East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-01-08
Dr.. Best With Stenographer Attempts
to Quiz Members With Regard to
Investigation at Thorn Hollow.
MOORE, Ia DOW RETURNED
Unanimous Vote OF Council Places
Them Back on Water Board-Peei-
tion Submitted Asking for Engineer
and Bacteriolog1st to Examine Work
and Water Of System.

and Bacteriolog1st to Examine Work
and Water Of System.
Complete exoneration of the ma
jority members Of the water commis-
sion by the reappointment Of Will
Moore and G. l. La Dow, a "kangaroo
court conducted by DR.. James A.
Best. recalcitrant member Of the
commission. and the submission of a
petition asking for the employment
of John 4. Whistler, engineer, and
some competent bateriologist to ex-
anime the work and water of the
gravity system were features of the
first meeting of the new council las,
evening.
Messrs. Moore and La Dow. who
resigned when the reelection of Dr.
Best seemed to reflect upon their
management OF the gravity system.
were returned to the board by the
unanimous vote of the council. Coun-
Gilman Montgomery nominated them
and Councilman Cole seconded. The
vote was taken without discussion.
This action follows the report of the
experts who audited the books of tho
commission and found them o. X.
and OF the report of the councilmen
10 the effect that an Investigation
had convinced them that the work
on the gravity water system had been
well and properly as well as hon.
/, estly done.
DIR. Best Conducts Court.
Dr. Best was present at the meet
ing and he was reinforced by a Ste
nographer who took down in short
hand all Of his utterances and the
answers which the city officials made
TO his questions. He declared his de-
sire to ask a few questions of the
city engineer and council and pro-
ceeded forthwith to subject them to a
cross examination as to their inves-
tigation at Thorn Hollow. After he
had been allowed to proceed without
interruption for several minutes.
Mayor Matlock demanded to know
the reason for the questions and
what the doctor was trying to estab-
lish. number of the councilmen
also asked to be enlightened.
Dr. Best. thereupon. declared that
ne had made public assertions that
there was not enough good water at
morn Hollow to supply the city and,
inasmuch as the city council had
made report infering that the wa
ter was good and had seen fit to ex-
onerate the majority commissioners.
he wished to ascertain how far they
were enlightened upon the work and
conditions at Thorn Hollow. 81 intend
to show" he said, that there isn't In
the summer months two-thirds enough
water to supply Pendleton and I am
prepared to prove my statement in
court If necessary"
He questioned City Engineer kim
orell first and then in turn. Council
man Dyer, Siebert and Cole. Mont
gomery was the only other member
present who made the investigating
trip but for some reason, the doctor
iaiied to subject him to any question
ing. In the main his questions re-
lated to the depth of the pipe laid
on the north and south side of the
track. the distance of the pipe from
the river and the character of the wa.
ter. The opinions of those who were
quizzed differed as to the depth OF
the pipe north of the track. the es-
Inmates running from eight to twelve
teet The distance from the pipe 10
the river bed Is about SO feet. said
Councilman Dyer. and the other es-
Inmates were about the same. En-
gineer Kimbrell stated that the Joints
Oh the pipe were sealed and also
stated that the pipe leading to the
river was waste pipe so that the
water from the north side could be
cut off and turned into the river be-
Tore entering the pipe on the south
side.
Engineer Kimbrell further stated
that, in his opinion. the water on the
| north side was seepage water Coun.
! Gilman Cole and Dyer made similar
statements, Dyer qualifying his by
saying that in his belief the water Is
well filtered and pure
In conclusion. Dr. Best intimated
that he would contest the seats OF
Moore and Marion Jack on the COM
mission on the ground of ineligibility.
| He asked the mayor whether or not
the commissioners would be sworn In
according TO the city charter The
question was referred to the city at
| torney. who answered. Most Ger.
| tainly." DR. Best then demanded 20
| know whether a man who had not
| lived In the city five years prior 10
election or who was not assessed for
property valued at s25O0 could sit on
the commission. "ff the question Ia
raised in the proper tribunal In tho
'