The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-06-15
An Alarming symptom.

an Ak0A MINIS HSDRbVMs
The obsequiousness with which
prominent members of the City Coun-
Gil. like Messrs. Files, Carpenter,
Richardt, and Doughty, confer almost
unlimited powers upon Messrs. Van
Ripper and Muhlhausen. is calculated
to arouse the most serious appfehen-
sions on the part of the people. We
venture the assertion that never before
in the history of any city were $500, 900
of its bonds placed in the hands of any
individual without security, without
limit or condition as to terms of sale,
and without check or balance. The
whole transaction is unheard of aud
outrageous, and opens wide the door to
frauds and cheating of the most
alarming description. We do not
know that Mr.. Van Ripper designs
swindling the city out of a cent, yet
it does seem to as that if he were as
sensitive as conscientious men ought
TO be, he would not place himself in .
position where, do the best he can, he
cannot possibly clear himself from
suspicion. It viii be remembered
that he protested against the Council
fixing any limit below which the
Water Works bonds should not be
sold. Neither can it be forgotten that
wharf bonds have been sold by the
Chairman of the Finance Committee,
in a private way to particular friends.
at seventy-five cents on the dollar,
after one of our banks had returns
from New York for the sale of the
same bonds at eighty-fve cents. 1t
will be a very easy matter for the FL
nance Committee, under the present
management, to report the sale
of Water Works bonds at
seventy-fve cents, when they were
actually disposed Of at ninety cents.
and pocket the difference, amounting
to some forty-fige thousand dollars,
themselves. Two transfers are all
that will be required to realize the
speculation, and at the same time 30
cover up the -transaction as to DEFY
proof and punishment. We do not
say that such is the plan Of the FL
nance Committee, but we do say that
such proceeding is suggested by the
powers which the Committee asked
for and the Council conferred.
Not contented with the almost un-
limited chances for speculation offer
ed it by the Council, in the sale Of
Water Works bonds. the Water
Works COMMITTEES. on Monday eve
ming, asked for still. greater opportu-
mites for making money. We copy
the resolution again, in order that
our readers may comprehend the
modesty of that Water Works Com
mittee. It asked:
That the Committee on Water
Works be hereby authorized and en-
powered to make all necessary and
needful contracts touching the con
struction of Water Works, including
contracts for preliminary surveys and
examinations; for the performance of
labor and the purchase of machinery
and materials and all other matters
and things appertaining to Water
Works; and BY such contracts to bind
the city of Evansville as fully as it
may be done and said Committee are
hereby authorized and empowered to
use and spplyin the payment and sat
W1Rs ~ oil c1nh
sum Or sums of money that may be
raised by the sale of the Water Works
bonds, to be hereafter issued bv the
city of Evansville and said sums of
money may be drawn On.the check of
the Chairman Of said Committee
when the drawing thereof shall be
authorized by the resolution of said
Committee.
In consideration of having the
above powers conferred upon it, the
Committee condescendingly consented
to report to the Council from week to
week, what had been done. In reply
to the protest of Mr.. Heilman against
comforting suah power upon any in
dividuals, Mr. Van Ripper stated
that in all communities where such
works were undertaken, snch powers
were granted. We notice, however,
that the gentleman was careful not to
specify any corporation as being thus
silly. Our observations of the man
ner in which city and State govern
ments transact such business is alto.
gether different. Whenever a city or
State wishes TO sell bonds to provide
for any extraordinary emergency, they
generally advertise the sale. reserv-
ing the right to reject all bids if
thought proper. That is the way the
National Government deals il bonds
That is the way Republican State Adj
ministrations transact business, and