Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-09
BIGEL0W'S BILL PAID.

The Expenses of His Visit to Mrs. Schenley
to be Defrayed-Mr. Scotfs Check Ac-
cepted-Officials Must Get Consent of
Councils for Future Trips.
The bill for the expenses of Chief Bigelow
and party to England was brought up again
in Common Council by Mr.. Pitcairn, who
moved that the action of Council in reject
ing the resolution be reconsidered. This
was agreed to by vote of 80 ayes to noes
An amendment was offered reducing the
amount from 81 ,32S So to 1928 35. Mr.. j. B.
Scott having sent his check for S40O to Mr..
Bigelow to cover Mr.. Scott's portion of the
outlay. This amendment was agreed to and
the resolution was adopted by vote of 80
ayes to noes. The vote stood:
Ayes-Messrs. Angloch, Brown, Crawford,
Donley, Delaney, Elliott, Ertzran. Ferguson
Finn, Groetzinger, Hagmaier. Jarrett. John
ston, Larlzin, Lowry, Magee. Mason, Metcalfe.
Mcclure, McEIdowney, MacGonigle, o Connor,
Pitcairn, Pfeifer. Shannon, Taggart, Nolght,
Wallace, Wilson. White. Wright Williams
80
Noes-Messrs. Brewster, Fox, O'Donnell.
Russell. Stewart and President Holidays.
Mr.. Magee, in casting his vote, said he
thought the city should have paid the entire
amount, but as Councils would not agree 10
1t he would vote for partial payment
AS soon as this matter was brought up IN
Select Council, after running the gauntlet
of the other branch, Mr.. Robertson sprung
an amendment to the resolution authorizing
the payment of the bill, as follows:
That from and after the passage oil TINS reSo-
luton no person or persons shall undertake
any mission in the interest OF the city or otner-
wise unless first authorized by the Councils OF
the said city, where the expenses are TO De
paid out of the city treasury.
Did Not Want to Set Precedent.
He said in explanation that he desired to
emphasize that if this bill was paid it was
not to be taken as precedent in the future
by others to do likewise.
The amendment was ruled out of order
and the resolution was then passed by
vote Of q to ., the negative votes being east
by Messrs. Braun and Warner. Mr.. Rob
ertson then presented his amendment in the
form of a resolution.
Mr.. Heating opposed it. He had been
much mortified by the unpleasant pickering
that had taken place over the Bigelow ex-
pense account and thought it extremely
parsimonious for great city like Pttsburg
to reward the labors of citizSns who
had worked hard 10 secure somethlng
she needed by finding fault wiI the cost.
Mr.. Bigelow had secured a bargain in the
~ acres for an entrance. Thee had been
many difficulties to overcome owing to the
untimely death of the late R. B. Carnahan,
and the Blind Asylum site Aificulty, and it
was necessary for the gentlemen who did go,
to see Mrs. Schenley personally MIR.
Heating thought that il Mr.. Bigelow had
come before Councils and asked permission
to have made this trip at an estimated cost
OF, say, $780, there were some big-headed
citv officials and members of Council who
would have done all they could to defeat it,
in their zeal for economy or some other
laudable desire.
Humiliating a City Official.
The bill of Mr. Bigelow was for money
spent on business strictly. and there was not
cent in it for luxury or sightseeing. But
since he had been humiliated so grossly in
an effort to get back his own, it was very
unlikely that any other city officer would
ever take chances on the same experience.
Therefore, there was no use in passing such
a resolution. Even if it was passed, it
would die with the term of the present
Council. Next year things would be where
they are now.
Mr.. Robertson denied this. Under the
new charter, resolutions of this sort remained
in force until repealed by a special ordi-
nance He thought the line on this sort of
expense should be drawn by Councils. and
the city officers should not be allowed to
run around at will, spending the peoples
money. Councils were the proper authorities
TO do that. and they must see to it that their
authority was not usurped. This resolution
would do that.
The resolution was adopted by vote of
"a to l, Mr.. Heating voting only in the neg
ative.