Evening journal., 1908-03-03

While some sort Of action was looked
for, there was some surprise at Water
Commissioner Peter ]. Ford's motion
at the regular meeting of the Water
Board yesterday afternoon TO the ef-
feet that the president Of the American
Water Works Association be request
ed 70 appoint a commission of three
prominent water engineers Of the coun-
try to come to this city, investigate
the charges made by Commissioner
Knox and i'm event nf the charges be-
ing found true that President Shaw Of
the Water Board and Mr.. Ford resign,
and II untrue that Mr.. Knox quit his
place on the board.
After the routine business of the
board had been transacted. Mr.. Ford
said he wished to mako few remarks
in reply to the charges made by Com
missioner Knox last week. He said:
"Mr. Knox has made some state
ments concerning the methods of oper-
ating this department to which / wish
to make reply, bur before doing 80
want to say that have no personal
feeling in the mattsr. as far as Mr..
Knox is concerned. ! have know him
for years and we have been friends.
However, l should think that II he had
heard things which questioned my
integrity and that of the other member
of the board he should have thoroughly
investigated them before making the
charges he did.
II want to say that since I became
member of the board ] have always
endeavored TO act TO the best Of my
judgment and with the best advice OBJ
tainable in the country, for which the
city paid, and after thoroughly search
partment, did what did conscientious
". and what 1 believed was for the
best interest Of the city.
Il have no apology to make to any
living person. Everything / haveNever
voted for I would absolutely do again.
If I may be pardoned for referring to
the reasons for this attack, / want to
say. that when / became a member
OF this board I found Theodore A.
Leisen employed as advisory engineer
Of this department ana If l mistake
not, he was engaged by a Republican
board, composed Of Messrs. Belts,
Jones and DR.. Pyle. There was a
question Of getting a competent engi-
neer to overlook the contemplated work
on the new water system and the mat
ter was thoroughly discussed. as I
understand. When I became a MEM
Der of the board / made 1t my busi-
ness 70 learn all about Mr.. Lelsen I
could. found that he had been en-
ployed as engineer TO the board, and
previous to that time had held import
ant positions. and 7 was satisfied that
he was competent TO hold the position
he now fills.
Il am not beholden to Mr. Leisen
one iota. but have watched him and
have seen him when confronted by the
ablest engineers Of this country in dis
cussing problems concerning Whining
ton, and must say that I have never
met a man more thoroughly equipped
than he is to ill the position he now
occupies.
II don't know that ! ever took oc-
casion TO criticise Mr.. Knox, except
possibly on matters concerning ap-
pointments to positions in the depart
ment" Then Mr.. Ford referred to that
part Of Mr. Knox's statement in which
the latter said that his course as a
member of the board had been criti-
cised and his motives questioned by
two official organs OF the Democratic
party, to the effect that he was a de-
cidedly partisan ana generally undesir-
able public official, and that he would
convert the department into a partisan
Republican machine and thereby pre-
sumably impair its efficiency. Continu-
ing. Mr. Ford said:
Il have never regarded Mr.. Knox as
an undesirable public official. but as a
partisan, he takes the cake. If 1t Is
your desire to clean out this depart
ment, Mr.. Knox. can say nothing, as
long as 1t is done to the benefit of the
city. want to say right now that II
any person can point toany one Repub-
lican who was removed without just
and sufficient cause. want that per-
son to come forward. There is a chal-