The San Francisco call., 1898-01-26

unyielding friends of the people in the water struggle and they can be relied upon to make a report which will be a truthful presentation of facts in the peoples interests.
 The action which the Council took to-day could just as well have been taken a year ago. It is simply in dl- rect line with the pledges all political parties made to the people prior to the last municipal election. The re- port which this committee will make will disclose to the people of this city the fact that no matter what the out come of the pending litigation is as to the head works site or as to the Crys- tai Springs water rights the munich pality is in a position of independence as far as the present water monopoly is concerned in the matter of the con- struction of a new and independent plant.
 Be it said to the credit of the presi dent of the Council, Herman Silver, that he has appointed a committee to investigate the matter in which the people have faith, and there is a gen eral feeling of confidence that they will make a report, after full investigation, which will in no way be dictated by the water company.
 Councilman F. NJ NickeH, chairman of the Water Supply Committee, says the water company has not indicated to the committee one single solitary step that it has in contemplation now or in the future, let alone closing up negotiations for the city to take pos session of its plant at the expiration of the lease, and he states that beyond the offer made year ago to sell the plant for three million dollars, two million more than it is worth, the com pany has never placed since then any price upon it's plant. The company, NickeH says, has never in any way in dicated what it would do as to arbi- tratiOn.
 This is from the chairman of the Water Supply Committee and shows just exactly the status of the case. The water company is doing absolute ly nothing on it's part as far as pre- pairing or paving the way for the city to carry out it's contract is concerned. Nickell himself tells the story of the plans of the corporation to defeat the will of the people by a policy of delay. and he as a member of the Council and chairman of the Water Supply Com mitte is assisting to carry out that programme, and for so doing he re- ceives the approval of the syndicated local press.
 put ny others MT. Nlckell IS DelnR called to account. A communication has been addressed to him which is both sharp and pointed and which will force him to take a position either in the open for the people or on the water company's side This communi- cation is signed by Telfair Creighton, chairman of the Democratic City Cen tral Committee; Milton Carlson. chair man of the Peoples party City Cen tral Committee, and by W. M John stOn and w. c. Petchner of the Silver Republican executive committed By this combination of political parties MT. Nickell was elected.
 The communication recites the plat form upon which he was elected and asks him if he is going to stand by the pledges he made or repudiate them. Nickell was shown a copy of the letter. but declined to be inter viewed upon it until he had had time to read and digest it. It calls him to time in very sharp words and it will probably be some time before he di- geSts it.
 The Jeffersonian Society met to- night and motion to indorse the ac- tion of the Democratic City Central Committee on the water question taken Saturday evening was laid on the table by a vote of 10 to g. This action was the result of urgent work to save the traitOrOus Herald from the condemnation it so we'll merits for be- traying the peoples interests in the great water fight. It was not uneX- pected. The resolution was put in merely to get test vote so that there could be an alignment of forces. It was deemed best to ascertain as soon as possible the men who could be de- pended on to stand unalterably with the people in the water struggle The desired information was obtained and a change of one vote would have re- suited in the adoption of the resolu- tiOn.