The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1909-02-04

Australians were the purest English
speaking race Oh earth; that they were
better educated and much lower per
cent. of iIliterates than in the United
States, and that with only four million
inhabitants, the government owned
and built her railroads where accidents
were unknown, had built the largest
water system in the world, and was in
most prosperous condition. Mr..
Brown also told of the Louisville Wa
ter Works as being a paying invest
ment, Mr.. Johnson continued that mu-
nicipal ownership was new and untried
and what was done in California was
no criterion for Tennessee. He chal-
lenged the naming of any cities in Ten
nessee who owned their water. OF
course Mr. Johnson was not posted, or
he never would have made suchaa chal-
lenge, for the principal towns and cities
in the state own their own water
Nashville, Chattanooga, Cleveland,
Jackson, Bristol, Fayetteville, Column
liza and many other smaller towns.
The capital of the acknowledgment
owns her own water system, and
have recently installed a filtering plant
at a cost of S4,0OO000, all built by a
congress who believes in private own
ership.
Mr.. Cecil wanted TO know why Mr..
johnson opposed this measure, when
he had not fought similar one passed
by the Legislature during its last session
in 1907 for $350,000 No fuss was made
about that, and it is just because the
people do not believe that amount suf.
ficient, are asking for like bill with
an added amount,
S. E. Miller made quite a practica
talk in defense Of the water company
and stated that if they could not NEE
the situation, he would favor munich
pal ownership, but would first like /
thorough trial. Mr.. Mathes said h
thought enough trial had been given
and that it was mere folly to continu
as we are going, and proceeded to NOV
the instruction of the committee t
draw up their bill and send it to tn
legislature at once. The motion wa
carried.
James NJ. Gaunt moved that tn
+ amount be made not to to exceed fiv
, hundred thousand dollars. Motto
carried
The next business was the report {
the college committee. Mr.. William
and Mr., Brading both stated that thei
,, interview had been very satisfactor
= with the New York officials of the Co
, lege Board Of Aid, and much more wa
accomplished in the way of encourag,
ment than they had hoped for.
DR.. Robt Mckenzie, president Of tn
- Board of Aid, and J. l.. Severance,
o multimillionaire and member of til
board, had both decided to come I
Johnson City this month-Dr McKeI
:, zie about the q, when he would max
! a visit to Washington and Tusculun
:, / and Mr. Severance about the Is, whe
r. he was ON his way to Birmingham
Z Ala. Mr. Severance is large donate
70 to colleges, and maintains large OF
% in Ohio. They both thought very fl
% vorably of our offer. The prospects fC
10 a college are daily growing brighte
and the citizens should lend every il
fiuence, moral and financial, to secu
this institution. 1t will mean a b
# thing TO the city'S financial and mat
o rial welfare and too much encourag
- ment can not be given, besides Il
70 great moral uplift it would have on
Al side of the big advertising feature
would be. The club will not leave
= stone unturned to bring this college
NJ our city. One of the very pleasing fe
II lures of Mr.. Brading's statement w
20 the fact that DR.. Gilmore, of CHAT
nooga, had always voted for and su
ported the johnson City proposition
S. The next report was from A.
Johnson, chairman of the Good Roa
committee While making no defini
~ report, he thought active work shou
w begin. T, ]. Cox made practical ia
" and suggested that as an election W
u to be held, we should get busy, and 8
IL cording to the law, have the mott
" published the usual length of time. !
~ no plans or the plans for improveme
:, have been published, the commit
:" was instructed to meet with the Cou
ty Courts Commissioners this wee
III make all arrangements, and have t
- reports published and to take the nj
=" essary legal steps to have the electi
=" notice published as per the law.
= Maj. +. II. Cooper offered his serviC
"' for ten days or two weeks TO lecture
81 good roads gratis, The president than
." ed Maj. Cooper for the generous offe