The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-10-01
THE MAYOR TALKS,
Why We Can't Have Sewers This Year


A NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. representative
called upon Mayor Petit at his office
Tuesday evening and gail I'd vast fund
OF information from him regarding the
putting in of new sewerage Mayor Pet
tit is not at all pleased with the GQzette's
attack upon the Common Council and so
stated Ia very forcible terms He said:
did you ever find yourself away from
hcme fiat broke and among strangers?
Well, that is the condition of the city
treasury. We haven't the wherewithal
to purchase our immediate needs and [
do not propose to go down in my pocket
and tide the treasury over merely to give
the town its proper sewerage system this
fall instead of next spring. In doing it
would place myself in peculiarly UNI
favorable condition, and should any of
those so called public spirited citizens de-
sire SO to do, they could prevent the pay
ment Of one cent of this money back to
me. Any tax payer could get out an IN
junction and that injunction would stand
for this reason: The law is that we can
not make debt of over five per cent. of
"
is about a million and a half dollars. We
now have debt of S175, 900, which is
one hundred thousand dollars in excess of
what we can lawfully obligate the city
for. The law is very plain and we must
make great exertion to pay off part Of
the debt and again confine ourselves
strictly within the limits of the law. We
cannot in the face of this, with an empty
treasury staring US in the face,
carry on such Improvements and increase
our debt by so doing. The statement
that there lis not an individual on the
board but knows that if they as body
were In favor Of sewering Main street,
they have the power to do it, without let
or hindrance, under the provisions of the
amended charter, is absolutely false and
it appears very strongly that either the
editor is either unable to clearly compre-
bend the true state of affairs or has DELHI
erately misinformed his readers as to the
facts. The law stands out clearly and
plainly in this respect. A ten year old
child should readily grasp the situation.
We must not, can not and will not go be-
yond the law no matter how much the ed
itor persists in misconstruing the true
facts in the case. Personally care moth
ing for the attack, for know that we are
right in not going beyond the limits of the
law. When we were given unlimited
power we intended and we still intend to
make radical improvements, but that is
no cause why we should each go down in
our pockets and pay for this sewerage
which is so much needed. We will make
these Improvements and make hem as
rapidly as reason and our circumstances
Justify. No one wants to see them go on
as much as do. We have an estimate
of the cost of the placing of this system
and are merely awaiting the proper op-
portunity for action, which will be next
spring. What is said in the Gazette in
making these Improvements in install
ments, is just what we have intended do
ing all this time. The gentleman dis
plays dense ignorance when he pretends
to say that we could have arranged to
raise this amount by a levy. The Coun-
Gil came in last May and as yet we have
had no opportunity to make levy. That
Time will come in November. Our inten-
ton is to make our levy in November and
to arrange for and build as much sewer
as we reasonably can in the spring,
and if our successors manifest
the same spirit that we do re-
garding the matter they will carry
on these improvements in that way
from year to year until we have COM
plete and excellent sewerage system. 1
don't think that there is member of the
council who does not approve of the sew
er along Main street, but they want it
done in accordance with the law. ] am
perfectly willing to bear the blame for
this postponement In the Improvements.
| feel that my shoulders are broad enough
to bear all the burden heaped upon them
for this, and any one opposed to this
legitimate conduct of my office may know
that | shall firmly and squarely abide by
the law in the matter believe in Lincoln's
maxim, AS strong as the law, no stronger;
as weak as the law no weaker.
II wish to call attention to another
statement IN the Gazette regarding the
foolish expenditure of money for the re-
visal of the plans for the sewerage of the
Guy Dy MI. OSO H. DcIlZcuOcIS, VI MIL
waukee. A young engineer from Chicago
was employed to execute the plans, by a.
preceding council. We were uncertain
as to the connections of them. Mr. Ben
zenburg is a gentleman of national repu-
tation in this respect, and | secured his
services to come here and look over and
revise the plans for $3.50. He came and
mistake after mistake were clearly pointed
out to us and | consider that we have
saved $50, 600 by his coming here. AS an
| might say that in the piece
of sewer extending on South street to the
lake from Kupfer's barn, distance of
S67 feet, over $4,000 will be saved through
mistakes being pointed out to US and cor
rected in the original map by Mr.. Ben
zenberg. If this is foolish expenditure
of money il is impossible to spend it wise
ly. As soon as our taxes are gathered In
we shall create sewerage fund in COM
mon with those for other purposes and