, 1877-02-26
THE SEWERAGE APPROPRIATIONS.

Ii htlkC Va thAO IAO9+ *t6NIOua FAV%VStf ttko
Conncil has agreed III Committee Of tho
Whole to appropriate $2o3, ,oo0 for construc-
tion Of sowors during tho present Year, In
stcad Of limiting tho expenditure to a2o0, 900,
~ recommended l,y the Comptroller. This
was accomplished By dividing up the nn'onnt
to bo expended among enough Of tho various
wartls to secure a majority Of tho Aldermen.
In viqw Of the fact that this conclusion must
bo formally confirmed by the Council in
passing tho bill, which gives still IN oppor~
tunity to provont the extrnvagnnt outlay, NO
are impollet. to repeat what We said on the
subject yesterday.
The sewers aro tho moss throatenfuE
vehicle Of Aldcrmauio cxtravngance. A
sewer, besides serving as conduit for rcfuso
stuff Of all kinds, is m underground avenuo
to local popularity in tho wards which are
particularly favored. It offers constant
temptation, therefore. to A1aermanio liberal
ity with tho peoples money. Tho approprl-
alton for Sewers resembles closely tic River
and IIarbor bill in the national appropriations,
inasmuch as 1t opens up opportunities for
illimitabls trading. Alderman a will agree to
vote IN appropriation largo enough to cover
tho sewerage demands Of Alderman Bis
ward, II Alderman 3 will do ns much for
Alderman AS ward, and 30 on to tho end Of
tho chapter. This is tho danger, and 1t Is
imminent when. the Aldermen begin 10
hesitate, md not past till the appropriations
arc definitely 1natle.
Tho estimate Of $4,000 to c1rcnd On
aowe1s during tho present year is fully rs
high ns tho financial gtatus Of tho municipal
ity md tho capacity Of tho taxpayers war-
rant- It is q more pretcnsa to maintain TINT
1t WINS not intcnded to include the s7o,2G2
for tho constrlction Of sewors already under
contract. OF course, 1t was intended to cover
all sowcrs to be constructed during tho ycar,
whether now under contract or not, aud tho
pretonse that It was not 10 is merely do
signed to enable certain Aldermen to lobby
for work to tho amount Of $500, 900, instead
Of only $4,000 The city is alroady we'll
provided with eewors, md can got along
comfortably these hard times with only such
additions as tho public health demauds !; the
sum Of $a00. .000 is ample to cover oil the
necessities Of tho case. 10 o1pcnd any ad-
dittonnl amount, whether to crafty tho local
demands Of some Of the wards in which Al
dcrmon aro looking for ro.oloction, or to fur
nial contracts for tho frienda Of aomo Of the
Aldermen, will bc properly resented by tho
| people who have to pay tho bills The fact
must be constantly kept In mind that tho city
has only just entered upon the duty Of olcar-
Ing up the floating debt, and that in times
like these the struggle Of taxpayers to sup-
port thoir families md mect their private
obligations Ia so great that they cannot on
dnro my extra or needless demands for public
expenditure.
Wo arc convinced TINT this protest
fairly represents tho sentiments Of ninety
nino out OF every ono hundred Taxpayers in
Chicago, aud In the event Of tho Councils
rerslsting in passing tho excessive appropri.
alton tho taxpayers will expect the Mayor to
veto this item, as ho may under tho law
without interfering with tho remainder Of
tho Appropriation bill.