Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-07
TAXES THAT ARE DUE.
Secretary Graham's Exhibition in the
Juggling of Finance.
HE ACCOUNTS FOR UNPAID BILLS.
Only Difference of $4,000 in His and the
City'S Figures.
INTERESTING MUNICIPAL MATTERS


the city in which he fixes the amount at
at 81, ,7S3 "a and he rendered a check for
that amount. He explains away much OF
the Indebtedness by damages that the tracks
have sustained from the city. The Audi
tors have submitted another statement
showing the debt to be $50, 40 80.
Though there was not a quorum of
the Finance Committee yesterday the whole
matter was turned over to a subcommittee.
Graham's statement is addressed to Con-
troller Brown and is signed by President
Henry, of the Pleasant Valley Company.
1t is as follows:
Referring to your notice that a committee
or Allegheny councils would give an oppor-
tunity to make explanation before it, re-
garding our alleged Indebtedness to Ale
gheny City, we beg leave TO submit the fol-
lowing statement which so far as the ac-
count is concerned for the year ending July
!. 1892 is substantially the same as the one
rendered you on May 2l, 1891
We have thought it best to include the
account for the year ending July l, 1891,
although it has not been heretofore Gus
tomary to pay this account until about the
lst of January, which is our explanation for
not having included it in our statement
heretofore rendered TO the public.
ONLY CORPORATIONS IN NAME.
As will be seen upon investigation in the
office OF the Secretary of the Common
wealth, the Peoples Passenger Railway
Company and the Park Passenger Railway
Company were merged or consolidated into
the Peoples PARK Passenger Railway Con-
panv under the provisions of the act of 1879
and its supplements before the construction
OF the road. The Peoples Park Passenger
Railway Company, the Observatory Hill
Passenger Railway Company and the Fed
eral Street and Pleasant Valley Passenger
Railway Company were merged and consoli-
dated into the Federal Street and Pleasan
Valley Passenger Railway Company in 1889.
There never was a dividend declared by
merger with the Federal Street and Pleasant
Valley Company, and neither the Peoples
nor the Park, prior to their merger into the
Peoples Park, ever operated car or de-
clared dividend.
The taxes due by the Federal Street and
Pleasant Valley Company and by the Peo-
pie Park Company were paid mp to July /,
1879 The taxes of the Observatory Hill
Company, we understand, from its prior
owners were paid up to that date. With this
exception, the Peoples Park Company did
not pay the amount stipulated in its ordi-
nance for keeping the streets in repair for
the reason that the city only partially re- |
paired the streets, and the company had 10 |
eNpend portion of this money in keeping |
the streets in passabIe condition. The bal /
ance of it has been in part paid the city in |
cnsh, and the other part is Included in the |
bll! rendered by the city of June l. 1891. of |
SSH 81 And in reference 20 the amounts
stipulated to be paid the city for Keeping |
the streets in repair in the Observatory Hill |
ordinance and its Crossto"n extension, and !
also the Peoples Park rdihance. the city /
has rendered bills to the Company /
for all the work done on the streets, |
which have all been paid except the
1t has been customary for the city to rem
der bills for the work actually done whether
1t amounted 10 more or less than the
bills have been paid by the company, which
fact is its defense for not paving the
stipulated in the ordinances.
TRACKS DESTROYED BY THE CITY
And with the further exception, that for
the wear 1854 the car tax of $50 on the Fed
eral street and Pleasans Valley Company
was withheld and not paid because of an
offset which the company has against the
city on account of the tearing up of the COM
pany's tracks on Taggart street, for the lay
ing OF water pipes, the company being COM
PEELED to relay the track with new ties, |
which were ncedlessly cut in two and de-
stroyed by the city employees. This cost the
S357 10, which they claim to offset
n rainst the car tax of $50 of that year, leuv-
ing due the city on account of the car tax of
1854 1852 &c, which amount is included in our
statement below.
For the year ending July l. 1890 the COM
panv is indebted to the city in the sum of |
s., $50, as follows: Dividend tax on account
Of main line of the Federal Street and Pleas
ant Valley Passenger Railway COMPANY |
s615 30; car tax on an average of l715 cars $40
per car, 500; the Observatory Hill division
and its CrOsstown connection merged into
the Pleasant Valley Company, per cent on
its proportion of the dividend earned 1873 so;
the Peoples Park Passenger Railway Di-
vision, upon the proportion of the dividends
earned, sl95 and $40 each upon the average
OF nine cars $50: total, s.. 49,.
There Is no car tax imposed by the ordi-
nance OF the Observatory Hill Passenger
Railway Company and its CrosStown eNten-
sion for the first five years.
For the year ending July l, 1891. the Fed
eral Street and Pleasant Valley Passenger
Railway Company on account of its main
inc, $40 per car on its average of 10 cars |
400; per cent dividend tax on SI0S1O its |
proportion Of che dividend earned. s543 So
The Observatory Hill division and its Cross |
own extension, per cent dividend fax ON |
I2l.7I0, its proportion of the dividend earned, |
,43i So The Peoples Park Passenger Rail |
way Company division on account, $50 per |
,ar on its average Of cars, $40: 3 per cent |
dividend tax on $3.50, its proportion of the
dividend earned, sl9l 20 Total, 81 $50
Unpaid bills rendered By the CITY of Ale |
yheny for street cleaning and repairs to
July i, 1891, SSH "a. Balance of car tax on |
pleasant Valley main line, over and above
he offset for destruction of tics in the wear /
50, as above statet, sl52 90 Total indebt-
sdness due the city of Allegheny bv the
Federal Street and Pleasant Valley Passen- ,
different
ines merged into it, up to July l, 1891,
4, rs 81.
There was no dividend paid in January.
$50, and we include the July, 1890 dividend
n the year ending July l. lS9O
1t is easy 60 ascertain the proportion OF
dividend earned by each OF the divisions l
lpon which to compute the taxes, for the ,
eason that We have the gross earnings OF
ZACH division each day. and, secondly the
ross earnings of each division for the wear
nd deducting the expenses, we get the net
inv fol Ia l.,
ear ending July ], 1891, was $50 0O0 There
vas but one dividend paid during the year
nding July !, 1880.
We have gone over these matters very {
arefully, and are quite sure that this is all | 6
hat is owing to the city OF Allegheny, and
re ready TO be qualified to the best of our
and belief.
OFFERS A CHECK IN PAYMENT.
We herewith send our check with this
for the amount, 81 7S3 81 and will
e glad to have the city accept it as payment .
n full OF our Indebtedness up to July l. iS9I
( the city shall decline to receive it it must
Re because Of legal questions which could
ot be overcome by a conference i'll person
etween the Finance Committee and the
representatives of our company.
The check for 81, 7SS "a, mentioned i'll the
tatement, accompanied it and was turned
Yer TO Controller Brown. There was but
title discussion on the matter, when it was
eclded to leave the entire matter to a SUBJ
ommittee. Controller Brown read letter
rom the Manchester company asking the
rivilege of hearing also. and it was de-
lded TO have both companies appear before
he subcommittee when they are ready to
ear them.
Mr.. Mckirdy, one of the Auditors, also
resented little memoranda in which the
Indebtedness OF the Pleasant Valley CON-
any was shown. 1t differed from that of