San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-09-15
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying.

yesterday for the first time since the
first of May.
The interval of months was bridged
without word of coment or eXpla ma
ton.
The meeting was held in the spac-
ious court room used by the recorder;
the city legislature was grouped at
one end Of the room; the mayor seat
ed on raised platform.
The voting of $50, 900, bonds adding
to our already Surdensome debt, was
the only measure passed that causes
the people any alarm.
Of the great sum annually collected
in the way of taxes, not a dollar goes
into public improvements. To pave
a square our bonded Indebtedness
mnst be increased $50, 600 more.
The new city building is certainly
a great Improvement, but now that 1T
is occupied, the architectural de-
ticiencies are glaringly apparent, and
to correct these deficiencies will re-
quire good deal of expense.
1t is now estimated that the build
ing will cost $75, 900 more than the
contract price, all owing to the gross
Encouragement of the city admins.
tratiOn.
To pave and improve the square 1t
will require $50 900 more. The people
are getting extremely tired of this
thing. At a time when economy in
public expenditures should have been
the first care of our city council we
only witness extravaganza and waste.
When a man in power plays the
roll of dictator, we are forced to adj
mire his entire abandonment of all
pretence of Difference to the views of
others, by making his own will the
unquestioned law of his government.
When an executive officer bends
the legislative body he presides over,
the people they represent are likely
to hold them in contempt.
The nomination of chief of our fire
department was matter of great
Importance to our citizens. The man
should be an able experienced fire.
man, if it were possible to secure
such one
Mayor nominated Mr.. Peck one of
the firm Collins & Peck furniture deal
ers. No explanation was made, and
not word uttered as to Mr.. Peck's
qualifications. The gentlemen is a
stranger to most of our citizens.
Not an alderman opened his mouth
but to vote on the nomination, and
only one voted against it. Mr.. CAL
lagnan's choice was not called into
question.
San Antonio has many experienced
men, but we are to presume that the
new chief is really superior to the
best San Antonian that could be sug-
gested and the people are to be con-
graduated upon the appointment.
One alderman boosted that the "old
man." meaning the mayor, had not
even asked him to vote for Peck, but
that he did so without even knowing
anything about him. 1t only goes to
show the implicit confidence placed
in the wisdom of the "old man" by
the city council, or their complete
subseI vance to his dictation.
If our city charter is worth the pa
per on which it is printed, the people
are entitled to a full financial state
ment for 1890. The city council owe it
to the people to have this attended to
Has the $3.50, 900 borrowed last year
been expended, if so what has become
of the school houses and the garbage
furnace?
The sensitiveness of Alderman
Lockwood over the sight of a drunk
en- man being dragged through the
streets by a policeman; can well be
imagined when it was entirely In the
range of possibility that the poor fell
low had come all the way from the
A Herman s saloon.
A BLACK Maria" is suggested by
the alderman as a remedy for this
uDseemly exhibition. 1t is rare
thing to witness q drunken man on
our streets, but a "Black Maria"
would be very appropriate and will
give additional patronage to the city
government.