, 1866-02-21
The Lake Tunnel-Card from Aid,
GnF4cf4
FiftntA ChieArn Tr}hune.

Editors Chleago Tribune:
In the account OF the extraordinary proceedings
Of the Common Council LIST evening, ID your is.aa
Of III morning yoa ont to give he ayes and noes
Dull Gowan large sum Of money, fh addition 10
thst contract price, for the building Of the lake tun
Having no desire to Disguise my action upon 80
important tnittet, eend Jon ths substance OF my
temarks upon the pasa.ge Of the ordinance, which
viii, think, Sufficiently define my Position. i may
Of Public Works wal expected conca.ning this In
po1ant queatfont II was not expected that the at-
Ter would be pushed 10 its anal passage conse-
Sqssas,s ~ opponents Of the measure were 'o'
Mr.. Pntswksr--1 hare been anxious for some
little time to Bee what ehape this matter vas gong
% assrnle-whst the selfconsstuted friends d
1t u The ordinance Of Alderman McERoy, and
which heptoposes to adopt At once As <uostsate
tor the report Of the Finance Committee NOW in the
possession OF the Council a unfinished business.
Introducing this new ordinance 1t this time. and
entirely une1pecsed to n-dsnylns Us thc pEE1lege
a. se sS:,Som.5 Of ha1pe i ..as1d o.ss md pub
selves to meet fhe questton upon tts merits, and
give our constituents, the Taxpayers OF the city,
an appo.{nnity e expses. sos,r yts%s upon "
the Board Of Public Works to the Finance Com
mt,tee who could take Ill The facts into consider
st,on and repoEt at our ne1t Eaeeiing-,hey have
Now, u, submit tha. this Is not treating
proposluon Of this magnitude with the con.idsra-
abuse Of she rghts md privileges Of this Council,
e well as an in.4lt to De taxpayers Of the city.
They Rropote thus summarlfT to. take tron
$as6 60M and give i to these contractors and for
whatl have endeayored to listen to The reading
Of she1 statement oi Nestts Dnll, Gowan and The
statement of the Chief Engineer and also Of tue FL
aaUce Committee, and from what I could gather
FonId defy any member OF tho Council to form an
Tie esfe without taking lime TO TO consider 6 upon
them-trpt 10 compare tacts md hgpres sta 'ements
and conuter+t4tezneutt, and until ws do 70 We CAL
Ps % u Fl ss.. ae is
While we would be generous 10 The contractors,
generous to fault pe.uaps, let US be Just 10 the tax
payers whom ne represent.
Ald. Woodman, who teens to take upon himself
the management OF this matter. have not bad
the opportunity to compare figures. II i eunlcicnt
ct Public Works, and The statement Of lhe Chief
Engineer, that only par1lea outeide OF these con-
tractors that can know all the facts IN the there
meult. According the statement of these geotie-
men the contractors have not Jet lost large tum
ofmcner fn The Legitimate prosecution OF this work.
u Ise .nS en- v sms s@qun a
Of these genlemen entirely 10 set theit faca and
figures aP'de as II no account and as this time,
HuRu L001 CGu1ACI - QHk QAH completed.
to make them doDation-for by theordinance It Ii
1oihtngtelse-of oger x2(D, Co., Now, sir, submit
hat there is no warrant authority for this what
ever. The Hoasd Of Public Works have informed
u fhat there Wae no necessity iot paying thcm any
such nm0upt-shat It IL not proper time to make
any considerable Allowance upon their contract,
ortr End nbore certain percentage that they have
already earned, mud which Ii usnaly retained upon
all contracts. Then. eIt, we have no power 10 do
what this ordnance proposes Thc charter pro-
yides tho way and manner the public money shall
be uetd, and among the various Rrants there ars
nore mixing donations Of this kind.
Thett Ia another vieH OF this case, which will
notice Taking advantage Of their knowledge of
tunnelliDg and mining, these contractors came 10
this city and underbid ny large amount, other and
suppoee equally reliable aud responsible men
among our own citizens. who offered 10 do The same
work for ahat they considered tair and Reasonable
price and say VIC do gross injustice 10 such par
mp allowances Of tust hat may be 1sked for In
s,antIal proat
But Mr. President, 1t Is Of no use to discuss this
question further. can sec P2siniy that this ordl.
naoce IL to pa.1 bF 4 large majority and
nothing can fay will arTc<t it, The only hope
have is with your Honor to ar7ast it On former
occ3<Ipn you carc tB FcaEpn for veto, "thas yo1
were informed BY the Board OF Public Works that It
Wa not ueceefAfy to do a certain amount Of work
TO abate eerta1n nuisance" You certainly have
the eAne Information TO guide you ut this time,
with tcn-fold necessity for aHestng this most un,
tust proceeding. ". Il. CAETEa-