Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-09-29
Public Utility VS.. Private Ent rpr.se.

Public Utility vs.. Private Emit rpr!se.
Vt the mass meeting call d to con-
denim the water company, las. frld"r
night, which under its present lately
acquire! ownership l. as rapidly beng
placed n stat, II efficiency a. thor
ou.h work Nj admit Of. tirr" wct" s'y
actual count ii'ty-thrrc persons pre-
cnt, which i, >'atrl i,y the R,-r'r}'r -
layt teen fully a hundred or NOR"
representative citi<eu~." all doubtless
registered 10 vote, bat many who would
not have cent to pay on the PROPOSE
ton to bond the city for acquiring the
water service Ny condemnation.
To show just how iiimsy. Irrelevant
AMI untruthtul was the report Of the
evening paper OF the proceedings OF
the meeting, we note the fact that Dr.
J. II. Cook, OF California, was called
upon rs an expert (all medicos are ex-
pcfts in analyses, you know who stat.
ell that he had been many times, dur
ius his periodical visits to this city,
horribly impressed with the sewerage
that passed into the city water from
Lum jos garden patch. lie then mi.
nutely described the animal and vege-
table life that was carried through the
flumc from Lum JOS garden to the
intake OF the water company. He de-
scribed the effects OF parasitic life and
vegetable decomposition on human
life, all of which was based upon the
ewill, slops and filth flowing from
Lum JOS sewer. At the conclusion OF
the exhaustive speech, introduced as a
cog in the wheel around which a new
political machine ia to revolve, the
writer, who has lived here long enough
to have some knowledge Of loca! torog-
raphy, ventured to enquire whether
the learned doctor knew the precise
location OF Lum JOS garden, and
whether it was not on very nearly
sea level, while the altitude of the
water intake was at quite an elevation,
go much SC as to make it necessary for
water to literally flow up hill to make
his statement bear the semblance OF
truth. The doctor, in explanation,
said that Lum JOS garden was contig-
uous to the Cullen property, which IS
news to people who know quite as we'll
as to those who do not, and then
brapched off on the necessity OF reach
ing out for California visitors who
would come here like himself, if people
would only keep their water pure and
backyards clean. 1t was quite evident
that he was thinking of contamination
OF the mud.hats, instead OF the water
system, another hobby he is said to
ride.
To show how fair and truthful the
report of the Recorder is, we quote its
version:
"When he had finished John Miller
Murphy expressed belief that the f1ume
did not flow through Lum JOS garden,
but was promptly set right on the ge-
ography of the water system"
1t will be seen that the object OF the
inquiry was to confine the doctor to
his oft-reiterated statement that it was
Lum JOS slops that were contaminat.
ing the water supply and show that it
could not have been possible without
suspension of one of the first laws OF
INSTRUMENTATION. 1t was simply a
Typographical mistake that completely
upset the argument he was making.
Would not fair report have been
better, if indeed, the claim of the Re.
corder be true, that the Director was
the only person present that favored
more time for the water campany to
perfect their plans for better water
supply and cheaper rates? Further on
it admits that Mr.. H. w. Smith was
another objector, or as it puts it, was
representative of Mr.. Heermans,
the head OF the new company" There
were, however, many others who took
no part in the controversy, who have
since assured the writer that they were
utterly opposed to making the water
supply q partisan issue, or in other
words "a plank to slide into Office on"
The meeting Friday night bore
many evidences OF having been L" cut
and dried" 1t was stated on the floor
that resolutions of the " cut.and dry"
stamp were in Somebody's pocket,
ready to be sprung, and Mr.. A. J.
Falknor said the City Attorney was
ready to render an opinion that con.
domination proceedings would be sus-
tanned by the courts and that he
tFalknor) was ready, then and there,
to discuss it's propriety. Mr.. Alling
was, however, to sly a coon to be
caught with any degree OF precipi.
lance in plain view while launching a
public.utility boom. Booms often
collapse under such conditions, and
some show of fairness must be made,
for is it not written that
1.-THE best laid schemes O mice an men,
Gang aft agley,
An leave us nought but grief an pain
For promised joy?
That Seattle has made success ESQ.
called) of municipal ownership of wa
ter proves nothing. That city may
make success of anything while it
can successfully maintain its high.
pressure policy. But its municipal
levy this year is 4S mills and with
addition OF county and State levies
amounts to an eight per cent lew