Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-26
FIGHTING FOR CASH.
The Controller and City Attorney Go
to Harrisburg to Stop
STATE TAXATION on CITY BONDS.
Plans Being Made and Money Coming in
for the Fourth of July.
ZERO PRICES ON ASPHALT PAYMENTS

last night to engage in a fight with the State
authorities over the question of the city's
liability for State taxes on her bonds. He
will follow the example of good generals,
however, by taking another man along to
do the fighting The Controller will press
the button and City Attorney Moreland
will do the rest.
The intention of this war-like pair of
officials when they left the city last night
was to make the first attack on Auditor
General Gregg and Attorney General
Hensel bright and early this morning. If
they succeed in vanquishing those veterans,
they will retire in good order and live to
fight another day, but if the engagement is
long drawn out it is likely that Governor
Pattison and the balance of his Cabinet will
take hand against the local forces.
This fight is one of the six that the Con-
troller has on hand, and which were ex-
clusively referred to in THE DISPATCH
two weeks ago The railroad compromise
bonds of this city were issued by authority
of an act of Assembly in 1868 and were
made non-taxable.
ignored an Act of Assembly.
Every bond issued was stamped "non-as-
sessable," but when Governor Pattison
was elected to his first term he ignored the
act and assessed the railroad compromise
bonds Just the same. The Controller waited
until two years assessments had piled up
and then went down and made fight on the
question, winning Judgment in the city's
favor. But the next year and
every year since the assessment was made
ust the same as before and the city has
paid the tax for five years under protest.
1t is the Controllers fight to avoid paving
this years assessment and, getting verdict
in the city's favor, to get back what has
been paid during the five years paid.
The State authorities claim that while the
act of 1868 exempted the railroad compromise
bonds from State tax, an act of 1873 made all
such bonds taxable, and that Pittsburg as
corporation has no more right to exemption
than any other. Their claim simply means
that what one act of the Legislature may do
a subsequent act can undo.
Controller Morrow's Position.
The Controller holds that as the city
issued her bonds in good faith as non-tax-
able and stamped them as such, under the
contract made with the State, it is a contract
which the State must respect. The amount
involved in the controversy is about s., 900,
and the"Controller is hopeful of winning the
State authorities over to his side. The two
officials do not expect to return to the city
until Friday evening
Mayor Gourley has adopted suggestion
made by Superintendent of Schools Luckey
to provide street car transportation for the
l, 800 or 1000 school children who will take
part in the vocal performances in the Fourth
of July celebration. Superintendent
r hoonmo inf nod ba
thusiasm for the celebration and is making
big preparations for ii. He says the chill
dren are delighted with the Mayors invita-
tion to them, and that be could readily get
5000 of them to train and take part in the
choruses.
Selecting the Best Singers.
As not over 1900 or 1000 are wanted,
however, Mr.. Luckey has selected only the
best singers from among the whole collec-
tion and they are being trained with fiat
tering prospects. AS many of them are
children of parents in Strengthened circum-
stances and as the children will receive no
remun Grafton for the time consumed in
their training practice, Mr.. Luckey pro-
posed and the Mayor agreed that the car
fare of all will be paid out of the general
fund.
The Mayor received subscriptions amount
ing to $125 yesterday, and as the time Is
growing short he urges everybody who has
not already done so to send in their con-
tribution at once. Yesterdays subscribers
were: kirkpatrick & Stevenson, So; Thomas
II. MCGOWAN, $25; Matthews and Zinn, $40;
Scobie & Parker, SO; j. NJ. Irwin & Son,
S25; Thomas s. Bigelow, S25; Guffey &
Queen, S25.
Chief Bigelow has reached rock bottom in |
the cost of asphalt street paving. He let |
contracts yesterday for McCully street from |
Highland to Negley avenues, and Wood |
lawn avenue from Forbes street to point |
$50 feet east of Joncaire street, at the rate |
of 81 80 per square yard. Booth & Finn |
were the lowest bidders.
Nearly the Same as in Washington.
The specifications for these contracts are |
the same as those of Washington City, ex-
cept that the foundation is to have eight |
inches of btoken stone, whereas in Wash
ington the base is only six inches.
The price is considered low, although the
rate in Washington, fixed by Congress, is
only 81 per yard. In view of the fact that
labor costs 81 so per day here, against 81 in
Washington, and the extra amount of
broken stone required, Chief Bigelow says
the price is the lowest ever reached in the
He SAYS he intends to continue
using this specification ON residence streets
where there is a good grade and light
vehicle traffic. The foundation is too light
for heavy teaming or Tor fiat, level road,
where the ground does not drain quickly.
Woodlawn avenue is one of the streets
skirting the park on the north side, and is
expected eventually to become a part of the
proposed boulevard which will connect
and Schenley parks, and making
q complete circuit of Schenley Park on the