El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-31
ALL LEADING
BUSINESS MEN
Protest Vigorously Against
Electric Light Contract.
NO MONOPOLIES WANTED

tiatiOn For A New Electric Plant.
No Uncertainty In the Censure
Given To the Mayor And the City
Council, Who Were ConspicuOusly
Absent.
One of the most representative bodies
of citizens tnat ever got together In
this city assembled last night at the
district court room to discuss and take
action on the contract with the electric
light company, recently adopted by the
city council and signed by the mayor.
Fully two hundred persons attend
ed the mass meeting and among them
were the most prominent business men
in the city.
At eight O'Clock the assemblage was
called to order by w. 8. McCutcheon
chairman of the citizens committee
chairman and he was unanimously
elected.
D. w. Tucker was chosen secretary
In brief speech Attorney Coldwell
outlined the object of the meeting.
"We did not get together to censure
any one," said be, 'but to prevent q
contract from being fastened upon the
terests. This contract would no: only
detra . from business interests but
prevent the establishing of the electric
| railway.
1--WE have met for the purpose of tran
sacting business and 1 hope this meet
ing will be characterized by conserva-
tism. We will meet with better success
I am sure If we approach the mayor
and council in polite manner and
arouse no personal feeling and we can
accomplish more"
w. s. M'CUTCHEON's REMARKS.
w. S. McCutcheon then spoke brief
ly. He eaid it was q we'll known fact
that the organization known as "the
citizens committee" had been granted
franchise for electric lights and an
electric railway. That franchise, he
said, they held as q representative
body of citizens and not as promoters
or persons expecting to derive money
from the scheme.
"Our object" said he. 'is to get
capital to come In and take hold of the
enterprise. The contract recently
awarded to the electric light company
throws stumbling block in our way.
I have no doubt the city councilmen
acted in good faith and did what they
believed to be for the best interests of
the town. I believe they signed the
contract too hastily and without proper
consideration of the subject
SIT is for the people here to say wheth-
ther or not they want the electric rail-
60 ahead and fix the contract
At this juncture the speaker read an
extract from q letter from G. B. Eddy
in which the capitalist stated
'The people I send will and
can put this thing through If
the investment seems to them 1egiti-
mate.''
":There are other parties also."
continued the speaker, "who are in
vestiRating the franchise with view
of taking hold. We are not desirous
of in njuring the old company, but we do
q OF wish to see the old company given
q club to keep investors out" zap
plause).
A. KRAKAUER'S SPEECH.
In response to repeated calls for b i'm
A. Krakauer took the floor and by
long odds his speech was the best of
the evening. He said in part:
"YOu can go east and west, north
and south, and wherever you 60 you
can hear the name of El Paso mention
ed as one of the brightest and most
States.
'Now does this city want to put off
the coming of the electricl railway
five years longer?' (cries of "Nol Nor')
"Do we want to pay Zack White $l.25
per light for incaudescent lights or
shall we invite competition and get
these lights for 35c. Do we want to
burn gas liRhs like this? I'd rather
burn coal oil and get better and cheap
er lights at the same time.
81 have no interest in thisa matter
beyond the interest that we all feel in
the progress of the city. All 1 have
made, all possess, was made 10 Ell
Paso and 1 intend to live here and
spend it here. (Cheers).
"The city council is composed of,men
who have the interest of the city at
heart as much as you or and I be-
lieve they we're cOaxed into adopting
this eontract.I don't blame the electric
light company. White has the inter.
est of his light company and mule car
company both at heart. 1t is but nat
ural that he should try and put off in
definitely the coming of the electric
railway.
81 cOnnOt, however, exactly under
stand Magoffin's action. He had five
days to sign the contract or veto it.
Why was he in such haste to sign it
and stave off improvement five years?
81 understand he told several busi-
ness he wanted to be backed up by
citizens. Why Is he not here tonight?
want him to sign the contract
PHIL DIETER'S TALK.
Phil Dieter was the next speaker.
He said
"It strikes ma IL has hecome our