, 1935-08-04
RESERVATIONS
OF NAVIGATION
HEADS SOUGHT
Penny, Chambers Fail
To Appear To Tell
Of Dredge Deal At
Mass Meeting
CONTINUED from Page one)


missjoners, williams told those at
tending the mass meeting at the
high school auditorium that all
three commissioners had been ex-
tefded m invitation to attend the
meeting through registered letters.
" Near the conclusion OF the meet
ing. after Carpenters report had
been heard, Lloyd Stiernberg Of
the law firm OF Carter AZ Stern
berg. moved that a committee OF
five persons be named to thorough-
Nv investigate the dredge purchase.
and TO report back at a future meet
ing. williams chairman Of the
meeting told the Harlingen attor-
rev that he was out Of order and
refused to consider the motion.
Stiernberg insisted on making his
motion, and Williams protested.
Then Paul II. Brown attempted TO
offer m motion calling for the form
alton OF q permanent organization
10 make a study OF the dredge
purchase. but williams told him a
permanent organization already was
I'm existence. williams then left the
platform and went about halfway
down the aisle and told Stiernberg
thar he would not be permitted to
make IN speech. DiSregarding VIII
Hams protests. Stiernberg called on
sEll those favoring N permanent
organization" to stand ND. but he
was shouted down by the crowd.
Carpenter Kicked Out
Williams, In making the opening
address, declared that Carpenter
hAc been literally kicked off the
navigation district board" and said
that the other commissioners sitter
ally sent Carpenter home" He
declared that Carpenter had favored
awarding the dredge contract to a
firm that would use Valley labor.
He declared that materials for con-
struction OF the dredge could have
been purchased IN the Valley. VIII
liams said the unemployed OF Har-
lingen plan to meet Monday night
n pass resolutions calling for
ahrogation of the dredge contract,
and to urge awarding OF the con-
tract to a firm that would use Valley
labor.
Carpenter, during his address,
claimed that the Ellicott people 70
whom the dredge contract was
awarded "made a superficial trip
down here" but the Morris Machine
people designed a dredge to fit the
particular project for which 1t was
intended. He said that the Morris
Machine firm built the dredge used
Nv the international Boundary COM
mission in dredging out bends In
the Arroyo Colorado. and that q
sample Of their workmanship already
is In the Valley. He compared prices
OF the dredge purchased by the com
mission TO specifications and prices
made by the Morris Machine people.
He said that the difference, when adj
ditional equipment is purchased for
the dredge the commission bought.
would be between SIS. 900 and $4,000
IN favor Of the dredge proposed by
the Morris firm.
He declared that the Ellicott terms
were cash, while the Morris terms
were 10 per cent cash In ten days, so
per cent when materials were as
eembled. 20 per cent when the dredee
itself was assembled and 20 per cent
when the district placed its approval
on the Job.
Carpenter declared that at the
meeting at which the contract was
signed, the E1licott representative
read IN telegram from his firm say
ing the $l02.0 900 price on the dredge
was cash. After reading the telegram.
Carpenter clsimed. the representa-
tive said 80 900 discount for cash"
In what he termed an apology"
To McHenry T1chenor. publisher CT
the Valley Morning Star reported
40 have been present when the con-
tract was signed. Carpenter said he
and T1chenor were good friends and
that he had offended Tichenor by
saying the contract was signed in
Tichenor's office. He said that Itch
enor had threatened 10 sue him for
libel. and added: "Tichenor has a
mighty nice office. and I don't think
ne would want to pull anything like
that in IT,"
Signed at Night Session
Carpenter referred again to the
meeting mt which the contract was
signed, and to which. he had claim
ed, he was not invited. Penny and
Chambers, he said, have claimed the
meeting was q continuation Of an
afternoon session. Carpenter told the
gathering that mt the afternoon ses-
sion he and Chambers were dead
locked and Penny said that 1t was
getting late and he thought they
should adjourn, think II over that
night, and try tc get together on an
agreement the next day. Carpenter
said he asked Penny II he could be
there the next day. and Penny had
said yes" and eat the usual time"
He said the meeting was adjourned
fairly and squarely. He said that he
went to Penrys office the next day
but neither Penny ncr Chambers
showed up. He wrote into the minutes
that no one showed up and that he
left. he told the assembly. The con-
tract, he said. had been signed by
Penny and Chambers that night.
Carpenter cast doubt on a state
ment that the commission had been
covered by bond in its dredge pur-
chase. saying that rs far as he had
been able to learn no firm in the
Valley can issue q bond for more
than $4,000. He said that he had
made attempts to see the bond and
the minutes covering the night ses-
SIGN at which the contract was sign
ed. but had been unable to see eth
or.
The Rio Hondo commissioner adj
United that he was interested in see
ing some OF the Atlas dredge en-
pl0yees get employment on the new
dredge work. He said that he did net
know many Atlas dredge employees.
but they had made N good record on