El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-01
VICTORY FOR
The PUBLIC
Mayor Vetoed the Contract
Last Night.
PRESSURE WAS STRONG.


Committee Chosen At the Mass Meeting
Held Two Sessions Yesterday and
Conferred With the Mayor and
COuncilmen.-TheC Ouncilmen One
By One Evinced Their Desire To
Rectify the Error and At O'Clock
the Mayor Left Abruptly, With His
Mind Made Up.-Felix Mariners
Offer.
Yesterday afternoon at the Office of
Hon. Leigh Clark, the Ell Paso
aldermen a met d the no. commit Il,
citizens with the result that each alder
man in turn with two exceptions adj
mitted that he had acted hastily. and
without fully realizing that stumbl-
ing block was being placed In the way
of progress.
The exceptions were Messrs. Badger
and Robinson. Mr.. Badger took the
stand originally that the contract was
q bad thing and he had nothing to re-
greet. Mr.. Robinson was not present,
as his business obligations are such as
to keep him at his post during the
afternoon.
The mayor attended the meeting and
made q short talk. He saw that pub
lie sentiment was against the contract
and intimated finally that he would
veto it. 1t was bitter pill, but he
had to swallow it. He left abruptly at
5 O'Clock saying he had an engage
ment.
The sensation of the meeting was the
liberal offer made by Hon. Felix Mar
tinez.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
The meeting was called 20 order by
Chairman Dieter Of the mass meeting
committee. He explained its object by
saying that it had been called to give
the committee chance to reason with
the aldermen and get them to recOnsi.
der their action.
In speaking of the five year con-
tract he said:
1--WE don't want to wait until lack
White gets through with us but want
81 would 60 out of my way as far as
any of yOu to do lack White and Pete
Wehner favor, but 1 am not willing
that they should stand in the way of
Ell Paso's progress.
81 am told by some of the best law
yers in town that the council has q
right to reconsider its action, However
I couldn't talk you folks into reconsider |
ing in ten years if you didn't want to |
do it, but take it for granted you are |
all fair minded men and want to help |
US out" Applause, followed by deep
Mr.. Dieter went on to say that when
he, Morehead, and Kraksuer were sp-
pointed some months ago to make re-
Communications to the city council he |
had bwritten letters to Denver, Louis
Vile, and Terre Haute to inquire the /
price of light and had carefully figured
1t out that at the same rates as chRrg- |
ed by these cities Ell Paso's arc lights
ought to cost about % each.
Alderman Scott: You must take in
to consideration that those towns are
near coal mines.
Dieter: do, and Ell Paso will soon
tible coal supply, only 80 miles distant,
with q down hill haul all the way.
EX-ALDERMAN COLDwELL.
Ex-Alderman Coldwell, known to a
large number of admirers as the s'Tall
Sycamore of the Rio Grande," was the
next speaker. Some of the aldermen
present had not forgotten what q
power he formerly welded when he
himself was memb Der of the city coun-
Gil and they were prepared to hear his
suggestions with respect.
''Not one of you," he began, Shut
must have observed that this contract
is opposed by all classes. The people
are practically unit in believing that
it is not for the best interest of the
city. 1t may be that the 1000 adult
population of this city>are mistaken
and that six or seven aldermen are cor |
rect il
"The public may be wrong but it
seems to me that ii any good reason I
exists why this contract should remain {
effective none of you would object to
telling it for I am sure the public I
would like to hear it. IL
eff in entering into this contract
public interest has teen subserved, I
some body-some one of you aldermen G
ought to be able to show how it is, 4
"This contract supports and per- c
'etuates monopoly. 1t makes it i'm 8