The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-09-14

After a hard and long drawn out
nght, which has been in progress for
several weeks the matter having sew
erai times been referred back anN forth
from the council TO the water commit
tee, the recommendation OF the mayor
that reduction be made in the rates
charged for water was finally voted
down last night by the city council by
to l, there being only seven members
OF the council present. Alderman Meyer
voted for the adoption of the recon-
mendation, while the following voted
against II; Aldermen Avery, Bear,
DeSilva, Kugleman, Renshaw and
Semmes.
LENGTHY DISCUSSION.
This subject was the topic OF a dis
cussion which consumed a large part
OF the session last night and was en-
gagged In by practically every member
OF the council present. During the dis
cussion some heated argume ents were
engaged in, and at one point the mayor
LEFT the chair to address the council In
defense of his recommendation
The scene in the council chamber
bordered upon the dramatic at one time.
This was when Alderman Semmes, IN
the course Of his remarks. made the
assertion that politics was involved I'm
this proposition Of a water reduction.
demanding an explanation from the al
derman and calling upon him TO give a
specific instance. Alderman Semmes
then made some remark about candi-
dates in the recent campaign referring
repeatedly to the matter and the
mayor replied that II the alderman was
insinuating that the mayor was play
ing politics. he most emphatically de-
MED the assertion.
AT the conclusion of the remarks OF
Alderman Semmes, the mayor called
Alderman Meyer to the chair and took
the floor to speak on the subject under
discussion He argued in favor OF a
reduction in the rate, giving his rea-
sons for believing II practicable and
produced some information obtained
from sources other than that furnished
by the water and gas committee.
Mayor Reilly was followed by Alder
man Kugleman, chairman OF the water
and gas committee, who seemed to
take exception because the mayor had
procured information from sources
other than the water and gas commit
tee and had introduced it before the
council. He charged the mayor with
not treating the COMMITTEES with cour-
tesy in doing so. and said that If the
council was not satisfied with the man
ner In which the water committee was
conducting business the committee
should be dismissed and another ap-
pointed, and that he for one Would be
perfectly willing to be relieved from
the committee.
The discussion was caused by the
report of the water committee on the
recommendation, the report being 70
the effect that the water committee
would agree TO the reduction recon-
mended by the mayor, provided the
million gallon rate was increased from
10 cents per thousand gallons to IL Ia
cents and that the city should pay for
the extension Of mains in the future
and pay the interest on the bonds. AZ
ter reading the report. Alderman Ku-
gleman said that in other cities II was
customary for the city to either pay for
the extensions of water mains or paw
the water department for the water
used, and called attention 10 the fact
that the city is at present using about
$4,000 per year worth OF water for
which the water department receives
no pay.
Alderman Renshaw. also member
Of the water committee, spoke against
the adoption of the recommendation to
lower the rates and produced a petition
signed by about 100 people in one Sec
tion Of the city asking for the extern
sion of the water system. He argued
that this would be far more satisfac-
tory than the reduction proposed.
The matter was finally brought to a
test by a motion Of Alderman Meyer
to adopt the recommendation OF the
mayor. The motion was seconded by
Alderman Semmes, who voted against
Il, explaining when he voted that he
had seconded the motion simply in or
der to get the question before the
council.
LIQUOR LICENSE DISCUSSED.
When in reading the amendment 20
the occupation license ordinance, which
was on second reading at this meeting.
the section relating to the licenses to
be charged wholesale and retail dealers
in liquor was reached a general discus
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