The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-02-18

i'iS tliC SitiZCii'
who have endorsed the report of til,
commission have been accused of pc
litical bias and dubbed the water
meter gang That these accusation.
are not true is evident: first, tha
both the committee and the citizen:
made up of democrats and republic
ans alike; and, second that the com
missions recommendations regarding
water meters were not endorsed anC
would not have been at this time
statements to the contrary notwith
standing.
while it is true that some of the
committee are sincere in their con
victions that meters are the best so
luton of the water problem which
now confronts us, they at no time
have intimated desire or shown 6
disposition to force the installation
of water meters against the will OF
the people. The meter question is
therefore, settled so far as the pres.
ent issues are concerned and any at.
tempt to drag it into the controversy
will, in our judgment, but demon.
strate the animus of those RESPONSE
BILE for it.
1.-The chamber of commerce has
also been accused of endorsing the
report of the commission without in.
vestigation. The committee desires
to state that the chamber of com.
merce has taken no action in this
controversy, except to urge upon
your honorable body the necessity OF
adopting some plan for furnishing
an adequate water supply for the
needs of the city, and thus secure
Il reduction of the exorbitant fire in
surance rates. as well as securing
protection from the possibility of a
general conflagration.
I'VE beg to advise, further, that
this committee does not nor would
not under any circumstances endorse
an engineering scheme that did not
afford the same measure of protec-
ton in the matter of water supply
and the North Side as would be ac-
corded the citizens of the South Side
This we regard as one of the main
questions at issue and to determine
for ourselves that no part of the
city was to be benefited at the ex-
pense of any other part under the
plans of the commission this after
Moons meeting was held. and the
question put fairly and squarely be-
fore the commission engineers.
THE explanation made by the en-
gineers (and they are willing to
stake their professional reputation
on the resulO was entirely satisfac-
tory to the members of the commit
tee present.
''Therewore we take very great
pleasure in reiterating the recon-
mendations presented to your honor
able body. Wednesday evening, Feb
ruary 10, and again to urge that the
recommendations be carried out.
1--WE ask that this communication
and the recommendations above re-
ferred to be placed on file in the
city clerks Office as evidence of our
desire in this matter. Respectfully
submitted,
JUDGE w. 3. CULLEN,
"E NJ. HEPBURN,
"W. b. ROBERTS,
ARTHUR ID. JONES,
"E. f. C. VAN DISSEL,
"W. s. M'CREA,
GEORGE S. BROOKE,
ID. NJ. THOMPSON.
Committee.
81. G. MONROE Secretary"
Mr.. Thompson then took the floor
to say:
''In behalf OF the committee and
I suppose, those OF us who are called
that the business men who started
this agitation for an increase in the
water supply did so to get more
water-to get more water In the
right places and at the least expendi-
ture OF money and to supply with
water every section of the city. In
the public and private discussions nc
attempt has been made to put onto
the people any schemes the results
OF which would not he satisfactory
mo one can question the honesty
ability and fairness of purpose OF
the gentlemen who compose the corps
OF expert engineers. They are fair
and impartial and some weight
should be given to their conclusions
1--WE were at disadvantage last
Wednesday evening when there was
none of us capable of answering the
objections made to the plans. We
had no engineer with us.
But we are prepared tonight to
show that the people of Lidgerwood
will be amply supplied with water
We will show. too, that you can't get
water into that tank of Mr.. GINS
up on the hill unless you pour 1t In
with buckets and that under Mr.
Gills plan the people of Lidgerwood
will get no water,
We will show also that while you
may mt water into that other reser.