The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-03-30
''To Your Tents, D Israeli,

An election iraught with mighty conse- |
quences Of good or evil to this city, and
it becomes every man who wishes to
vote intelligently, to examine the issues
presented in this canvas and understand
the position of the men, for whom he is
called to vote. The affairs Of this city
have been wretchedly managed during
the past year. Soon after the Council
was organized in April 81, the subject
of Division Street Culvert wa, propos-
ed, and its immediate completion urged |
as absolutely necessary. Proposals
were invited and it was found that Fer
dinand Refill was the lowest bidder for
the portion of the work between the ca
nal and the river, and Arnold & Gott-
man for that beyond the canal. The
Mayor was authorized by the Council to
make q contract with the parties at their
respective bids. The whole work will
not cost less than $4,000. The con-
tract was made, read before the Council,
approved and signed by the Mayor, and
$4,000 in city orders, paid to the contrac-
tors. Strange to say, the Mayor and
nineteen councilnen failed to percisive
that the contract contained no provision
for the removal Of the dirt, the flling-in
Of the culvert, or the restoration Of the
street to its proper grade; and under the
construction now put upon the instrument
by the contractors-and it is sustain
ed by the opinion of eminent council
the city will be obliged to buy back the
dirt taken from the excavation, at such
prices as the contractors may ask.
The Council sought to evsds the con-
tract. but, as any half witted lawyer
could have told them, it was impossible.
By the terms of the contract, eighteen
months was given the contractors to fin
ish the culvert and SIX months Of that
time elapsed before any preparation was
made for carrying on the work; the con.
tractors having IN their hands all this
time four thousand dollars of city orders
bearing interest from date. Such negli
gence in the management Of private az
fairs would have marked man as ar
idiot OF fool, yet the council was mol
above the commission ofsuch folly. The
down town" wing Of the council having
secured such a handsome appropriation
the "up town." clique concluded that ;
sewer at their emu of the town was nee
essary and accordingly it has been com
menced.
Happily, the contract in this case wa!
properly made and we believe the work
is satisfactory. But the construction Q
both these culverts should have beer
postponed to another year. The fnan
cial condition of the city was not such q
to justify any OUTLAWS of the kind.
man who is cramped for means, doe
not make large and expensive additions
to his dwelling, il he can possibly avoi'
it. He is willing to submit to inconve
niences until he is abundantly able
carry out his plans.
We need not allude to the action of Ii
council in the Straight Line Railroa
controversy, in which, they refused
vote tie bonds subscribed by previou
council to that read. By their cours
upon this question, the city is now invo
we'd in an expensive lawsuit and the r
suit Of the suit is beyond all doubt. II
city council having crippled the roa
and injured the credit of the city and il
volved it in lawsuit, will eventual
be compelled to pay the bonds with la
yer's fees and costs added thereto. 1t
the course Of the council that has give
men an opportunity to say that we Cal
not afford to keep up the Public Schoo
The building of two more sewers tt
year will not leave money enough in
treasury to pay the officers salaries.
What we want then, is Council CO,
posed of practical business men, W
will husband the resources of the city, a
who will look upon the support Of
Schools as their first duty, and if t
revenue is not sufficient to meet all o
expenses let the gas be shut of. let
streets 60 to ruin, let the officers salar
be cut down but the Schools are to
sustained at all hazards. We say then
the citizens interested in this matter,
to ,cork. Il you have any doubt abe
aaman's position upon this question, do
cote for him. No matter what the
called Democrats may say, we kn'
that there is determined. effort bel
made to elect men who will refuse to
propriate the means necessary to cal
On our schools through the year. Fa
ers, who have children to educate, y
are interestedin this matter. Mech'
les, laborers, business men,. your al
bound up in the prosperity of this gro
ing city. and the day that a blow