Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-17
A HEAVY PROGRAMME
Of Improvements in the City During
the Coming Year Which
MAY NOT BE FULLY CARRIED OUT
Defeat of the Bond Plan Would Work
Disastrously to Them.
THE CONTROLLER ADVISES ECONOMY

The city of Pittsburg has some big enter
prises scheduled for next year. But
whether or not they can all be carried out
is causing considerable doubt. Controller
Morrow thinks they cannot, and should not.
The chiefs of departments take the opposite
position.
The main point involved in the question
is the bond issue for the payment of street
contractors. If this is defeated it is ar
gued that the increased tax rate necessary
to raise money to pay contractors should
not be made still greater for any city i'm
provements. On the other hand as most
of this money will not be due until 1898
some think it would be better to get
all the proposed works completed in
1892 If the bond issue is agreed
to by the people December s the chances for
these projects are much brighter, though
even in that case some of them may be i'm
practicable. A large deficit in appropria-
tions at the close of this year, to be made up
next year, will act very detrimentally to
them
Important Projects on Hand.
Chiefs Bigelow and Brown both have i'm
provements of an extensive nature mapped
out for the coming year. In the Depart
ment of Public Works one of the chief ends
to be obtained is the free bridge across the
Monongahela. Councils have already ap-
propriated 100000 for this pur-
pose, and similar sum set
aside in the next appropriation
will make the amount large enough for the
work to proceed. The new Southside
market house comes next Chief Bigelow
wants an appropriation of not less than S20,-
600 for this purpose in order to provide the
people across the river with a suitable
market place, to replace the burned one, be-
fore the summer is over. Schenley Park
will also require a neat little sum to carry
on the work stopped short bv an exhaustion
of the appropriation few weeks ago.
The Department of Public Safety claims
equally pressing needs. The city must
vacate the present Central police station
and Chief Brown sees the longed-for new
building in the very near future. Then
have already been provided for by the
unanimous vote of Councils and the sane
tion of the Mayor, with the understanding
that the February appropriations will in
clude sums sufficient for their purchase.
The Bond Issue Should Win.
81 am afraid some people will be disap-
pointed said Controller Morrow yesterday.
"a defeat of the bond issue plan will work
disastrously to some contemplated improve
ments, it is true, but we do not expect that.
1 am confident that the people will realize
the situation and vote for the issue"
''How will the defeat of this measure be
felt?"
''It will not be felt much next year. Ac-
cording to the decision of the court the con-
tract money is not due on the street i'm
provements until two years after the COM
pletion of the work. Very few contractors
tax mileage will probably not DE increased
more than two or three mills. But the year
following the effect will be heavy. In 1898
nearly all the contracts will have reached
the two-year limit and the tax rate will
be so greatly increased as to be a
burden to a great many taxpayers 1t
would scarcely be wise under those circum
stances to make any improvements involv-
ing heavy expenditures of money except in
cases of absolute necessity"
A Heavy Deficit to Make Up.
'Providing the bond question is ap-
proved by the people, what would the situa-
tion be?'' {.
'Tt would be vastly better than the other,
but even then the city would have no money
for anything but necessities. This fiscal
year will close with deficit in appropria-
tions of at least 100000 I mean that when
Councils passed the last appropriation or
dinance the estimates for receipts during
the year were that much too large. Both
the Mayor and myself said SO at the time,
but to no avail. Now, that amount will
have to be made up next year. The city
will have to economic to counteract this
deficit
1.-The new Southside market house con-
slider a necessity, and $4,000 at least should
be appropriated for it, Just so the free
bridge across the Monongahela river. Half
the money necessary we now have and the
other half should be set aside for that pur-
pose, so that the work can be done next
summer.
Doubts Their Necessity Now.
"T appreciate the benefits of fireboat and
water tower, but they are not absolutely es-
wear, and their purchase should, think, be
postponed for time. A new Central sta |
tion building can also be dispensed with for
some time. The city has rented building |
for this purpose for years and can do so a |
year or two longer. The old Criminal |
Court building on Diamond street will be- !
good enough for both Central station and |
Health Office until the city is better fixed |
to stand the expense of new
structures.
Chief Brown differs from the Controller, |
and believes the new police station, fire. |
boat and water tower should be provided |
for next year.
A Young Southside Girl in Trorb,e-