The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-08-15

'You know as we'll as do that it is
useless for me to take up my time dis
cussing the water question with THE
TIMES while in its present state of
mind. l think | understand the pres
ent newspaper situation as well as
anyone on the outside. l do not OBJ
ject to any personal or political cri-
ticism but when the reputation OF the
city is at stake l think that it is time
to state the facts"
The above response to a question
with reference to the exact meaning
of certain assertions in an official
statement by Mayor E. M. Sweeley,
was made by the mayor to member
of THE TIMES staff Friday morning,
forming one of the passages which
proved to be the preface to long in
terview in which the water question
was discussed
On entering the mayors office the
reporter announced that he had come
to interview that official on the water
question, and consent to ask questions
was granted.
"We learn" said the interviewer
"that after 1 left the council meeting
Monday night, you were authorized by
that body to issue a statement relative
to the water question, with particular
reference to chlorination of water"
eyes," answered the mayor.
''I left because you had come to the
allowing of bills, after which it is not
customary or usual for you to trans
act other business" began the report
er.
Sometimes we do and sometimes
we do not" interrupted the mayor
"In your official report you dwell
upon certain alleged misstatements
which you say were being circulated.
what was the nature of those mis-
statements or misapprehensions?
Were these reports quite general?"
"You ought to know better than
how widely they were circulated"
"Why do you think that?"
At this point mayor Sweeley made
the statement quoted at the head of
this column, and requested his secre-
tary to secure a copy of THE TIMES
of August g. While this issue was be-
ing looked up the mayor was asked if
he did not think the official statement
given to another city publication
should also have been given to THE
TIMES, especially if it was thought
that THE TIMES was in any way re-
sponsible for the erroneous impress
sions abroad This was not answered
until later. A written pass was re-
uuested for the reporter and editor of
the water plant to which Mayor Swee-
ley replied. "You do not need a pass.
We did not let anyone in while repair
ing the system, in order to prevent peo-
l. kof hIIt
can get in now. However | do not see
why you want to get in when the
work is finished You have been con-
tent with other than first hand infor-
nation so far. Why do you back up
now?" Asked if he had any informa-
ton to the effect that THE TIMES in
tended to back up he said that he
had not. On the. return Of the secre-
tary with the paper the interview
again got under way.
you speak of a rumor being circu-
lated. What was this rumor? Was ii
widely circulated and to what cause
do you attribute its circulation? ?"
at was quite widely circulated. The
first time it got to me was on Friday
August 4, and after that time some
twenty-five or thirty people asked me
e1tner personally OI over tnc tcie-
phone in regard to whether the chlor-
inc in the water was dangerous or in
furious to water users"
ITO what did they attribute their
uneasiness?" ?"
81 do not know where they got their
information. l did not ask them. II
was enough for me to know that they
had heard such reports and were dis
turbed about them l am satisfied
that at least some of them gained
their idea on the subject from THE
TIMES of August 3, and from an edi-
torial in that issue entitled "FLUSH
OUT THE WATER SYSTEM" and
from the references to chlorine con-
tanned therein. The next day after its
publication people began asking about