The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-11-20
Khat Our sew MAYOR costs.


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What Cur new Mayor Costs.
Our citizens have recently been
made to realize the danger to which
they are-exposed by the misfortune Of
having the administration OF the city
in the hands of incompetent and in
different officials. We have just bare
ly escaped a complete financial col
lapse, by liberal construction of the
law, which threatened us on account of
the inexcusable omissions, ignorance
and hardness of the Mayor and Council
In making the annual tax levies. 1t
would have been fearful expense for
little experimenting in a change of
administration. But little examin-
alton of the city records, and slight
observation of the workings Of the
new regime, will show that we are
paying dearly for the experience we
are getting In the way ola new Exec
utive for the city. We would like to
figure up the cost Of our neso Mayor.
We can only give few of the items
to-day We will give others at the
proper time. The uniform practice
of the City heretofore, in the i'm
provement Of streets in front Of pri-
Tate property, has been to conform
strictly to the Charter and the Ordi-
nances, and assess and collect the ex-
pense off the property holders. In
this way most OF the leading streets
of the Ci'y have been permanently
improved, at very heavy expense to
property-owners. But under the new
administration of Mayor WALKER
this system appears to have been
changed aIIs
By reference to the city records it
will be seen that Fourth Street, from
Locust to Walnut, has been improved
az the expense OF the city at large, By
cypress order of tie Council, without
requiring the owners of real estate to
contribute any part thereof. The
cost ofIthis improvement. which must
be paid out Of the City Treasury, is
about $4,000. 1t is true that this
street Is now used as market space,
but even this should not have ex-
empted the property owners from a
fair share of the expense. But it is
alleged that this expenditure was
made, without securing any guarantee
on the part of the Mayor and Council
from the owners of real-es5ate, for the
use of the street as a market space.
Aud the question is now pending be-
fore the Council to declare the market
a nuisance and have it abated. And
if the Council does not order it re-
moved, a suit will at once be insti-
tuted before the courts to accomplish
it. And this expense of $4,000 is
saddled Upon the city, because of a
departure from the old system, and
from an ,nexeusable neglect on the
part of the Mayor to secure a guar
antee of the street as a market space
.in consideration of the improvement.
Item No. $4,000 to be charged
the account of cost of cur new
Mayor
Many extensive improvements have
been in progress in the lower
part of the city, mlinly in the Sixth
Ward, which, it is estimated, will
cost near 100000. AS part of this
amount, Front or Water street, from
Fulton Avenue to Pigeon Creek,
and other streets in the lower
part of the city, have been graded
and graveled at the expense of the
city, and no legal measures taken, as
required by the Garter and Ofdi-
nance, ITO cause the expense to be
collected from the property holders.
The estimated cost on these streets
for the improvement of private prop
erty, is about $l5, 900, which will have
to be paid out Of the City Treasury.
Item No. 2-S15, 900 to be taxed up
il the account of cost of our new
Mayor"
Locust Street. from Fourth to
Eighth, is now in process of improve
ment, to inelude bowldering. AN ex
animation of the records of the Coun.
Gil in this case show that the legal
measures necessary to compel the
expense of this improvement to be
paid by the owners of real estate has
been totally disreg lrded. and the en-
tire amount will ecessarily have to
be paid out of the city treasury, if
completed as commenced aud now
progressing. The estimated cost of
this improvement is about $4,000.
Item No. 3-S18,O0O to be entered
up on the account of the "Coss of our
New Mayor"
REHABILITATION
Item No. Fourth street. eIs oO0
Item No. 2-Water Street, &C. -. X ~
Item No. 3-LOcust Street ............. Ii tOS
Acct. Of Cost OF Mayor. ........ 81, oOC
We have here only given three
items of expense which will be paid
out Of our City Treasury, aud which
should properly and legally have beer
assessed and collected off the private
property benefited. It is just Sc