The San Francisco call., 1904-10-04
Oakland Councilman, Asked
to Produce Plans for New
Water Works Plant, PrayS
for Another Weeks Time
LIVELY WORDS MAKE
MEETING INTERESTING
Howard and Meese Lead in
Accusing Associate Of
Circulating Untrue Tales
Regarding Boards Work

OAKLAND. Oct. s.-The City Council
tonight called a special meeting for
next Monday night to consider any
plans that might be submitted for the
purchase of a municipal water supply.
This action followed a lively inter-
change of words, during which Coun-
Gilman G. E. Aitken was taken to task
by Councilmen Meese and Howard.
Meese quoted statements made by Ait
ken, who had said he was sure a prac-
ticable and available supply was to be
procured. Messe invited Aitken to pre-
sent his scheme If he had any.
Aitken declared. that he was not
ready to make his plan public and
asked for a weeks time In the course
of his remarks he intfmated that East
ern capitalists had been denied oppor-
tunity to present project This
brought Councilman John L. Howard
to his feet with a declaration that he
resented innuendoes and misstate-
ments. Howard said:
When Mr.. Aitken says this council
has not made an attempt to solve the
water problem he makes a misstate-
ment that should be denied. The prop
osition he talks about would be laugh
ed at If 1t were made public. Work on
this water question has not stopped
and 1T is wrong for any member to say
that this council has ceased odo it's
duty. Such a statement is baseless."
In his challenge to Councilman Ait
ken, Meese said:
During the last few months reports
have been circulated regarding the at
titude of this council in the water ques-
tion. The persistent efforts Of some
persons to have it appear that we had
a hGOIn falU chn al dorQ Of
projects looking to the municipal own
ership of water supply have no doubt
had some effect upon d part of our
constituents, especially when these re-
ports were made by those who knew
better.
For those repeating these reports in
ignorance or from the force of habit
of criticizing any administration which
happens to be in power / have a feeling
In these reports. / have q feeling Of
contempt, and for those making use of
this means with politics aforehtought'
/ have feeling of disdain.
II am satisfied that the public gen.
orally is convinced that we have given
every water proposition which has been
placed before us a fair and full investf-
cation, and that we deplore the fact
that up to the time when we were pre-
pared to submit the Improvement bonds
no scheme for water which we could
honestly place before the voters of our
City was at our command.
Now, Mr.. President, / do not want
to be unnecessarily personal, but we
have submitted to considerable nag
ging from one of our own members
time and again. In private and in pub
lie we have been told that we would
not consider any water bond PROPOSE
ton. We have always met these re-
marks with the request that the MEM
ber give us the benefit Of any water
scheme he may have, pledging our
selves to a full and fair consideration
of the same, but no scheme has been
forthcoming.
I'm an article which appeared in our
evening papers, under date of Septem-
Der 26, written by, or, to be more ex-
act, signed by G. Z. Aitken, the fol-
lowing language appears: I am sure
a first-class plant with new distrib-
uting system could be got from more
than one company and further on.
I am perfectly sure a new municipal
water supply is practicable and avail
able for our city, In consideration of
these remarks and believing this an op-
perfume time I now in all candOr and
sincerity, not in order to vindicate any
action this Council may have taken,
but as a matter of the greatest impOr-
tance to the inhabitants of this CITY.
wish to ask Mr.. Aitken through the
chair whether he has at present any
plausible water scheme by which this
city may obtain municipal ownership
of a water supply, and respectfully
| await an answer.
Aitken replied IT have plan, but 1
am not prepared to submit 1t tonight.
understand that parties with water
plan were unable to submit it. It's a
| shame when capital from the East
can not get hearing"
Name them. name them," demanded
President Dornin.
"I am not prepared to name them to-
night" replied Aitken, 'it's too soon
after the bond election. In view Of that
| election" he continued. IT should like
to have a special meeting called to con-
slider a matter of water supply"
| Councilman Fitzgerald wanted the
meeting to be confined to a discussion
of Aitken's scheme, but Councilmen
| Cuvellier. Elliott, Wallace and Howard
| said the subject should be left open for
any proposition that might be offered.
The Council passed to print ordi-
nances as follows: Calling for bids to
reconstruct the City Prison; fixing the
| tax levy at 81 26: establishing Harrison
boulevard. and appropriating $4,000 to
| improve 1t; calling for bids to paint the
| City Hall.