The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-13
COLUMBIA. ! 4 ! / 1 !. Sc.
"Wednesday Morning, March Is, ls72.
What Has Become or Its


What Has Become or Its
In thei Council proceedings of Maroh
the 9th. we note the following significant
paragraph:
"His Honor the Mayor stated that he
had received official notice from J. L.
Neagle. Esq, that the obligation for
BIS, 600, due him by the city, matured
yesterday, but that he was disposed
TO give the city all the indulgence posi-
'ble."
Sometime ago it was stated that
$12.500 of the amount had been paid in,
not more than one.half OF which could
be honestly accounted for. That was
bad enough, but now we have the whole
$4,000 reported as paid in. and what is
more. the obligation of the Council for
the same as due. It was very kind and
considerate OF DR.. Neagle to express his
desire to give the city ''all the indul-
gence possible." With his $25O,OO of
oity bonds as collateral security, he may.
sperhaps. feel himself fully Unidentified
against any possible loss. But as to
that he may yet find that there is con-
'siderable doubt in the matter. The
bonds are believed to have been issued,
.t2osonly without authority of law, but
-Nfraudnlently. and The taxpayers of the
city will not quietly submit to being
saddled with such debt without testing
its validity. Besides the connection of
'Dr. Neagle with the City Hall swindle,
his being on Aliens bond, etc., all point
him out as party to the fraud, and as
such his contract with the Council will
"be yitiated. But what has become of
this $75.0007 The Council receive the
notification that their obligation is due,
as information, but the tax- payers would
like TO receive little information, too,
as to what disposition has been made of
this large sum of money. It was
borrowed ostensibly for the sole and ex-
elusive purpose Of erecting the new City
Hall. The work done upon that build
ing, 30. far, is not claimed to be worth
over $4,000, at the outside: Will our
city fathers tell their humble subjects,
the taxpayers, what they have done
with the balance of $50, 900? Is the city
to be defrauded, not only OF $50, 900, by
the terms of the contract, but also be
subjected to this much greater stealage?
If the City Hall continues to be built in
this style. it will prove costly editoe.
indeed. $4,000 stolen for every So, 600
worth Of work done, would foot up q
nice little sum of n illion or two OF
dollars before the building is completed
in accordance with Mr.. Aliens estimates.
Is there no honest man on the present
Board Of Aldermen? No one thnt will
stand up as tribune for the people, ex-
pose the nefarious schemes that have
been put in operation, and prevent
further stealing until their term of office
expires? The bill authorizing the issue,
we much fear, will become law before
the end of the session of the Legisla-
ture. r. f. Scott will scarcely give it
his veto, as it would thus be certainly
defeated. He only vetoes those rascally
schemes which he knows will be passed
without his assent. It is cheap mode
of getting up name, or at least, making
a pretense of honesty. If tho bill does
become q law, the $3.50, 600 of new bonds
thus authorized will, doubtless, be found
entirely exhausted before tho first Tues
day in April, unless some steps are
taken Immediately to check the financial
zeal Of the present Council.
The BRIrIsH BA11or.-The ballot that
it is proposed to introduce in England
will be somewhat different from the