The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-09-03

Sunday morning.
THE BRIDGE.-We were only half right in
our statement of the amount already paid
out upon the Franklin avenue Bridge. The
sum already drawn from the treasury is
THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS, instead
of fifteen, as stated. This amount which
is more than the original estimated cost of
the whole structure, has been used up, with
a large unliquidated account and only two
abutments are partially completed. This
is an astounding waste of public money
At this rate n hundred thousand dollars will
not finish the enterprise The first estimate
was for about SIS, 000-a responsible aud
most excellent bridge builder offered to
construct the whole stone work for less than
$4,000. His bid was rejected because lie
would not give residents of this county on
his bond, though he offered good men la At
neighboring county. This contractor has,
since this Franklin avenue job was let, built
three good bridges in other counties one
of which,-Over the mouth OF Anderson
river,-has Il span nearly as long aS the
Franklin Bridge, at cost 10 Perry and
Spencer counties, OF only a5Out fourteen
thousand dollars, and it Is pronounced
the best bridge in Southern Indiana. He
finished the job in live months after signing
the cOntrcat. This man would have built
our bridge within the FIRST original estimate,
had he beeu permitted. After the rejection
OF Mr. McKinley'S proposals, the job was
given, at an advance price of several thou
sand dollars 20 Mr.. Hugo. he was badger
REIMBURSEMENT of a transfer of the job.
Under what kind of an arrangement the
!. work is proceeding, we are not informed.
IL is certain, that the builders are laying
good, broad foundation for n fortune for
some person-if they are not for the super
structure of the bridge.
If the taxpayers, who bleed for these
shameless and cruel wastes of the money
= extorted from the hard earned property of
the citizens, will not unite in Il strenuous
effort to "put the right men ia the right
\ places" they deserve to suffer. Ii the hon
est and substantial voterS-those who bear
the public burthens-will not forget their
party prejudices, and will continue to allow
packed caucuses and conventiOns-managed
by cliques Of ice-holders-loafing pen
sioners upon the public treasury-to dictate
TO them whom they shall vote for-the
whole rental value of their property will be
eaten up by exOrbitant taxes; and no man
OF any substance will bring his property
into the county to be flched from him by
such system of county and city admins
tratiOn. High taxes are at present the mos
insurmountable obstacle to the introduction
of foreign capital here. If they are allowed
to continue and increase, large portion o
the movable capital now here will TAXI
flight from the place. 1t is an evil that i
becoming intolerable.
The County Board-ihe most importan
administrative department of our local gov
ernment-has been composed of men will
honest intentions, but wholly incompetent
and entirely untitled for the duties they ar,
expected to perform. Cannot the characte
of the Board be changed? or cannot thu
mode of constituting it be reformed? W
=. have heard an excellent suggestion from on
present Auditor, that we think worthy c
public consideration.
The entire business of the townships
now entrusted to single Trustee, who, fror
the nature and extent of his duties, must
4 man of intelligence and business capacity
or he could not FIJI his Office. The Town
Ihip Trustee becomes familiar with til
wants and interests of his township; hi
duties in the township make him acquainte
with the duties of County Commissioner, fc
they are nearly the same in different sphere
Mr.. Walkers plan is, TO dispense with II
present Commissioners, and form the Boar
of all the Township Trustees. Each town
snip would then elect its own member al
have the representative of its own intere
it, Il would be carrying our system
representative bodies one degree further TIN
it has been extended. The principle is CO
rect, and we see no objections to applying
TO the Board of County Commissions
which is as much of legislative as an e
ecutiye body, from the varied character
- its duties.
LARGE SALR or ToBACco.-At New 70
on the 3Oth ult., the largest sale of tobac
ever known, was made, which resulted
establishing decided Improvement il 4
condition of the trade there which for sol