Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1892-04-01
1T WAS no APRIL FOOL.
But a Genuine Bill for q Public
school Building I'm Annapolis.
PROTEST FROM CITIZENS !


The local published in the CAPITAL
last night calling attention 90 the bill in-
troduced in the House yesterday for the
purpose of converting the revenue re
ceiVed from the liquor license of this
city into a sinking fund until il should
reach the amount OF $12. 600. for the pur-
pose OF building public school house,
has aroused the interest of the taXpay.
ers of the city and a delegation Of CHI
liens, including Counsellor Revell and
Alderman Boessel, appeared before the
Anne Arundel delegation this morning
TO protest against the bill Counsellor
Revell and Mr. Riley addressed the del
egation in opposition 10 the bill. and said
that while they agreed that proper pub
lie school building was needed for the
city of Annapolis. that TO assess the city
for this amount by taking from its reve-
nues this fund would necessitate the in
creasing of the taxes of the city some
fifteen 10 twenty ger cent. which the
tax payers Of the city were not able TO
bear. Sir. Revell said when he first read
of the bill this being the first of April, lac
thought il was a big April fool, but he
found out 1t was a genuine affair. he
said the bill In its present shape made
no provisions how, nor by whom this
money was 10 be invested, and there was
no safe guards around the bin whatever.
He said that this revenue had been set
apart for certain Improvements, and up
on this income the city had negotiated
loan Of $1,000 with the Bank; that new
streets had been opened, and that II was
necessary for the health of the city 10
clean out its dock, which would take all
the income at The city's command, and
20 take this sum from its revenues
would greatly embarrases its finances.
Mr.. Riley contended that such measure
would also result in turning the city over
TO the Republicans.
Mr.. Bannon, Secretary and Examiner
OF the public schools said that he had
been confronted on all occasions for
better school bulldog for Annapolis and
that he had consulted with mir. Revell
and Mr.. Brashears over the matter; and
had proposed the issuing of bonds to the
amount of $4,000, for the purpose Of
building a public school but this was
found not advisable. He said ii was not
proposed that the city OF Annapolis
should bear all the burden, as proper
school building would cost from x2O,00O
to $25 900, and that the County Commits
sioners would raise proportionate part
of the money; that the county had alrea-
dy thrown away about $2OO on the
purchase of the present unsuitable build
ing, and it was not right and not expect
ed that the county should again be call
ed upon to build proper school house
for Annapolis when many OF the dis
tricts, was as bad off as Annapolis. lie
thought that the county had as much
right to dictate to Annapolis how money
should be raised TO build its public schools
as Annapolis had to the county. He said
that Westminster, Carroll county. had
just passed similar bill-setting apart
the revenues from its liquor license TO
the public schools of the whole county.
He said he had no interest in the matter
more than TO see suitable public school
building in Annapolis-one that would
reflect credit upon the State Capital, and
the children, and that If
such building was given to the city
there would be more than thousand
attending the public schools TO
day instead of FIVE or six hundred as
now. Out of the large delegation pres
ent but three had children attending the
public schools and two of the members
said they were in favor Of the bill. Mr..
Bannon contended that IL the citizens of
desired better public school
building there was no better way of get
ting it than by approprialing a portion,
If not all, of this revenue to that purpose.
He said that the expenses of the public
schools of Annapolis were twelve hun
dred dollars a year more in proportion
than that of other districts and it was
not reasonable to ask the county to come
forward and build school house for An
napolis when they had only few years
ago purchased the present unsuited
building for the convenience of certain
parties. There is no opposition to build
ing new school house, but the question
at issue is the taking of this special fund
from the revenues of the city to do it,
which will necessitate an increase in the
tax levy of the city, which the finance
officers of the city believe would not be
polite to do. 1t is question altogether
with the taxpayers.