Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-05-23

sHE coRroEATaos.
Expssssien Of Aaairs.
co,. =. $ ee,,ar ON tae s,.uat.en.
.he Facts and Figures.
rhe cay ao,.s 70 Rn,..

1 The announcement in the city papers Q
| yesterday, giving notice that Col. A.
Colyar would enlighten oar citizens will
something startling in regard to corpora
ton affairs brought out large number O
our leading citizens, and the spacious hal
| 10 Masonic Temple was more than hal
filed.
Col. Colyar said he was glad to see ths
class of men present who were able to ap
preciate the condition of things, and hoped
by coming together for counsel it NIGH
occasion some good. He had been hoping
for some relief for some time pasl. The
city was in a worse condition than il was
at the last meeting when he addressed
many of those present ,Ems eight 1aonlhs
ago.
Having heard the statement of Jud 90
Mills before the Federal Court but a short
time since, he was induced to call upon
him at his Office, and ask the privilege Of
looking over his books. He told the
Judge that there were many reports in
circulation about the recklessness with
which checks had been issued. He did
not consider il efficious 10 examine the
books; that the corporation officers were
the trnstees of the people, and every CHI
Zen interested in The affairs Of the corpo-
ration, had right to investigate The
books at any time.
With the permission Of the Recorder,
he had spent two hours q day ID making
this examination, and he had something TO
tell the people about one or two items of
expense.
For the past seven months, the Water
works department had cost the sum OF
$Sl ,4Sl 0S. Ia Matt. Browns admins.
iration. which it had been alleged was
very extraysgani, the sum expended for
the year in this department was $2I, 1922.
A resolution had been passed some time
ago by the city council authorizing the
Waterworks committee 10 have boiler
propped, and for that propping business
the sun, of $40 900, had already been
expended and that before il was finished,
it was estimated that $40 900 more would
90 under that resolution. Twenty thou
sand dollars for propping a boiler. The
hing was outrageous One man goes to
WORK and u,sLas n oa,.f,aof H. boa,d
was not consulted, and nobody knew any
hing about il, not even the Recorder,
until he is called upon to Issue the checks
% foot the bill.
Flaglel's hotel, up to the present time,
lad cost, 81, 5l1 90, including $500 |
lnder the cognomen of miscellaneous de,
,ariment.
The amount of checks issued in Febru-
ny was $227, 1868 90; in March about the
anne; in April $500. G56 90; in May, up
o tie 18th, $l25,O00 90; and for seven
nd two-third months, 81, 800, S6S 90; and
1 the same rate for the year, would amount
0 s., 647 1862. This was equal TO Silas +.
Hen going up and mortgaging the prop
riy of the city TO the amount Of SIS, 400
very day. His examination led to the
iscovery that the checks issued 10 the
everal departments were immense, and
luch larger than had been issued to same
apartments heretofore, but he had not
AIKEN much trouble ia looking up these
small items" He had other larger ones |
} talk about before he got through.
The most astonishing items he had found
q Recorders Office we're "bills payable"
Judgments paid" and Interest account"
he checks TO pay these items were
sued without vouchers, or in other
'ords the Finance Committee were su-
lorized 10 issue them al li5itam.
How much, said Col. Colyar, do you sup
ose, have been issuel without vouchers,
nd which even the Recorder has no idea
that they were issued for, and which goes
D what might be called the the "loose
nix department" and which these people
re bound for. Here are the items-let
ne call your attention to them: