The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-02-24
Tho secret is out.

The secret is out.
The allied water companies, having
secured all they desired at the hands
of the City Council. propose at once to
get back any outlay that may nave
been incidentally incurred.
The following notice has been sent
out. and, although it refers to existing
water rates which have been cut dur
ing the past two years, it is faithful
suggestion of what is to come:
o o o o o o o @ 8 o @ @ 8 . . o o o 9
@ Please take notice that on and o
o after March /, 1898, water rates will 9
o. be made in accordance with the @
&. schedule as established by the City e
@ Council. Respectfully, @
O CONTRA COSTA WATER co. o
@ Oakland, Feb. Is, 1898.
g @ @ @ 9 g 9 @ 9 @ 9 o 9 @ o 9 o 9 @
This morning a gentleman went into
the office Of the Oakland Water Com
pany and paid the water rates for a
certain piece Of property, which
amounted TO 81. The clerk was asked
if the rate was to be raised, and after
a glance at a card said, very firmly:
After the 1st Of March the rate will
be SO 90"
The rate-payer in question immedi
ately went across the street to the
Contra Costa office, and asked the same
question, referring to the same proper
ty. The answer was very short. 1T
will be SO 20"
It is now learned that the two wa
ter companies came together several
months ago, and that they agreed not
to decide upon any raise in rates until
after the new schedule was fixed, so as
to stand off possible popular indigna-
ton.
The mass meeting tomorrow even
ing to consider the water question will
be a very lively affair. The city is
given over at present to discussing the
situation and denCuncing the traitorOus
Councilmen and seeking to devise some
method of setting aside the infamous
job perpetrated last Monday night.
1t is now very plain that the begin
ming of the job took place over year
ago, when the celebrated committee of
twenty-one undertook to name d
Republican city convention. and it
has been gradually incubating ever
since. At that time Frank A. Leach,
who was then newspaper proprietor,
undertook to proclaim that the ap-
pointing of the convention was a job
in the interest of the water companies
It was SO adrOitly managed, however,
that the warning was lost and the mat
ter partly forgotten. Since then evil
dence of what might be expected has
cropped up occasionally, but in such a
manner as to deceive the public and
throw them off the track.
It is now learned that before the res
ignation of Fibush extraordinary pres
sure was brought to bear on two of the
honest five Councilmen even to the ex-
tent of threatening them with loss of
their situations. But it did not work
It was then that Fibush was induced
to resign and the pliable Woodward
put in his place Fibush being under
some obligation to the influence of the
water companies for his election was
informed of what was coming, but re-
fused to be a party to any such trick
cry. Woodward, however, who admits
that he never saw the ordinance fixing
the rate till Brother Henneberry ap-
pointed him one of the committee to
pass upon it, had no scruples in the
matter and affected to do in five min
utes what some honest Councilmen had
spent five weeks in intelligently dis
cussing.
This action on the part of the six
Councilmen, and especially regarding
the appointment of Woodward by
Mayor Thomas, bears out in a measure
the popular belief that the water COM
panies have had strong hand in dom
mating the policy of the present adj
ministration in the Mayors office.
1t would raise a laugh on the streets
to-day among the most ignorant and
least informed of the citizens of Oak
land were any one to suggest that the
two water companies are any longer
at war or that they have been at war
for the past twelve months. Now that
the wool is pulled from the public eye
it can see clearly and will no doubt act
vigorously.
Woodward has admitted that he did
not read the resolution fixing the