Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-24

pSBttof acitfb GcJtce, Intelligent pdTticiDQtiOn
in this great public aorong. AS candidate
now for the Office of Mayor, it is my duty,
as see 1t, to expose this record Of nv
competitor tothe public view. SOD
LOOK AT 1T.
Look at this record, fellow citizens, and
then. if you prefer Mr.. Kercbeyal to ms for
him | -
HIS COURSE AS MAYOR
will not dwell upon at length and In de.
tail. He has been much restrained, az he
himself eonfesses, by the fact that MAORI.
ty of the Boards are opposed to him. The
Aldermen and Councilmen- hold him in
some measure In check. But enough has
been developed In one short year, to show
that Mr.. KerchevaPs syInpathies-his heart
and soul--sre still with the same class of
men with whom he voted in the Legisla-
ture, and who held Office with Alden.
MY OWN COURSE
as Mayor for three years, has been before
the people for discussion 80 much, that |
will not examine 1t again at length. 1 will
refer torit briefly: Turn again in your
minds to the condition OF city affairs when
was inaugurated in 1869, as set ont in the
beginning OF this address. Starting from
point of embarrsss nent 80 deep,we quickly
rescued the personal property of the city
the property Of its Fire Department and of
itsStreet Experimentation the hands Of
the Sheriff.
We redeemed the real estate which vas
sold--the Public School Houses and
grounds, and other real estate Of the CITY.
4 There were four or .fUe hundred suits
and judgments hanging over the city, (InV
competitor ssys"Gboat fl teen' ')involVing be-
tween IF million and million of dollars.
These were managed in . manner SO salts
fae.ury that many of our people now have
lite idea that we were ever in danger. TIE
Lap The anxious watching, ard the skill,
whica wrought ont our deliVerance from
such dams er, were not much displayed In
public. i @
The floating debt of at least million and
half has been nearly all paid ofor fund
ed. --.--
In three years We paid off Of the floating
debt in cash, about $623,500. i
In the same time we landed of the float
ing debt in bonds at par $500, 600. .
In the same time we decreased the public
debt by -discounting the floating debt which
we settled about $275 900. ~: J.
So that we settled of the floating debt
about S1,400,000, in three years, leaving
but q comparatively small sum to be settled.
10 THE CITY IMPROVEMENTS
were kept up during this time, and rome
new improvements made; and now for the
first time, since the city was rescued from
the hands of Mr.. Kercheyal,s political assoc-
ates, is the city in . condition to look the
question of improvements in the face, But
for the economy Of the past few years--5tlt
for ttspolicy and economy OF my threeyegrs'
administration III could be idle. to talk of
public improvements. Now, as it is-With
the city relieved of its enormous incubus Of
floating debt-with the entire public debt
80 greatly reduced-ssy 5000, 000 less than
when was installed as Mayor-under these
circumstances the public heart beats more
hopefully, and the people talk Of improve
ments.1 q CO. So ---..,-.-7- Oh "a -,i
I AM NOT OPPOSED TO IMPROVEMENTS.
What l am opposed to is q reckless dis
regard of economy in the making of i'm
provements. am opposed to wasting the
public means, so that we part with our
money, ruin our credit, confscate our prop
erty, and find ourselves without the i'm
provements at last. The kind Of men with
whom my competitor has consorted in bis
past political history, and With whom he as
socistes at the present, is the kind to raise
great prete1Se of public improvement;
but I am satisfied that my own associates
In public Hfe-of the past and present-sre
much safer nen to be intrusted by the peo
pie with the execution OF any public enter
prise. The people seem to demand g.
., CA, NEW WATERwoRKs, 'soq-sv.J
or material improvement n the old, to
supply the people with pure clear
water, even at the highest points in the city.
II is desirable that the supply should be
more abundant and the pressure greater,
that it may be utilized in the extinguish-
ment of fires without the help Of engines.
THIS, it is thought, would diminish the ex-
pense of the Fire Department, aDd reduce
the rate Of insurance all over the city. How
this desirable improvement may be made
tcitjttn the means and capacity of the city
that is the problem to be wrough. out by
the next administration. There is field
bread enough for the display of folly and
corruption, and Of prudence and honesty.
The people also demand a better system Of
--..-. SEWERAGE. ,--e
There ought to be general system of
maia sewers constructed, and the minor
drains and sewers should be directed into
these. The sinks and closets which now.
poison the air We breathe, and disgust rs
with their fumes, should be washed with
water from the city's works. Drains should
beundergrOund, and so constructed IS not
! to emit their gases. But here is another
field for improvident expenditure. What
the people want is, not the fattening of con-
tractors and officials, and of go-betweens;
but they want the system of sewers con-
structed in suitable manner, and for a
reasonable outlay. If the people wish to
cal the associates of Alden, or any of them,
into power, and commit to their care the
execution of these great enserprises-the
will of the p ople be done! -~
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
What l have said of Haterworks and of
sewers, is applicable to the various other
improvements called for. It hes been at
tempted to ere ate prejudice against me in
the surbu ban wards of the city, By the
charge that have been, and am opposed 10
improvements. This charge might as well
be made against the very best men CT the
Boards which served the p aople with me,
as to be made against me. AS against them
I should not hesitate to pronounce such q
charge lugrdtefli; because. it was their
hard lot to serve the people through term
of darkness and depression, where it was
impossible to expend any considerable mon
ey upon improvements. They so well man
aged your affairs, that nov the corporation
begius to feel fat, and to think Of improve
ments. Is it bestto cast these men aside
now, and take untried men? Or rather, is
It not wiser to intrust to just the same kind
Of men the projection and making OF your
Improvements ? .-..s...,,..-. So
r ..s ... CHARGES. --s-a- 500, a.
The charges against me which have been
made In this canvas, are much the came as
those made and answered years ago. Twill
refer to one charge as o sample of all. Ny
competitor charges me With employing
Judge Cooper "for $4,000, to attend to
about fifteen lawsuits, ~ ETC." The charge
is made in so Udgue manner that perhaps
l have not stated it in the exact terms used.
ANSWER l. Fhs Finance Committee
unanimously recommended the contract
and made it; and both boards unanimously
approved it. 2. The contract embraced
nearer .fUe hundred cases, probably more
than five hundred, in absolutely all the
courts, from a Justices Court in Nashville
tn the S1nreme Court of the United