Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-23
SERIOUS OBJECTIONS
To Be Raised by Mayor GOurley
Against Various Sections of the
appropriation Ordinance.
he WANTS DEFINITE KNOWLEDGE
And a Specified Statement as to What
Each Section in the Proposed
Bill Is Meant to Cover.
He WANTS DEFINITE KNOWLEDGE
AN ANIMATED DISCUSSION EXPECTED
At the Special Meeting Of Councils To-Day, When the
Message Will Be Read.

Indications point 10 very llVely meetlus
of Councils this afternoon, when the vetoed
appropriation ordinance will come up Tor
consideration. The Mayors refusal to sign
the ordinance, coming Unexpectedly as 1t
did. fell like a thunderbolt on the councllnen
and officials who figured most prominently
in the movement 10 hurry it through. The
long delav, resulting from the uncertainty
in which the city was placed by the Supreme
Court decision. made everybody feel the
necessity OF getting the ordinance through
in double-quick time. The bare idea OF
check on the proceeding after it was well
under wav seems not TO have crossed the
minds of the councilmanic leaders, and the
Mavor's veto ak was scarcely thought of
until it was announced that he had used it
with such telling effect.
The delay of the ordinance is neither
pleasant nor profitable TO the city officials.
Citv Treasurer Denniston and people in his
Office have been greatly troubled by the
crowds wanting TO paw their taxes in time to
secure the discount but who had to be
turned away.
Some Other Results of the Delay.
The collection of taxes mas been seriously
interrupted. The payment of city employees
has been inter cred with by the delay OF the
ordinance This was particularly the case
in the Department of Public Safety, where
some of the employees were greatly lncon-
venienced by put-of pay DAYS
ASIDE from all this, the general state of
indecision and doubt concerning the out
look for the city have tended to cast
gloom over municipal affairs, the effect OF
which has been decidedly hurtful.
The MAYORS message TO Councils to-day
will be a very lengthy one. His Honor has
used the keen blade of executive power
pretty thoroughly in his dissection of the
bill. and he will comment freely Oh almost
all lis sections.
The appropriation of Sl20.o00 for COM
pletion OF paving contracts is said TO be one
of the features of the bill on which the
Mayor will comment strongly. The asser-
tion has been made that this item in itself is
n practical admission on the part of those
who framed the bill that curative legisla-
lion is not as great a certainty as has been
stated.
Not Consistent With Curative Legislation
1t will be held that if curative legislation
can easily be secured. such an appropriation
would be of no use. On the other hand, if
It cannot be secured, much larger sum
would have 10 be set aside for the purpose of
completing contracts Ii this item is to pay
for unpaved street work, and thHs save the
contractors, it is held it would be such
precedent that the general fund would con-
tinually have to be drawn upon to pay ior
such work, despite any legislation, curative
or otherwise.
Mayor Gourley's recent stand on the
necessity of receiving reports of the various
departments and bureaus figured down to
the smallest detail, leads very strongly to
the belief that he objected to the appro-
priation ordinance largely on account of its
inde6nitness. The Mayor does not believe
IN Councils voting away large sums OF
money to various departments without some
idea of what they are to be used for and in
his message to-day he will embody that
feature very prominently, insisting on de-
tailed statement OF the estimates before he
can conscienuiously afix his signature to
the bill.
Councils will convene at 2 o'clock this
afternoon. After the reading of the
Mayors message, the appropriation ordi-
anv doubt that the ordinance will be passed
over the veto by large vote Even the
Mayor does not expect anything else. His
message, however, will doubtless find some
supporters among the Counclmen, and a
spirited discussion is anticipated.
A New Feature of the NuddIe.
The debates at the meeting of the Commit
tee on Legislation Saturday night brought
mt rau- f,5qff1ra in he rrpSaut ioip
perplexity. Under the circumstances the
passage OF Senator Films wharf bill cannot
be secured in time TO save Chief Bigelow
considerable annoyance, Last fall suits
were brought against the Chief be-
cause he was filling up the Allegheny
wharf, along Duquesne way, to make park
of it. The court decided the case in favor of
the prosecutor, but sentence was deferred on
Mr.. BigelOw six months. on the plea of the
City Attorney that legislation would be
secured in that time making the filling of
the wharf legal. The six months will be up
within 80 DAYS, and unless the Chief can
secure further poStponement from the court,
the sentence will be imposed. Senators
Seeb aad Finn both state that there is no
possible chance of passing the wharf bill in
time to save the Chief.
City Attorney W. c. Moreland left for
Philadelphia last evening, 10 hold a confer
ence with the legal representatives of that
city about the proposed street legislation for
Piltsburg. Nr. Moreland was in a very
cheerful mood and felt sure when be ex-
planned all the features to the Philadelphia
people that no opposition will be made from
that quarter. Mr.. Moreland said:
Philadelphia Not in Tronble.
1.-The Supreme Court decision does not
juvalidate TIE street laws OF Philadelphia.
That is the only city that escaped. 1 wish
to show them that in the curative legislation
suggested for PitIsburg there is nothing
that will interfere with the Philadelphia
street acts. If there was, of course, we
could expect considerable opposition from
the Philadelphia delegation. 1 have
looked over their laws very carefully,
and in what is proposed to re-
lieye Pittsburg there is nothing
that will conflict with their street regula-
lions. We expect to receive the cordial sup
port of the Quaker City people. 1 think
with a little patience that the city will come
out of this street muddle without much
trouble"
Mr.. Moreland rather hinted that with the
Philadelphia delegation in line and in CO.
operation with the Allegheny county repre-
sentatives, that the balance of the State
could easily be won over. He was anxious
to correct any misappreheusions the Phila-
delphia people might have, and thus pre-
want 4 uht i'm advance