Arizona republican., 1913-07-10
Mayor Christy in Statement Last Night Gives the Story of Negotiations for Purchase of Site for City Corral
FALSE ACCUSATION
 AGAINST MIR. CISNEY
Council Acting in Good Faith in City's Interest However, It is Determin- ed Now Not to Consum- mate Transaction

Everything that is said to be a scandal is not at all scandaIous when presented in it's proper light after an investigation of the facts. This re- mark has reference to report which has been banded about the streets for several days, that Councilman Cis- ney had participated in the sale to the city of certain property in Calder wood addition owned by him. the property to be used with other ad joining property as a city corral
 It is true that the city had agreed to take all the property described, though MT. Cisney was no longer con cerned in it, and warrant had been ordered drawn on the water depart ment fund in payment to F. w. Grif fen, the owner of the property, for it. Why the warrant was drawn on that fund will be hereafter explained.
 Mayor Christy. resenting the impli- cation cast upon MT Cisney as well as upon all the members of the cOun cil, made a statement to The Re publican last night covering the en- tire transaction.
 Said the mayor: ''On account of the complaints received from resi- dents in the vicinity of the corral at the corner of Jefferson street and Seventh avenue. that it was unsani- tary ill-smelling and a breeder of flies the city council decided to abandon it and seek location that would not be objectionable. The cor ral besides, had become too small for the use of the city, though we were renting adjoining tract of ground from John T. Dunlap.
 We received an offer from the trustees of school district No. 1 to sell us block 57, where the West End school building stood, for $2O,000. We were considering the purchase of it when the residents of that neighbOr hood put in vigorous protests, and we abandoned it. In looking for a site we always had in view proximity to the railroad. We investigated several sites, among them the block owned by Mr Wakelin immediately east of the tract we afterward decided to take. MT Wakelin's price was $14.- 500. But it did not touch the track. and beside was not the right shape. We looked at another tract owned by R. TOOhey, lying south of the Buck eye line, and later there were brought to our attention large lots running from street to street immediately south of the Santa Fe tracks. They were owned by Joseph Reed, for whom F. J. Bennitt X Go. acted as agents.
 Between the eastern two of these lots and the Buckeye railroad there was another divided into two parts. the north one third owned by Joseph Cuen and the southern two-thirds formerly owned by Mr. Cisney, but l1t hn hy- l. W ri IT was desirable that this property should be secured since it lay upon the Buck eye line, that is, the Arizona Eastern line. so that we could have access to the corral from both roads. That would result in 2 great saving in the matter of freight charges. The water department would occupy a part of the corral, and that is why We decided. when we had determined to take the property, to draw on the water de- partment fund in payment. There was, in fact, no other fund avail able. Our pipe and cuIverts are bought in carload lots. With access to the corral from both roads, we would avoid switching charges which have amounted to a good deal in the past
 You can see that this would have been d profitable deal for the city, but in view of the misunderstanding that has arisen concerning it. We have decided to abandon it. All the property involved in the deal has been withdrawn by the owners and by F. J. Bennitt S Co. and the warrant order will not pass. It will never be bought by the present council. We will leave the matter to our sue ccssors, and the city corral will re- main where it is, at least through this administration. I believe that when the public is fully informed. it will conclude that the council was acting in the best interest of the city"
 Among the charges contained in the rumor was that the price the city was about to pay for the property was exOrbitant, and that the price of the so-calIed Cisney tract was espe cialIy cXOrbitant. That that is not the case is seen in the fact that the Cuen lot was put in at $2100, while the Griffen lot, twice as large and more desira ble since it abutted upon the Arizona Eastern, was put in at 5000. Previous to the sale of this property
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