San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-07
SHORT STOPS.
What the People are Saying

Of the taxpayers.
1t is also in order to ask how much
more of the money of our taxpayers wa:
paid out for the curbing around this
cathedral.
Will the other churches come in anC
ask the city to fence in their buildings
with iron ratings?
Is it the sole duty of the auditor to keeI
a set of books for h city; or Is it not a
| more important duty OF this officer to see
| to it that no warrants are drawn unless
| authorized in accordance with the pro-
| visions OF the city charter?
| X
What use have we for a sidewalk in
spector at SIS per month, when the same
duty could be performed by the city en-
gineer?
There is no telling how much of the
peoples money has been paid out without
authority; for instance the Sl354.75 paid
for a city census, that has never been
made public. Auditor Cohen knows all
about this little business.
Yesterday the regular meeting of the
city council was held. 1t was a regular
| meeting in all particulars; nothing was
said or done that was not cut and dried
before hand by the astute city clerk, who
runS affairs in the absence OF the boss.
The routine business that accumulates
between meetings is generally gone
through within an hours time, then the
city statesmen adjourn, fully satisfied
they have earned s. of the peoples
money.
The resolution by Alderman Lockwood
that the mayor advertise for bids to sup
ply the city with gas and electric lights
for two years, beginning in September
next, never caused a single comment on
the part of the others. They think Lock-
wood owns all the rights to the interest
appearances, ETC., pertaining to gas and
water legislation.
70 advertise for bids is a farce, when it
- well known that all the gas and cleo
Cric light business is owned by one
company. A more honest plan would be
to continue the present contract, If we
can't do any better, for the shortest Pc
riod possible, or only during the lifetime
of the present administration.
The people will elect an administration,
at the first opportunity, that will over
haul all this octopus business. The city
should furnish its own light rather than
submit to a private monopoly, especially
when it can be done for half the money.
The resolution of Alderman Lockwood
is directly in the interest of the gas and
Electric Light o pany, and nc doubt
was furnished to him for presentation.
The idea is to faSten a contract for two
years upon the people. One year is long
enough at a time to bargain with people
who nave a monopoly of anything the
| people need. Possibly before the two
years are out, or one year, the city could
| do better. But what can the people eX-
pect, the city government seems only to
be instituted to tax the people and pay
the money out to the ~favOrites of the
administration.
Auditor COhen'S letter to the council
informing them that he had diSallowed
a big bill for Sprinkling certain str cts, or
the grounds that the %Sprinkling was no.
| dubLOl lLsu, uiuu L Sttm 10 excise any
special surprise. Mr.. Cohen is a little
green yet; he will, in time. simply rejecr
bills against the city that have no author.
i~zatiOn, and let the other fellow go to the
city council for redress. In this case, Mr.
Cohen appeals to the city council to ap.
prOpriatN money to pay the bill. No dOub'
it may have been from a little tenderness.
for Alderman Santleben, who is one O
the Sprinkling firm.
X
This SpriDkliLg business is becOmin!
quite a tiOuriShing tentacle of the private
monopoly octopus that is supplying all on
city wants. During the last quarter tn,
following bill was presented:
Sprinkling plaZaS... ...........$ los 0
Sprinkling South Flores ......... 100 o
Sprink ing Avenue f, Houston
and South FlOres.............. 1920 0
Sl,2SS 0
=. =
The truth is. the city should do its ow,
sweeping and Sprinkling and the servic
should be extended to as large an area O
the city as could be afforded. 1t Nigh
cost more than is paid out to the preSen
private firm but it could be made NOR
beneficial.
y
II