates for commissioners.
The report was unanimously adopted
and Mr.. Randolph Lawrence was aston
ished to find himself a candidate, as he
had not been nominated.
On motion of MI. w. II. Bell, the COM
mittee of seven was>continued as cam
paign committee with authority to APP
point ward committees and ward work
ers, and the meeting adjourned sine die.
|