The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-12-12
"TAXPAYER" TALKS,
In Answer to County COmmisSOn-
er Gerwig,
And Dishes up Some Cold Facts and Fig
ures for The Digestion of the
Commissioners.

ED. DEMoCRAT:-It seems that Mr.
MtllhOf either feels himself above pub
lie opinion or lmdgines that the public
con- ciance has become so degenerated
Rs to tolerate and cOnniYe at jJbbery In
office, for ne is silent. But Mr. Gerwig
has sufficient regard for himself and re-
Spect for his fellow citizens to attempt
reply. He is considerably TIled it
seems, and little indignant too, that
any one should dare to comment upon
any public meter with which he is con-
nected. We advise him TO keep cool,
and when he Tushes into print again to
publish mt least the sembiance of a
defence and moreover to tell the truth.
Mr. Gerwig grullly deigns to inform
Taxpayer" that the perqulsltes of the
office Of Commissioner ii not adequate
for the support Of such officer. THIS is
very true aud no one. should attempt to
become such officer unless he has other
means of support.
But let US remind Mr.. Gerwig that
when MillhOf became Commissioner he
had neither stone quarry nor coal
yard. It was OnlyalteT he became Com
missioner that he sOund out that a stone
quarry and a cOal-yaTd "WeTe convenient
to have as adjuucts," but when he did
ind 1t out, the stOne-quarry, at least b9-
came very successful adjunct" as the
numerous bridges and culVerts eOnclu-
siVely show.
Mr.. Gerwlg does not pretend to deny
that many Of the bridges AMI culyerts
are made of Millhofs stone, but con
tents himself with saying that "all" are
not out Of his Dundee stOne"-yery
true, Mr.. MilihOf mas not been in the
stone business since bridges and cul-
Verts began to be built. His stone busi.
ness dates back only little more than
Of ~ hv.fH
culyerts made before that time are not
made Of Dundee stone; aud besides
MillhOf has another stOne-quarry in
Bethlehem township, aud of course that
stone was also used, 80 Mr.. Gerwig can
very safely say that all the culverts and
bridges are not made nf Dundee stone"
His way of stating this il far from cred
liable to Mr.. GerWig. Let him name
the bridges OF culverts or public build
ings that were contracted for after
MillhOf went into the stone business,
where MlllhOF5 stone were not used,
that Is where the stone required were
in amount sufficient to make it worth
while for MillhOf to bother about. This
is the only fair way and we invite him
80 to do,
Now, again Mr.. Gerwig says that the
fact that NillhOf has stOne-yard does
not account for the numerous bridges
and culverts throughout the county.
Why then we ask Mr.. GeTwig to ex-
plain the extraordinary increase of ex-
penditure9 for bridges and cnlverts that
began with the advent of Mlllhof's
stOnequarE
The auditor makes balance sheet on
the first day of March and september
every year. From it we learn that from
September 1st, 1880 to September 1st,
1881, the expenditures were S23,015 90
from September Let. 1881 to September
lst, 1882, they were $25 66359. But now
take the time in which MlllhOf was in
the stone business from September lst,
1882 to December 4th 1888, just IA
months, and the expenditures are the
enormous sum of $50, 73I79. Let Mr..
GeTwig explain what did occasion this
enormously increased expenditure, If it
was not Mr.. MillhOf's stone business
And when Mr.. GeFwig alludes to this,
let him tell his fellow citizens by what
rule of arithmetic he cipheTs out that
bridges and culveTts costing in so short
time the vast sum of $S9, ,734 70 are not
costly. To ordinary taxpayers such
SUN seems extravagant beyond endur-
anee.
And then the writer has examined the
journal of the Commissioners, from the
present time back to Sept. 1st 1882, a
period of one year and two months, and
this journal shows that during that
time, with the exception of one bridge
in Bethlehem township, no notice was
ever published for bids or proposals for
the stone work of culveTts or bridges,
but instead of this as far as the journal
shows, the contracts for culverts and
abutments for bridges were privately
let without alfOrding an opportunity for
others to bid for the work. Let Mr.. Ger
wig explain why the works costing such
an enormous sum were let without COM
petition. That would be more satisfac-
tory to the public than his saying that
the contractors, who assert that it was
no use for any one not using MillhOf's
stone to apply for contract, Gle"
MIR. Gerwig is again very unfortunate.
He does not deny the statement, that
numerous culverts of stone were placed
where q few sewer-pipe or wooden box
would have answered every purpose,
but contents himself with denying that
numerous culverts were placed where
they are not needed.
Well, unfortunately for GeTwig, the
public can Judge for themselves; these
culvertS are eYerywheretO to be seen. Not
only are these GulYerts numerous in
places where "A small wooden box or
few small sewer pipes would be suffi
cient, but they are put in places where
1t was necessary TO raise the road as
much as three feet to IN ike the culverts
passable
Then Mr.. Gerwig, to justify the use of
Dundee stone in the vicinity of a stone
quarry several miles from MapletOn sta
tiOn, says that the owner of that quarry
refused to furnish the stone for those
two bridges. Now for Mr.. Gerwig's
credit it is much to be regretted that he
made that statement, but the writer
will not follow his example and tell
him he lies, but he does assert that MIR.
Gerwig does not in that statement tell
the truth. The writer feels inclined to
believe that Mr.. Gerwig is rather non
entity on the board and unwittingly be-
came MillhOf's cats-paw to rake his
chestnuis out of the fire. He has no de-
sire to impugn Gerwig's integrity, but
he is now compelled to inform the pub
lie that the specifications for those two
bridges called for Dundee" or Massil-
lon stone. The contractors could not
have used the stone of the quarry in the
vicinity if they desired so to do.
To bring stone from MassillOn would !
have required shipment over two rail- |
roads, and moreover as the two roads |
are of different gauges, would have ne |
Ce9sitated the transfer of the stone to /