Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-08-09
DR.. Hartwig's Retraction.
TO the Mayor and Common Council
Of the city of Watertown.

Gentlemen:-ln response to the re-
port of the committee adopted by your
honorable body at a special meeting
held July 27, 1905, copy of which
was served upon me, | have only to
say, that said report purports to refer
to certain so-called ''derogatory state
ments made by myself at the meeting
of the common council held June 20,
1905 AMI claiming that the same ere
fected upon the honesty, integrity and
good character OF the mayor and
common council of the city of Water
town.
The said report nowhere sets forth
the language Or so-called derogatory
statements complained Of
| | am unable to find in any of the re-
ports Of the meetings of the common
council any record of any language or
statements made by myself to which
said report can refer, and / am there.
fore at a loss to know with what am
charged, or what is desired that I
should retract or apologize for.
[ am satisfied, however, apart from
any records kept by the common coun-
ell, that the complaint against me aris-
es from my attitude upon Substitute
bill No. 3S8 S, considered by the re-
cent session of the state legislature.
This bill sought to authorize the Wa
tertOwn Electric Co., it's successors and
assigns to raise the height some three
feet of the dam across the Rock river
in the city of Watertown. known as the
Rough and Ready oam. The records
of the city of Watertown will show that
some time shout March s, 1905, petit
ton Of property owners abutting on
Rock river above so-called Rough and
| Ready dam was made TO the common
council petitioning said council to op-
pose the raising of the dam, and to
protect the interests of said property
owners.
That thereupon a committee was ap-
pointed to whom said petition was re-
ferred. That said committee through
Alderman Lehman made oral report
10 the common council March 18th set
ting forth various advantages and pro-
tectOns which the Watertown Electric
Co. on the other.
The resolution adopted at said meet
ing is as follows:
Resolved, That the petition of own
ers of property abutting the Rock river
above the so-called Rough and Ready
dam be placed on file.
Resolved, Further that the commit
tee appointed at the meeting of this
common council held on the Sth day
of March, 1905, to whom the petition
was referred, protect the city's inter
ests affected by the proposed passage
of Senate Bill No. 380 S. and that said
conmitte embody terms and conditions
holding the grantees their successors
aud assigns of SAID proposed grant,
liable for damages that may be caused
to said city by reason of such grant;
and that said committee demand
$4,000 and all other conditions which
they are able to incorporate according
to their oral report to this common
council, and that the committee be
empowered to pass finally on the form
of the proposed amendmen to said bill
And / attach hereto as a part of this
statement the bill known as Substitute
Bill No 389 S. and call particular at
tention to paragraph three of section
five Of said bill which provides that
whenever the city of Watertown erects
and constructs a new bridge Or one in
lieu of the present bridge. which shall
be two hundred and ffty-six feet in
length or less (256) then as liquidated
damages for the extra expenditure
caused the city. the said grantee, its
successors and assigns, shall be liable
and pay to the said city the sum Of
$500 90. This shall not be deemed
any compensation or payment of dam
age on the part of said grantee, its
successors and assigns for the erection
or construction Of a new bridge or ad-
ditiOn to the present bridge when the
same shall exceed two hundred and
iftysix (256) feet in length
This bill passed the senate substant-
tally without dissent, it being freely
said among the members of the senate
that in it's present form the city of
WatertOwn was favorable to the pas
age of the bill. That the resolution