El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-02-10
MAYOR HAS LIVELY TILT IN COUNCIL
WITH SEVERAL LOCAL WATER USERS
1continued From Page one)

minimum rate. After the reading OF
the communication mayor Sweeney, ap-
,iarently a bit Ill humored. said: ~ on
are calling on me 10 find out why ] have
':sker the action have as mayor CT the
city.
Il am not representing any clique or
class Of citizens. ] am representing all
the citizens.
''Your mass meeting was called for
the purpose OF heaping abuse upon me
and the city council.
you asked to have the water COM
pany placed in the hands of a receiver
and that Is exactly what has been done.
Way not permit the federal court to
take up the matter and dispose of it %
Bargman and Mayor Exchange Words.
BargInan said: THAT is what we are
doing, but we wanted to know why you
had taken such action without first
informing the citizens OF it.
Sweeney: -'You should PROFOUND that
question TO the attorney for the re-
ceiver; he asked for a construction OF
the franchise, and we agreed TO 1t dur
ing the time that the receiver is in
charge. You have gone on the out
side and brought up speakers to heap
abuse on us and you come this morn
ing 10 demand an explanation OF our
actions"
Bareman: 'rYou are mistaken to
think that We simply want TO know
why discrimination was shown toward
Some and why could not the water rate
have been raised so as TO affect ali
egually?"
Sweeney: MY information Is that
over 900 residents north of the tracks
pay the minimum rate, being in the
same position as the people south OF
tise TRACK There Is not and never has
beens any disposition on the part of the
council to work a hardship. You speak
OF raising the rates. That suggestion
was made at one time, and how many
OF you came ups"
Municipal Development.
"There is only one way for the city
to determine the best disposition TO
make Of this. Under a receiver you
have municipal ownership to all intents
and purposes, and at the end the city
viii he in a position TO see what the
difficulties are and how they can be
solved
I'VE have a franchise which has never
been constructed the matter has been
taken before Judge Maxey, who is not
going TO work a hardship on anyone,
up TO him and let him adjust it. The
council has no more authority than you,
for the matter is now in the federal
court. When it was out of the hands
of a receiver we investigated all your
complaints and gave them our atten-
ton
Bargman: Regarding the statement
that we called a mass meeting for the
purpose Of abusing the mayor or city
council must say that you are mis-
taken
Sweeney Roasts Critics.
Sweeney: ''When l accepted the Of
flee OF mayor l I'D so with the knowl-
edge that nv character was subject to
public criticism. and any OF. my success :
sers sill be abused in the same way bv
characterless men
You allowed that individual TO assail
the character of the mayor and city
council and you have a right TO do
that Just so you don't step over the
line, for. when you do you viii have to
answer IN person"
Dr. Bray said: eve did not call the
n citing for the purpose of assailing the
CITY council, and If one man made re-
marks that were on tot place.
Alderman Clayton here asked: @That
fRdiyidual represents you. does he not 20
yes" replied Bray, ffbut ne did not at
that time" and mayor Sweeney inter
jected: He did not represent you be
fore, but he does now; his speech showed
that he was entitled to represent you"
Il am not handling this matter; it
is in the hands of Judge Maxey. You
asked for receiver and you got him."
Dr. Bray: Yes, but when you asked
for receiver, We did not ask for the
96-cent rate"
Sweeney: quite true; but that is
one OF the variohs things TO come up. 4
About Bringing In Money.
Aou talk every day about bringing
new money TO FL Paso. Is new money
coming IN when the water company
contends that it is losing money and
shows that 1t cannot afford to pump
water at the rates charged? VIII anv-
one come IN and take hold of the water
company The only way you. can brinr
new money in is to let the receiver 90
along and see if he can make a state
ment that enough money is being Sc
cured to make extensions"
Dr. Bray: eve went TO Mr.. WYATT
and he told US that it cost 3 IA cents
to pump Mesa water and 1 IA cents ia
pump river water, and river water will
be pumped half the time He said he
lost SO 1-3 per cent in making trans
fers, so it seems strange that if II costs