Tombstone epitaph., 1890-03-29
$1S,345 97
 869 67

Total indebtedness of city $17 ,476 30
 This demonstrates that the city's
 indebtedness. to be exact, is $1 ,479 90
 less than shown to be by the commit
 tees statement; and it also shows
 that the per cent limit has not been
 reached, as follows:
 Four per cent on $454, ,423.36,
 last years assessment. .S18,177 l3 Present city indebtedness. 7,476 30 Leaving margin of. .....$ 700 S3
 This disposes of this scarecrow set up by the committee.
 Another strong point sought to be made by the committee is that the Common Council, not being under bonds, is at liberty at any time to sell the pumps and thus practically de- stroy the city water works. As no City Council has ever attempted to do anything of the sort. it can be taken for granted that it will not be done, and for the reason that the electors about whom the committee complain as having voice in the matter would not permit it. That the electors have voice in the sale of city property is one of the best safeguards for it's re tention. The city water works effects a saving to every poor family and per son using it of from $24 to $l20 a year, and it is not at all probable that the people thus benefited will vote away this particular piece of property. This should allay all fears that the city will lose its water works through any such means.
 Again, the committee is not happy in it's choice of illustrations. After quoting the law restraining the City Council from selling any real estate belonging to the city without a vote, and ingeniously raising the fear that they nay sell the water works, they quote from the law under which they propose to reincorporate the city, as follOwss
 "The Board of Trustees shall also have the power to sell and convey, lease or rent any real or personal prop erty, provided that no sale of any property shall be entered into or made by the trustees until resOlu- ton of such intention shall have been published in some newspaper in the corporation for at least two weeks" etc
 It will be observed that this section throws no obstacle whatever in the way of corrupt Board of Trustees selling any city property they might wish to. All they would have to do is to give notice that it ,oas their inten- ton to sell, and in spite of all protests they could consummate any nefarious job
 The committee, according to their report, show a possible saving of $4, 900 year, but they say nothing of 1 the thousands saved to our citizens by the maintenance of the city water works, which amounts to three or four times the sum that is alleged 1 would be saved under the new plan. l And this saving is to the benefit of people who can i'll afford any increase in their expenditures.
 In fact, this whole question of dis seems, notwithstanding the committees disclaimer, to revolve around the city water works. The people of the city know that under the present city government the water works are safe, and that they are the i means of saving to them thousands of dollars annually in the matter of Wa ter rates. If the city is disincorpo rated, the danger is that the holders of city bonds and warrants will make such pressing demands for payment that it will be considered necessary to sell all the city property to meet the claims, and our citizens would be left at the mercy of monopoly in one of the prime necessaries of life.
 The committee say nothing about the manner in which the present City Council has conducted the business affairs of the city. No mention is made of the fact that the city debt has been decreased over $4 ,000 during the past year, besides the saving thereby made in the interest charge.