Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-06
JUA.PED ON COUNCILS.
Lively Episode at a Public Meeting
to Discuss the Proposed
ISSUE OF ALLEGHENY CITY BONDS.
Mayor Kennedy Will Not Consider Notions
for or Against.
TIE CITY's MOST PROMINENT MEN TALK

Three hundred of Allegheny's best citi-
zens met in Carnegie Hall last night to dis
Northside expressed their sentiments, and
all but one was in favor of improving the
city. DR.. Pitcairn was the man
who opposed the betterment of
the city. He attacked the Coun-
cilmanic forces of Allegheny in a rough
shod manner. This was not pleasant to D.
B. Oliver, for he had son in Councils
Mr. Oliver took the matter up and insisted
that the city's affairs were honestly man.
aged
Mayor Kennedy presided at the meeting
and made the opening address. He said
that as a citizen of Allegheny he favored
the issuing of bonds because it would be to
the best interests of the city, and he
wished only to state as supplement to
what he had said to the people in his
circular sent out few days ago that num-
Der of people had the impression the pro-
posed 50, 25O, 900 woIth of bonds were to be
issued all at one time This he said was
erroneous, as they would be issued only as
needed and it would be FIVE years before
the entire amount would be used. In re-
gard to the lighting of the city by cleo
tricity he said be was heartily in favor of
doing away with the high lights, and more
arc lights should be placed on the streets.
This would be great saving of money and
much better light would be secured.
A Disgrace to the City.
Speaking of sewers, he said the Butcher
run sewer was disgrace to the city, and be-
sides it was dangerous and likely to cave in
like it did during the food Of 1884. He
said the principal arguments against the
issuing of the bonds is that the money
would not be properly expended, and in an
swer to this he said that entire new set of
Councilmen. both Select and Common, are
to be elected next February, and it is with
in the power of the people to elect men
whom they can trust. In regard to
the letting of contracts the low
est and best bidder always gets
them, and if there is any fayoritism or dis
honesty manifested any citizen has the
right to appeal to the courts for redress A
committee OF five could be appointed to act
as controllers, and see that the expenditure
of the money is in accord with the proper
clusion that when he left the Mayors Office
next spring to become q private citizen
again he intended to see that the taxes he
paid were properly expended, as any citizen
has a right to do, and he expressed the hope
that the citizens of Allegheny would vote
for the issuance of the bonds.
Lewis McMullen then addressed the
meeting He lamented the fact that Allie
gheny is gradually falling behind all other
cities of her size and advantages, and at
tributed it to the bad condition of her
streets and water, and the petty jealousies
and strifes which exist among her citizens.
Must Be Up and Doing.
eff we wish to make our city progressive
and up with the times" be said, "we've got
to be up and doing. for one am in favor
of the issuing OF the bonds We want bet
ter water, better streets and better lights,
and the only way we can get them is to
issue the bonds and let our pos
terity help pay them. They will derive
more benefit from the improvements than
we will, and it is but fair that they bear
most of the burden of the taxation. This
is purely o matter of business and not for
spoils, as some of our citizens would have
us believe. Let US then act as business
men should. We need the proposed i'm
provements, and we need the money with
which to execute them. Vote for the bonds
and then vote for the Councilmen who will
see that the money received on them is
properly expended. It is said that 100, 900
citizens of this city are satisfied with the
condition of our water, streets and lights.
I do not believe it. There are !, 800 vacant
houses in Allegheny, and no right thinking
citizen can be satisfied who knows this"
DR.. R. V. Pitcairn, who opposes the bond
issue, was the next speaker. He denounced
the members of Allegheny Councils as
spoilsmen, and said that the moment one
was elected he began to puff up with i'm
portance and plan how to get rich at the
city's expense.
David B. Oliver at this point rose in the
audience and said to the chairman: my
son is Councilman, and 1 know he is
neither a spokesman nor is he puffed up
with importance. DR.. Pitcairn's remarks
are insulting to me, and will not put ND
with them"
Caused Considerable Excitement
By this time score of people were on
their feet shouting: "Order!" ''Put him
outr" $50 onp'
Mayor Kennedy vigorously raped for
order and when the audience became quiet
DIR. Pitcairn went on. He said that there
was not half as much wrong with the water
of Allegheny, as those who favored the bond
issue would have the people believe, and
that the spoilers were rayenously waiting
to get slice of that s., $50, 900.
D. T. Watson, A. M. Marshall, James
B. Scott, Rev. B. F. Woodburn, Colonel 7.
P. Roberts, W. 7. Bradbury, James W.
Drape, T. W. Day, w. L. Boggs and D. B.
Oliver afterwards talked. They all favored
the issuing of bonds.
A gentleman moved that the meeting in
dorse the bond issue and each man present
pledge himself to vote for it and use his in
huence for the issue. Mayor Kennedy de-
clared motion out Of order as he said it had
been agreed that no resolution for or agains.
would be entertained.