The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-11-17

is county bridge, put there by the
county, at the expense OF the whole
county, Just what the law required OF
the Commissioners. That same law re-
quires the county, not the city, to put
| and fill up proper approaches to the
bridge, so as to make it plssable to the
public, and that, says the law, they
shall do at the expense of the county,
not the city. If this is true, let the
Commissioners put the approaches there
at the cOunty's expense, and take those
$4,000, when 1t comes in, and make nee
essary improvements In other parts of
the city next spring. IL the city does 1t
there will be an empty city treasury
again next spring, and needed improve
ments will get the gO-bye, unless done
like this. in violation of law.
That all may know, who read, give
that section of the statutes which directs
the Commissioners, and makes it their
duty to put approaches to this bridge,
instead of saddling the scheme on the
city. Sec. 4,94O, Rev. Statutes reads as
follows: "rhe Commissioners of any
county shall cause to be constructed,
without any unnecessary delay, good
and sufficient approaches or ways to
bridges which have been or may hereaf
ter be erected by them, and they shall
contract for the construction thereof in
the same manner as is provided by law,
for contracting for the erection of brid-
ges by county commissioners; and the
cost of constructing such approaches or
ways shall be paid from the bridge fund
of the county (nOt the city, on the order
of the Commissioners (nOt the City COun-
ciD," Sc.
Now, Mr.. observer" instead of i'm
pOrtuning and trying to scare members
of the Council to vote for this mOnStrOus
scheme of yours and the jObbers behind
you, on the plea of "duty, graveyard,
and necessity" &C., please turn your
attention to the County Commissioners,
and if they do their duty, which | be-
lieve they will, the approaches will be
put there, so that observer" can cross
over to graveyardS and shed his hypO-
critical, crocodile tears, (nOt over the Ia
mented dead buried there) but over
lot of hungry, disappointed jObbeTs, who
expected to hold high carnival around
the city money box, to get the sugar out
through this void contract. Does "Ob-
server" suppose members of this COun-
Gil can be induced to vote, directly in
the face of the law, and against the in
terest of each taxpayer of the city, and
for the benefit of the taxpayers of the
county at large? Hardly, but we will
see. The issue is plain and simple. The
ers of Canton; while some of those re-
luctant COuncilmen are for the interest
of the city taxpayers. Charity begins
at hOme," and they are for the law and
desire to stand by their oath, that is it
in a nutshell. mo fOOlishness, but
straight business"
The proper course to pursue is to urge
the County Commissioners to fill in
proper approaches to the bridge, so that
the public can cross over to and from
the city. And let the Council go ahead
in the way pointed out by law, and pass
a resolution declaring the necessity for
grading West TuscaTaWaS street, from
the Valley railway track to the approach
of the bridge. Next pass an ordinance
authorizing the grading, and provide
means or money to pay for it. Then,
and not until then, should the contract
be let, and the filling begin. This be-
ing lawful course, nobody will object
to it, and all members vote for it. When
ever the Commissioners put in the ap-
pTOaches to it, which the law requires
them to put in, then the bridge and the
road will be just as good and passable
as it was fifty years before. Hence ask,
where is the necessity for cracking the
whip over the heads of the COuncilmen,
to scare them to vote for this scandal
GUS fraud against the city taxpayers,
and, can only be in the interest of the
foreign county taxpayers and the job
bers, who wish to hold on to their infa-
nous contract, proceeds as above stated.
Yours with respect,
OBSERVER No. 2.