Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-16
For the Evansville Ionrnal.

ton of wharf, embracing almost its entire
front. | propose, as your representative III that
body, to give you an outline of the manner
in which the contract for the construction OF
said wha has been let, accompanied with lew
estimates and suggestions OF my own. do
this in order that you may see what or at IN
Justice has been pracliced upon you By MA
Jority of the Council, and TO place the respon
sibilily on other shoulders than mine.
You will no doubt agree with Inc that ii was
the duty of the Council, on this occasion, TO
unite in making the very best contract posi-
bic for constructing the wharf, but | regret TO
inform YOU thas such as not the tact-On the |
contrary, TWO, at least, of that body, appeared
there not in the capacity of representatives OF
their respective wards, but as PETTIFoGGERs for
and on the part of one Of the companies bid
ding for the contract: and. it is my solemn be
lief, that these two delegates were commlttt TO
the support of that proposition before it qUas
submitted TO the Council. Such conduct, to Sd Y
the very least of it. was gross violation OF The
rights OF the city, and diss full TO them asils
representatives. These two gentlemen ere
ceiving aid and comfort from two others, (con
stituting majorily,) took their stand at the
outset in favor of the bid upon which the con-
tract was let, and gave the minority TO under
stand in terms 100 plain to be misunderstood,
that that proposition MUST be accepted by the
Council without regard 10 The other six propo-
sitions and in direct opposition TO your wishes
and interests.
Your representative finding himself in a
hopeless minority, and without the aid even OF
your paid Attorney, adopted the old maxim OF
make the best out OF bad bargain, and be-
lives he succeeded in slightly modifying some
of the most objectionable features OF the pro-
position but still leaving il, as accepted, very
bad gain for the city. / shall presently
show BY contrasting ii with one OF The [ Their
propositions submitted; bat before doing SO,
will take the liberty OF giving you the substance
of plan submitted BY me TO the Council for
constructing ii han before any certain action
was taken upon the propositions.
First. The contract to be let 10 company,
requiring them to complete the whole five
blocks by the first ofDecember, 1850, the Coun-
Gil TO negotiate City Bonds, due in 1860, bear
ing ten per cent. interest, payable semi annual
ly, TO meet the cost OF construction.
Second. To issue bonds due in $780, auth
out interest, and to allow the company to take
the revenues OF the wharf in lieu of interest,
and to pay for repairs until the bonds fell due
and were paid.
Third. In case a company could not be
formed 10 undertake the completion In ID reas-
enable time OF the whole five bloc Ks, then oletl
the blocks separately TO one CT more comfan-
les W ho would take bonds al par, (b-arIng in
tereot as above allowing them To select such
blocks as they should desire, the city reserylns
the right in either case to redet m the whole or
any portion oil The wharf al It's pleasure.
In order to show the Council IN confidence
| had in the pracicability of my plan pro-
posed 10 undertake the completion OF one entire
block, and obll5 gate myself, IN addition, TO sub
scribe stock TO the amount of two hundred and1
fifty dol ars in each of the other four blocks DIS
soon as ID sufficient amount in addition had been
subscribed BY responsible parties TO complete
The same. The moment this plan was read by
The Clerk, the honorable gentleman from the
first ward moved TO lay 1t ultder the table
which motion was seconded but not voted on,
but seemed TO prevail by conent. Some mem
Der stated here that | was only DESTROYS of com
pleting the (lower) block between Vine and
Division street. | replied that would under
lake one half of the lower and half of the up
per block or | would divide the stock equally
upon the whole five.
The propositions were as follows:
Mitchell, Sherwood and Ross, $50. 900 90
Butts and Waits, Y, III 81
Manning and BulweN, 233JO
SOM three or four other propositions were
read and laid on lh- table. That Of Watts &
Butts was al the price estilna ted by Mr.. Cleve-
fidence i'll him they were wiling 10 take thu
work at his estimate, and referred the Council
to him for information as to their ability 10
comply with the terms, Ill case they obtain,
ed the contract. This proposition was rel eet-
ed on the ground that The parties required pay
ment as The work progressed, and that no thing
was sail by them about Constructing
stone CUTTERS, which were omitted by Mr..
Cleveland, and " hch no doubt misled them, the
estimate cost of which, l believe, is about
81 500.
That of Manning s. Budwell was near Mr..
Cleveland S estimate also, a9ih the stoue gut
tiers included, extending from the end of each
street to the low water mark; payments TO be
made as follows; the expiration of 80 days af-
ter the work was commenced, an estimate to
be made upon which seventY-hye per cPntum
should be paid; and like estimate to be made
at the end OF each succee ding thee months, and
seyenty-hve per centum IaId on the same until
the " hole was completed, and at the end OF II
months from date OF conn letion, the remaining
one fourth due on eaca OF he estimates To be
paid. Believing this 10 be the best proposition
of them all for The interest of the city, con
tended, until it was useless % do so any longer,
for accepting it. And in answer to the OBJ
lection that she city could not raise funds to meet
The estimates, | proposed 10 advance ten thou
sand dollars on the bonds of The city, barring
ten per cent. interest, and requested the CouI-
Gil TO adjourn for TWO hours, and would place
upon the Clerk table bond satisfactory to
every member, guaranteeing to them ms
compliance with that off r. thereby leaving las
my figures lie ow will show,) onl, the pi,i-
ful sum Of 81 .C26 TO be raised BY all the city.
The bill was rejected and my second PROPOSE
ton shared the fate Of The first.-tr, ated with
silent contempt, and the contract let TO Mitch
ell, Sherwood, and Ross, containing, las you
will find to your COST many obnoxious pro-
visions, some of which will recile:
| First, the wharf when completed, to be de
clared by the Council, the only port and W harf
of the city,
/ Second. the Council to make all necessary
laws to enable the company to collect wharf
| age at the following rates:
Steamboats, under 100 tons 81 90
So 's IS 200 80 &c 200
g q" of 30 and ovtr4, GO
per "a hours, and for each additional 81 hours
an additional price not exceeding the above
rates.
Flat boats 80 cts, RATS. vessels, and other
! crafts, al the discretion of the company.
/ When one block of the wharf is conn leted