Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-28

for sale at cost price, IS II per set of three
volumes. After discussion the rate of So
per volume was adopted as the standard
price.
Mr.. Robertson, as Chairman of the Com
mittee on Corporations, presented with
affirmative recommendations ordinances for
the grant of privileges to the following
street railway companies: The Duquesne
Traction Company, the Market Street Rail-
way Company, the Boyd Street Railway
Company, the Peoples Street Railway Com
pany, the Duquesne Street Railway CON-
pany, the Craig Street Railway Company,
the Highland Street Railway Company, the
Larimer AYenue Street Railway Company,
the Howe Street Railway Company, the
Williamsburg Street Railway Company, the
East End Street Railway Company and the
Williamsburg and East Liberty Street Rail-
way Company. Mr.. Robertson moved for a
suspension OF the rules to take up the ordin-
ance of the Duquesne Traction Company for
final passage.
Mr.. Warmcastle objected. He had read
over these ordinances and had perceived
that they were all for one system of street
railway, and he thought they should all be
acted upon at once to save time in voting.
Mr.. Robertson said that could not be
done, and the ordinances would have to be
considered one at time.
WANTED IT POSTPONED.
Mr.. Warmcastle then m owed that action
on the ordinances be postponed until the
next meeting of Councils. Said he:
Mr. Chairman this batch of ordinances gives
to someone, whom can't say, one of the most
valuable franchises ever given to any corpora
tion in this city. There are ten ordinances
here all covered under the one blanket ordl-
nance of the Duquesne Traction Company, and
the meaning of them all is the undisputed
right OF way from Market street to wilkins
burg, over the best and the only street now oc-
cupied, from the lower part of the city to the
rapidly developing suburbs.
He continued IN the same strain for some
time, but the motion to postpone, being
only supported by two votes, Mr.. Warm
castle changed his vote on the passage of the
ordinances to aye, stating, however, that
he had not changed his mind, but did not
wish to obstruct business. All the railroad
ordinances then passed with little or no op-
position.
When after a recess to await the action of
Common Council on the appropriation ordi-
nance it came up for final passage in Sc
lect, Mr.. Warmcastle asked where tie S297,-
600 that was short in last years appropria-
alton was to come out of this years income.
This year, according to the ordinance, it
was estimated that S297, ,S29 80 of outstand-
ing taxes were collected. He wanted TO know
what proportion of that amount was of the
whole of the outstanding taxes.
MORE OF THE FIGURES.
Mr.. Heating replied that there was $685.
600 OF outstanding taxes. Last year the
Finance Committee calculated on receiving
S250,000 of outstanding taxes, but the
records show that S271, 900 were received
from that source. This year the delinquent
taxes are greater than at the corresponding
period last year, and on the same ratio the
committee has figured on S297, ,S29 30 being
paid.
A further discussion took place between
Messrs. Heating and Warmcastle in which
the former defended the ordinance and
showed the ability of the city to meet its
obligations.
Among ther things Mr.. Warmcastle took
occasion to say that the water and business
taxes should both be abolished. The water
tax was particularly onerous and it fell
upon the poor man heavily. The receipts
from water taxes were increasing every year
and the rates were increasing also instead
of decreasing as they should. He thought
it burning shame that the poor working
men should be taxed so heavily for their
supply OF water.
Mr.. Heating, in response to this, said he
agreed with Mr.. Warmcastle as to the in
Justice OF the business tax, and at least to
the amount of the water tax. But certain
sum of money was required, and if the bus
iness tax was abolished the $500, 900 it |
yielded would have to be paid by the peo-
pie, rich and poor alike, instead of the bus |
iness men. As to the water tax it was not
heavier now than it was in 1888. When
the schedule adopted was completed it was
found that this valuation was too high, and
this mistake upi0tentionally made made
difference in the receipts.
AVOIDING MISTAKES.
This year, Mr.. Heating said, the valua- |
tions mad increased so that on the same |
basis used last year the committee could |
have estimated receipts on a valuation of |
163, 600 600, making all allowances. But in |
order to prevent any mistake they had taken |
T4, 100000 as the net valuation, and there |
could be no possibility of error in the re-
ceipts on that figure. Mr.. Heating stated |
further that some of the estimates of last |
years finance committee had been too low,
the water and business tax and other in |
comes yielding even more than had been ex- |
pected of them, by several thousand dollars. |
The income from liquor licenses had been |
greatly overestimated, but that could not |
be foreseen. Beside while they paid their
share, the workingmen did not pay nearly all |
of the water tax, for as a matter of fact the |
bulk of it came from the manufacturing
establishments of the city.
Mr.. Warmcastle still protested against the
business tax, but the debate ended and the
vote was taken on the adoption of the or
dinauce. Mr.. Nisbet and Mr.. Cavanaugh |
were the only members to vote against il. and
the latter changed his vote before the result
was announced, so that the vote recorded
was aVeS % naVs