Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-27
CALLED THEM DOWN.
Pittsburg Councilmen Rebuked for
Being Tardy in Attendance.
INCREASING THE CITY'S DEBT.
A. c. Robertson Wants Money for Free
Bridges and Good Parks.
MAKING THE STATE PAY FOR LUSATIcs

Dilatory Councllmen received.a severe re-
buke yesterday, and were given to under
stand that . o'clock means just 60 minutes
after 1 and not 3 o'clock. Both branches of
Councils used the same method to enforce
the lesson.
There has been considerable grumbling
for months on the part of those members
who are prompt in attendance, and yester-
day, when but 10 out of the necessary "a
answered to their names in Common Coun-
Gil, at 2:25 2. NJ, 25 minutes after the time
set for beginning business, a motion to ad-
joura was made and promptly carried.
The news was carried to Select Council,
where Is gentlemen were impatiently await
ing the four more necessary to complete
quorum. President Ford suggested that
recess of 10 minutes be taken, but the motion
was voted down, and motion to adjourn,
offered by Mr.. Perry, was as promptly re-
jected.
A.aC. Robertson fled a great, big objec-
tion TO the action taken. and thought it con-
cealed job, which led Mr.. Perry to become
indignant, and stated that he was tired of
wasting time in Council chamber waiting
for the men who run things. and President
Ford settled the dispute by declaring the
meeting adjourned.
just Trifle Premature.
Mr.. Robertson was in an upfortunste
position, having given to the afternoon pa
pers the draft OF an ordinance, which those
journals had prematurely stated that the
gentleman from the Fourteenth ward had al
ready presented in Select Council.
The ordinance provides for special election
to allow tbe citizens to vote on the issue of
SI.OO00OO worth OF per cent SO-year bonds. to
provide for the erection of free bridges and the
improvement of parks. This action Is declared
necessary by the recent decision on the street
act.
Controller Morrow, in speaking of this propo.
sition yesterday afternoon, said he had not
given the matter much consideration, but he
was opposed. on general principles, to increas-
ing the city's Indebtedness.
Chief Elliott, of the Department of Public
Charity, sent communication to Councils SET
ting forth that the cities of the State, notably
PiitSburg and Philadelphia, fail to participate
IN the benefits of the act of 1885, which au-
thorizes the State to pay one-half the expense
of main tanning the INDECENT insane of the sew
eral counties of the Commonwealth. Mr..
Elliot presented with his communication the
draft of an act prepared to remedy this evil.
The proposed act recites in a preamble, that
the act of 1855 provides that the expense of the
care and treatment of the INDECENT insane IN
the State Hospital tor the Insane shall be
divided between the State and the county; that
the several appropriation bills of 1855, 1857 and
1889 make no provision for the INDECENT insane
of the several city poor districts, which have
their own insane hospitals, notably, Philsdel-
phia and Pittsburg.
Crowded Out of State Asylums.
The bill goes on to say that owing to the re-
fusal of State hospitals to care for the INDECENT
insane of cities constituting separate poor dis
tricts, by reason of lack of room, some of the
city poor districts have been compelled TO main
tain their own hospitals for insane; that the
sum OF S2,O000O0 has been Appropriated since
1885 Ito pay for the States share of
courties OF the Commonwealth in State Hos
pitfalls for the Insane under the provisions of
the act Of 1885. not one dollar of which went to
the several city poor districts having their own
hospitals, and that the cities contribute as well
rs the counties by taxation to the revenues of
the State and are justly and equitably
entitled TO be reimbursed for the care and treat
ment OF their INDECENT insane the counties of
the Commonwealth under the said of 1888,
appropriations made by the General Assembly
subsequent thereto.
The first section provides, therefore that the
expenses of the care of the INDECENT insane of
the several poor districts of the Commonwealth,
whether cities or counties. shall be borne
equally by the State and poor district provided
that the maximum charge to the State W here
such insane are not confined in State hospitals,
shall not exceed g per week for each person
treated and cared for.
ReiInbursing the Cities.
The second section provides tor the apPro-
priation of a sum sufficient to reimburse the
cities constituting poor districts (rot included
in the act of 1889 for payment OF the expenses
of INDECENT insane incurred IN hospitals of city
districts since 1888, at the sum per week al
lowed in the first section of this act to be paid
by the Commonwealth to the proper depart
Inent OF the several cities. Provided that the
chief of department of such institution shall
make a report, under oath, to the Auditor Gen.
eral of the actual number of INDECENT insane
persons received in hospital from June l3,
1883. to January j. 1891. with details showing
time each person was treated.
The third section provides that hereafter it
shall be the duty of the chief officer in each
city poor district to report TO the Auditor Gen.
erai on or before June ! of each year the mum.
Der OF INDECENT insane In their districts, with
the names, age and other details of each per-
son.
The fourth or final section provides that neg.
lect OF refusal to perform the duties required
of the city poor district officials by this act
~ forfeit % that city the whole amount al
lowed under its provisions.
Hon. a. c. Robertson left for Harrisburg
last night with the bill and il will be prescn ed
In the House this morning by member from
this city.