Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-07
AMENDING THE CHARTER.

Honest Conduct of Pittsburs's Munich
pal Affairs.
The fourth and last measure, bill No. 265,
an amendment to the charter act, caused a
long and lively discussion. 1t contained
provisions that the city could issue 6-per.
cent certificates. running five years. and call.
able at ten days notice; empowering Councils
to elect = Department of Awards and Depart
nenJ of Public Libraries.
Mr.. Oliver announced that the committee had
amended the act by combining the issue Of GER
tiiCates TO raising money to pay for work al
ready completed or il progress under the acts
OF 1857 and 1889. The point has been raised in
the committee that if the city unable to
issue certificates for work 10 be done il the
future, the contractors would have to wait So
long upon their money that they would raise
their prices The committee decided, however,
that the indefinite issue of these certificates
would be fraught with danger TO the interests
OF the city.
Nir. Breen opposed the amendment, and
offered the following substitute for it:
Finding Work for Idle Money.
WHEREAS. There Is an amount of money vari-
ou-Iy estimated at from 81 OOO 900 g. OO0 600 due
contractors Tor public improvements made in the
city OF Pittshurg under the acts Of 1Ss7 and 1889;
and.
Whereas The liability Of the city for the cost of
.
rreme Court March, ls9l, seems to be unques-
IIOued; and.
Whereas, There is probability of delay on the
collection of said cosi, and a possibility of non
Judgment under the proposed curative legisla-
Whereas, The city of Pittsburg is TO be asked to
loan lis established credit 10 pay promptly such
claims; and,
Whereas, 1t seems mauifcstly unjust to the tax
PAYERS Tor the city TO pay per cent integest on
the proposed debt while IL IS nearly every day
buying liz own bonds i'll open market at less than
Tour per cent and.
sinking fund oi the city which the Court of COM
mon Pleas, in the recent OF Howard versus
tile city OF Putsburg, require 10 be invested in
cltv. State or national banks and CITY Council in
accordance with such decision. has recently
passed AN ordinance authorizing the investment
Of said sinking 1uud balances, therefore.
Resolved That the Legislature in the interest
Of the taxpayers and TO meet the present cmer-
Cency l. hereby requested 20 authorize the Coun-
Cils of th" city Of Pittsburg. provided in the
Constitution of Pennsylvania larticlc g. section
10 issue bonds payable III five years an an
nuIl interest OF per cent 10 an amount not eN-
cectiing the amount owing for street improve
meuls completed or in the course of construction
fOT the purpose OF paying such liability under
said decision Of supreme Court and for no other
purpose whatever.
Resolved, That Immediately after the authoriza-
ton OF sad loan The Controller be requested to in
vest at his discretion in thr aforesaid per cent
bOuds the available money in the sinking funds.
Millions Due the Contractors.
T. O'Leary-I don't think 81, 600 will be
enough to pay the contractors. 1t will run to
nearly S2,50OOO
Mr. Miller-Does this act apply to all cities of
the second class? If not it will be unconstitu.
tonal.
Mr.. Hudson-Has not the city the power to
issue bonds to meet this indebtedness after
FIRST submitting the proposition to a vote of the
people? Would this not be an easier way than
going 10 the Legislature and passing the scru-
tiny of Governor notorious for using his veto
power on legislation affecting city charters?
Nir Bndlcy-l believe the resolu uon should
be amended To allow the city TO invest in these
certificates
Mr. BTuce-I heartily approve of the resolu-
tiOns. Why should we issue certificates at
per cent when we can place bonds at 81 per
cent. We can place the bonds without any
difficulty and get the money Immediately If
the contractors 90 TO court they Will receive
per cent on their claims from the time they get
d verdict. The bonds would save the cost of
litigation and the difference between and 81
per cent The city's credit is good. We have
borrowed money at 514 per cent and we can do
Mr.. Whte-These certificates are callable in
ten days. We ought 20 be able to collect all
the money due on the street assessments in two
years, anu it would be cheaper to pay per
cent for that time than per cent for i've
years
Reducing the Interest on Certificates.
8lr. lIiller-I would suggest that we reduce
the interest on certificates to per cent
Alex Dempster-The question is, can you
negotiate the certificates as easily as bonds?
" ould the contractors be willing to accept
them?
Mr.. Gearing-I am contractor, and inter-
ested il tins measure andI think can say we
are ready to take the certificates.
Mr.. MCkelvey-We would have no trouble
selling the bonds and then could pay every
body we owe in dollars.
Mr.. Oliver-The Controller expects that all
the street assessments VIII be paid within two
VhprnfOrp ha
cheaper TO issue the certificates.
AlT. Bruce-We have SlUOOOOO lying idle in
the banks. If we issue bonds we don't have to
90 upon the market. We can buy them our
selves with this money If the assessments are
paid in rapidly, where does the money 90? Into
the City Treasury, of course, and can be in-
medIatey applied TO the liquidation of our in
GehteunesS.
After some unmportant discussion MIR.
Breen's substitute was adopted
On the method of selecting Department of
Awards there were two reports. The majority
report was signed by Messrs Bruce and Bindley
and requested the Legislature to either confer
the power of awarding contracts upon the
Mayor or have the members of the department
elected by the people. The minority report
signed by Mr.. Oliver, LETT the selection to
Councils.
ID. ID. BRUCE TO Chief Elliot.
Mr.. Bruce-There is no reason why the
Mayor saould award all contracts except that
certain gentlemen would not like it. You all
know llA llitnu IJOO LillOl, ana now he treated
the Chairman of the Department of Awards
the Mayor of the city. When it comes to
awarding contracts the chiefs help each other
with their votes. The man who is 4 cipher on
the board is the only man on the board who was
elected by the people. This man is paid s. 900
a year for the honor of being Mayor, and is
drawn every month like badger. If the
Mayor was awarding the contracts he would be
untrammeled, and it would be impossible for
him to eyade the responsibility. If he is a
villain be viii tremble hourly for fear some one
of the 80, 600 inhabitants will find him out. If
the people keep up their voices the next Legis-
lature will wiring the neck of the combination
that Is running the city and put in the law that
the people are better than Councils.
Mr.. DemDsLer-lt is only proper to give the
Mayor Of the city the prominence his position
entities him to- and which he has not received
heretofore. 1t is an executive position, and
letting contracts is executive work.
Wants a Cinch on Honest Mayors.
MI Olivcr-This legislation Is for all second
class cities and for the future. Give me the as
uranc that we will always have as pure and
honest Mayors as PIttsburg has now and will
favor the amendment 1t is within the men,
ory of man when we had Mayors who levied
contributions upon everything that passed
through their hands. We want what is best
for all cities of the second class and for all
time As taxpayer of Pittsburg. although a
resident of Allegheny, l have watched matters
closely. ! tell YOU and defy contradiction, that
for the past eight or ten years the municipal