The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-12-28


mills on the dollar Of such valuation"
This is what he Is after. He wants to get
this right granted to the Council, and it is
the only thing be can get granted under the
provisions Of these laws or decided by bis
proposed election.
The money 50 raised may be expended for
fire plugs, gas, electricity and lots Of other
thir ss named, up TO the full amount each
year for all time. OF as long as the law may
stand. And mind you it is in addition TO
our present taxes. Once the bars are LEI
down the Council may at any time they
choose levy the fall amount Of these extra
mills Of tax and use the money for any pur-
pose recognized by these acis-without ahy
further vote on the part Of the people-even
ifthe prelense were made that a tax of one
or two mills only would be levied for some
particular purpose there is no way of tieing
it down to that. You will have TO take the
entire business on trust, and you can judge
for yourselves how far you are safe in doing
SO, and besides that any promises that may
be made by one set OF couneilmen are not
in this case binding on their successors.
Before these laws can become operative
they contain promise that they must be
accepted by the council. Now no direct at
tempt has been made to get this acceptance
on their part, but we doubt not that if we
had or would adopt Mr.. Osie's resolution
he would be swift to claim il as an accept
ance.
Bat being accepted by the Council there
Is further promise that they must also be
accepted by a vote Of the qualified or legal
voters Of the Borough and the only way in
which this vote Of acceptance can be taken
is with tickets reading "for water, gas or
kerosene tax, or against the same. and we
tell you fellow c;tiz.ns that these words
mean exactly what they say. They grant
or refuse this extra tax up TO the full amount
of mills at the pleasure OF the Council if
they can find any lawful preiext on which
to make the levy for all time. This last res
olution as submitted by Mr.. ogle 1--WE mean
the one relating to the proposed election)
means TO obtain your consent TO this right
of extra taxation-and nothing else
II don't call on you to decide whether
John X White shall or shall not have this
franchise, along with bonus of a thousand
dollars year, granted TO him, or that it
sbsll be granted to any water corporation al
all.
These gentlemen say that Mr.. Granger, Mr..
Davis and Mr.. Ogle agreed on plan to take
bids and submit them to a vote of the peo
pie and that by common consent a meeting
was to be held on Friday evening. Dec 49,
at which this plan was to be ratified. They
say further that when the meeting came of
Mr.. ogle offered the following resolution:
WHEREAS. Honest differences of opinion
exist among members Of Council as TO the
best method of procuring water for use of
the Borough, and
WHEREAS, 1t is desired TO compromise
these differences by referring the question 10
& vote OF the citizens of the Borough, and
WHEREAS, In oraer 10 do 50 It Is desirable
to know what sum contractors are willing
10 take 10 put the water in, in accordance
with the present plans and specifications in
possession ofCouncil; and also how much
any corporation, association OF individual
granted water franchise for a period OF ID
years will charge the Borough per wear for
foil fire protection, at the expiration of
which term of - years the Borough shall
have the option OF acquiring said water
works upon the payment or securing 70 said
corporation, association or individual tie
actuai cost Of construction. Therefore be II
R.sslrci That the Burgess be directed to
advertise for sealed bids in accordance with
the above. all bids to be handed in by 6
O'Clock o. m, Friday, the 18Th day Of Janu-
ary, 1898, the right 70 reject any or all bids
being reserved 10 the BorOugb.-"And upon
the ascertainment Of said bids that sDe-
cial election be held on Saturday, the 2stb
day of January. 1898. whereat the legal
voters may approve or reject the proyiss-
ions Of the Acts of Assembly 10Th april,
1879, p. L. S., s.h May, ls76. P. L. lf7,
by voting for water tax or against wa
ter tax"
and to sll inients and purposes they say
that this en5odies the terms Of the agree
ment that Mr.. Granger entered into end
charges US with opposing it notwithstand-
ing the agreement Well the preamble
reads that tits desirable to compromise these
differences by referring the question Of the
best method ofprocuring water to vote Of
the citizens Of the Borough. But il one
r.ads further be will fail TO fad a word
about submitting the bids or any Of them to
a vote ofthe people. Yet they themselves
say in their letter that this was the basis Of
the agreement and was their plan. The
election provided for Is for the purpose Of
getting vote on Mr. Osle's same "0Il jag"
of trying to get before the people the ques
tion Of approving or rejecting these Acts OF
Assembly so often referred 70 by voting for a
water tax or against a water tax.
II is the same old story. Mr.. Granger on
his part says that he never agreed to accept
anything ike this resoluiion-that is, to
have a vote taken on the question of the sp-
proyal Of the Acts of Assembly reciied 10 the
resolutions. he says be did agree 10 adyer-
tise for bids on the specifications Of the en-
gineers. and also to receive bids from private
corporations as 10 wnat they would furnish
water for FIRE protection, etc, and then it,
after due consideration Of all the bids BY the
council, fso desired by a msjority Of Tie
council, they might be submitted to vote
Mr.. Osle's resolution is for the purpose Of
running bis scheme through without prop
er examination ofthese bids and that is why
he makes no promise iorsnbmitting the bids
themselves TO a vote.
This matter, if properly advertised, will
bring in bids from 100 to 150 contractors /;
indeed, the burgess has on file now quite a
number Of applications for specifications.
These bids will require time for examination
aud determination. It can hardly. be con
clnded unde. a month from the time of
c o-Iug Of the letting. Yet Mr. ogle wants
rs election, such one as it is, to be adver-
iised and held forthwith (see the resoluiion)
b.fore the merits OF the matter can at all be
properly determined and considered. A
beautiful compromise, indeed
But we must pass on. Alter the failure
OF these persistent efforts to give John K.
White this franchise and thousand dollars
year, Mr.. Osle seems 70 have the idea
strike him that we might get this thing for
ie-s than a thousand dollars a year, say
about S629 year. Perhaps If we keep on
kicking, be may be willing to knock off a
couple hundred dollars more froEi the bo-
nus heseems so anxious TO give.
II is then proceeded with to give an exhi-
bition Of skin in juggling With figures by
showing receipts, etc, Of the borough. As a
statement of gross receipts his total sum of