Imperial Valley press., 1942-04-09
Foe Misinforlned,
Fawcett Declares
In City, Campaign
Continued from Page One)

'OOiiOiIIltCd llOul rage Ol1p)
1898, show that Fawcett was electec
mayor, and that he was appointed
street commissioner at the same
time. The minutes also show thai
FaWcett served as street commits
sioner until April, 1910, when the
council was reorganized following
the election of that year. The thefts
occurred during 1888 to 1870"
Fawcett-"Now about Mr.. Irv-
iag's statement that the counc.
had 'huShed up the discovery that
the city sewer had been laid in
QuickSand. Wasn't this reported in
open council meeting. and wasn't
it given full publicity in the news
papers?"
CaVin-"It was"
FaWcett then amplified by saying
that the sewer was a PWA project
supervised by government engineers
who were on the job "all the time,
and who made regular weekly re-
ports to the council. He said that
the old outfall sewer was in. such
bad condition that the new sewer
had to be built without delay.
1T was practically impossible to
change the orders for laying the
sewer" Fawcett said.
CITY'S GROWTH
One of the planks in irving
campaign platform is a pledge tc
reduce taxes, which he said are
so high that many residents of El
Centre have been forced to move
outside the city limits, thus caus-
ing sudden halt in Ell CentroS s
growth"
To answer this, FaWcett called
in Clyde Lee from the city engin-
eer's office, and there ensued q
second phase of the quiz, which
FaWcett prefaced by stating that
Ell Centre had enjoyed a greater
percentage of increase in the las,
10 years than any other city in the
valley.
FaWcett-"Clyde, in the last three
years how many new homes have
ben built here?"
Lee-"One hundred and fifty five.
and this figure does not include
1912"
FaWcett-"HoW many new indus
trial concerns have moved here?"
Lee-"Sixteen in the last five
years, not including II service sta
tions and bulk distribution plants
NEW WATER MAINS
Lee added that the city has laid
four miles of new water mains,
increased the water pressure by
moving the big storage tank to
Eighth street, built baseball park.
the eastside fire station and IL
brary.
so it would seem that the city
has continued to grow" FaWcett
said.
Another charge leveled at Faw-
cett by Irving was that FaWcett
had permitted the laying of 'mis
fit water lines-"four inch pipe
connected at either end with eight
inch mains"
When Fawcett asked Lee for in
formation on this, Lee said he had
Mt heard of it. Then he went out
and consulted Public Works Director
Walter Heinecke, and returned ano
said:
"All these have been eliminated
in the last two years.
DOMINATION DENIED
To Irving's blast that Fawcett
dominated the council, and that
the police scandal" and water
scandal" resulted from fear of the
proper officials to act" Fawcett
retorted:
ASK the citizens of Ell Centro who
know Gordon Scriven, Harry Sones,
Charles Blalack and P. l.. Moore, If
these men are afraid"
CThese were some of the members
of the council during the period
FaWcett was said to have "domi-
mated" the board.
Wen Just skip Mr. Irvings state
ment that FaWcett is the real mayor;
also the one about being an OBJ
structionist, ,Fawcett said, adding
I'm the beginning, Irving charged
me with responsibility in the police
scandal The last paragraph OF his
statement speaks for itself"
The last paragraph said:
"Cf course, Fawcett had nothing
10 do with that, but dominating the
council as he does, the proper of
ficials were afraid to act in that
situation without Fawcett's approy-