Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-16
MANY CHARGES MADE
By Indignant Citizens of Bellevue
Against Their Councilmen.
A LIVELY MASS MEETING HELD.
The Finances Not Handled in a Manner
to Suit the Taxpayers.
THERE WILL BE AN INVESTIGATION

Ta1navers of West Bellevue borough met
in Blocks Hall at that place last night to
discuss the following questions:
First-Has the public money been spent
judiciously and to the best interests of the
borough for the last two years?
Second-Has illegal investments been
made and has public money been squan-
dered either illegally or ignorantly?
Every taxpayer in the borough was in
vited to attend and the hall was fairly
crowded. DIR. Bell presided. George w.
Bettridge acted as Secretary. On assuming
the chair, Dr. Bell read the call for the
meeting and explained its purpose. He
said that within the last is months the
borough Council had created bonded in
debtedness of SIS, 600 and had raised out
s.. 600 bv taxation. All that MOI he
said, had been spent, and the members of
Council he understood, were arranging to
issue bonds to the amount of $40, 600, to be
used for street Improvements in the spring.
Don't Want ANY Bond Issue There.
He lameuted the reckless expenditure of
the money already raised and protested
against the issuing of any additional bonds.
He believed that much of the money spent
had been both ignorantly and illegally
squandered. The money, in his opinion,
had not been spent judiciously, and for the
best interests of the borough. He considered
il the duty of the taxpayers to offer sugges-
tions for the Improvement of municipal
affairs and the proper expenditure OF public
monev.
Squire Ross, G. w. Smith, DIR. W.
T. Hunter, James NJ McCombs, C. J. Held
meyer, E. F. A. Hastings, o. L. Hoover,
John A Stewart and n. j. Black also made
short addresses They all suggested radi-
cal reform in the management of the affairs
of their borough. They argued that the
Councilmen were prompted by selfish mo-
tives and were ignorant of their duty.
Their one policeman was condemned and
was the subject of a paragraph in the reso-
lutions finally adopted.
After the speeches Squire Ross presented
the following, which was unanimously
adopted:
The Charges and Specifications.
WHEREAS, Complaints and charges have
been made against the officers and servants
of West Bellevue borough, we desire to
formulate the same and present the follow
ing:
First-That they violated their oath Of
Office by using dirtioff the public streets for
their own benefit without remunerating the
borough therefor.
Second-That money voted exclusively
for street funds was used for the purchase
of the old school building, and under the
statutes il is a criminal offense.
ThiTd-That Councils pay their secretary
more than other equally com mpetent citizens
would 90 the work for.
Fourth-That they pay their solicitor more
than other equally competentla lawyers would
do the work for.
Fifth-That they have accepted passes or
books OF tickets from the Pleasant Valley
Railway Company as a supposed compli-
ment for giving the Pleasant Valley Com
DanE the exclusive right of way through the
borough. in direct violation of statutes made
and provided.
Sixth-That the policeman appointed by
the Council has proven himself ignorant of
and derelict in his duties a borough Of
flee and we recommend his dismissal; and,
Whereas, The above charges are denied
on investigation, both on account of Coun-
ellis and the citizens, be it
A Thorough Investigation Ordered.
Resolved, That a committee of six tax
payers, consisting of n. W. Shafer, W. n. |
Magill. r. ID. Barr, J. W. Bell, ID. B. Steven |
son, Alexander Garroway, are hereby ap-
pointed and empowered to send for persons
and napers and thoroughly investigate the
above charges and report the same at a
future meeting OF this body.
The meeting then adjourned, to meet
again two weeks from last night.
The Councilmen of West Bellevue bor-
ough are w. A. Lockhart, NJ. j. Steele, j.
c. Mcdowell, W. II. Moore, H. L. Ka-
lemba and J. S. Dolly. They argue that
they have been expending the money for the
best interests of the borough. The streets,