El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-24
MAYOR PRAISES
FORMER MAYOR
Tom Lea Says Kelly Admin.
istration Deserves Credit
for WaterWorkS Plans.

Bringing in two new wells, recently
completed at the mesa pumping plant.
was the occasion, Saturday afternoon.
OF a celebration in which 100 citizens
representing nearly every phase Of the
city's business activities, participated
The honor OF turning on the air that
caused the first of the new wells to
flow was accorded exmayor Charles
r Morehead, president of the State
National bank. From a platform
erected at the wei. Mr.. Morehead
turned on an air pressure of 110 pounds
that quickly forced a six-inch stream.
into The receiving tank. This well
under test runs 497 gallons per minute.
From well No. / the party moved to
well No. ?, where mayor Tom Lea
turned on the air, starting flow that
nns $50 gallons a minute. This cere-
mony completed, the party moved on to
a third well now being drilled. where
the city's guests were shown the meth
DDS of sinking wells.
Mayor Praises MOrehead.
Returning to the first well. mayor
Lea briefly addressed the gathering.
Eve have brought you here today"
he stated that you can see for your
self what has been accomplished in
the way Of providing a water supply
for Ell PasO. FL PasO has passed from
a village into a city and its demands
for an adequate water supply have
greatly increased. Such a supply we
suit praise is due the men who were
active, years ago, in behalf Of a better
supply. 1t was during the administra-
ton of former mayor MOrehead that
the mesa proposition was brought to a
head. and the greatest praise is due M
Morehead and those who worked with
him in behalf CT the project against
the opposing forces.
MOrehead's Talk.
Mr.. Morehead was suffering from a
cold 70 nn
responding. Instead, he asked that
mayor Lea read a brief statement
which he had prepared The state
ment follows: I do not claim and am
not entitled to any more credit than
the other city officials and many citi-
zens for our endeayor to procure for
the city the best supply of water OBJ
tainable. Their cooperation made it
did then and do now appreciate their
friendly and wise cooperation"
Former City Attorney.
D. Storms, city attorney under the
Morehead administration and one Of
the honor guests at the celebration,
spoke reviewing the history of the de-
TelOpment of FL Paso's present water
system, making particular reference
to the events OF the Morehead admin
istration which resulted in the selec-
ton Of the mesa as the source of the
city's supply Of water. The water sys-
TN was then the property Of the Inter-
national Water company, he stated,
and the company desired to seek its
supply from the shallow wells up the
valley in New Mexico. The fight to
compel the company to go to the mesa,
he pointed out. was large under
taking, but was successful, and subse-
quent events proved the wisdom OF
making the fight
Won the Fight.
Capt T. J. Bean, one of the original
advocates of the mesa as the source
of the city's water supply. spoke
briefly He referred to the great diff
ference Of opinion that existed at the
time of the Morehead administration
over the matter of the mesa The
fight against the mesa" he stated.
was conducted by men of affairs and
their arguments were supplemented by
reports Of hydraulic engineers attempt
ing to show that there was not an
available supply for the city. In op-
position to these men was Mr.. More
head, who had made a thorough inTes-
tigation and was strongly convinced
that the mesa was the solution of the
the fight. Had the water company
been released from its obligation TO
place its wells on the mesa we would
still be using river water"
Praises Kelly Administration
Mayor Lea, in c-osing the speech
making, took occasion to praise the
waterworks department from alderman
J. P. O'Connor. head Of the depart
AAclls uoMn 70 the Jay 4dDOEELS-
also desire. at this time. to say a word
Of praise in behalf of the administra-
ton which we succeeded last spring.
It was that administration that pur-
chased the Tosi system which has re-
Gently been installed, paying SS7. 500
for the system instead of selecting a
system that would have cost S65, 600.
Their foresight in selecting the better
system is worthy Of praise.
Two New Units.
THE present administration is about
to contract for two more units Of the
same system which. when installed.
will increase our daily supply to IA
600. 900 gallons per day. We will pay
for this machinery out of the earnings
of the department and not by bond
issue"
The guests, conveyed in automobiles,
reached the waterworks plant shortly
before 1 D. m They found waiting for
them an elaborate lunch. served in one
of the buildings The lunch was pre-
pared by the Z. s. Quartermaster de-
partment for mayor Lea
The hosts included all Of the Lee ad-
and the guests included
all members of the Kelly administra-
ton besides q large number Of busis
ness and professional men
Mayors Guests.