Evening journal., 1917-03-22
Mr.. SAWYER Tells
OF Those PETITIONS
Some Original SignerS Read
and Understood the
Paper, He Says
TWO MEN BACK OF NEW
PETITION, HE STATES


Washington street, has issued a state
ment objecting to the light in which
he has been placed regarding certain
petitions for the improvement OF the
streets and sidewalks in the vicinity
OF Thirty-third and Washington
streets recently filed with the Street
and Sewer Directors A new petition
drawn up by residents in the vicinity
alleged that the original petition, upon
which Mr.. Sawler's name was the
first TO appear. misrepresented their
sentiments
The new petition was read at a
meeting OF the Street and Sewer Di
rectors Tuesday and was published
In this newspaper as part of that
body's proceedings Referring TO
statements made in the petition filed
Tuesday, as II was quoted in these
columns Mr.. Sawyer today issued
the following
y, Thomas j. Sawyer, OF No. 1914
Washington street, wish 70 call the
attention Of all to whom this COM
munication is addressed to the article
which appeared on page seven Of THE
| EVENING JOURNAL for Tuesday,
March 20. and In which certain false
statements appear which have been
given TO the papers to print, concern
Ing petitions that were recently sent
to the city Council and the Street and
! Sewer Department.
1T is declared in the aforesaid ar
ticle that the signers OF the original
petitions did so without a careful read
ing Of the same, and this statement
bears the signatures OF all the original
signers, with the exception OF my own
Following are the names OF at least
four who read the petitions and be-
came thoroughly acquainted with their
contents Frank J. Kieffer. r. c.
Deane, VIM j. Conner and Frank Mil
Ter. All four signihed their approval
OF the contents and affixed their sig
natures to both petitions, with the ex-
ception of r. c. Deane. who, although
stating he considered the petition TO
City Council nothing but the bare
truth. said he did not wish to sign Il
because Of having personal friends in
that body. Frank J. Kieffer had pre-
viously obtained the signatures OF the
residents OF the neighborhOod to a po-
tition to the Street and Sewer Depart
ment for a curb and sidewalk. but
when the other petitions were gotten
up he cast the former one aside and
became so enthusiastic over the new
ones that he Joined in soliciting sigma
lures for the same No one who signed
these petitions was deprived OF the
chance OF reading them before they did
so, or asking any questions that they
cared TO ask.
"The article in the paper also states
that the action which has Just been
taken Is endorsed by all those who
signed the original petitions with the
exception OF r. J. Sawyer. This is
true. but why? In order that the pub
lie may know why, I will give a brief
explanation here, and a more detailed
one at a later date when the true facts
OF the case may be aired before a pub
lie hearing This entire action was
staged by c. W. Gooding. Jr., OF Twen-
ty-sixth and Market streets. with the
aid of +. ]. Kieffer Of No. 1916 Wash
ington street. without allowing me TO
gain one atom Of knowledge in con
nection with il or to join In voicing
the regret that has been expressed
over some OF the statements that we're
made In the petitions. Mr.. Gooding SO
licited a portion of the signatures and
MIR. Kieffer the balance.
81 have interviewed a number Of
those who signed. and been informed
by one since he has read the article in
the paper that his signature was Sc
cured through false representations
and that he did not read the paper that
Mr. Gooding had him sign. Another
has very plainly stated that he inform
ed Mr.. Gooding that he was fully
aware of the contents OF tho original
petitions when he signed them. and
that he was signing the paper MIR.
Gooding was asking him to only be-
cause he wished il known that he
would like to retract his endorsement
Of certain sections of the original petit
tions. Three have stated that they will
not withdraw their names from the
original petitions, and that the matter
has been published in the wrong light
as they we're led 10 believe, when they
endorsed Mr.. Gooding's action, that II
was only for modification.
THE houses on both sides Of the
street were built by Mr.. Gooding. and
the house which I occupy was pur.
chased from him last October on the
northerly side OF and adjoining my
I property Is strip OF land FOR which
Mr.. Cooling still holds the title and
on which a pond of stagnant water
was standing when | purchased the
house. Mr.. Gooding promised at that
time TO find some way OF getting rid
of this water He did not keep his
promise, and the latter part Of Decem-
her the water reached such height
that IL shut of the back entrance 10
the house. caused the we'll to overflow,
flooded the cellar. and filed the house
with a dreadful odor. My child, who
had never had a day OF sickness be-
fore this time, was taken sick and has
never entirely recovered The physi-
clan who was called pronounced the
sanitary conditions as very bad and
dangerous. The condition has also az
fected the health of both my wife and
myself, and no one knows what we
have had to endure ever since the FIRST
Of the year. Mrs. Miller who resides At
no 3Sl2, claims that ever since this
condition started she has suffered with
\ poor health. whereas. before, she
haan had day Of sickness for years.
rive members of the Board OF
3 Health visited my house and made an
2 inspection OF the conditions and pro-
? hounced them as dreadful and nm
! sa4e' ana mat they would not
i've IN the house Eve minutes Az
; a hearing before the Board OF uealtb
Mr.. Gooding was instructed that he
must find a way to get rid of the nonS
of stagnant water. II is still here -