Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-11-28
O@c:ai Paper CT the City Of Aberdeen
:. THE STUCK PIG sQUEALS."

Mayor Hood appears to De Somewha:
out Of sorts q: the HERALD for giving
away his aspirations for something with
a salary attached to it," and comes out
in last weeks Recorder with half
column communication which closes
with virtual admission OF the correct
ness Of the HERALp's assertion. In his
communication he points with pride 20
his record OF three years on the council
and one year as mayor, and between the
lines says tina. like Councilman kol!s he
is after something with salary attached
to it, bu. unlike Mr.. Kolts does no. come
out in an honorable and manly way and
SO announce himself.
With reference TO James A. Hoods
beast Of service TO the city, it might De
we'll to note what has been done BY the
council during that time, in which he has
posed as an ardent advocate OF economy.
During that time the city has issued
80 600 Of bonds and incurred additional
Indebtedness OF over $1,000 represented
by outstanding general fund warrants.
By an ordinance passed April 5, 1899,
and numbered IS. an election wss called
to vote upon > proposition to authorize
the council to incur an Indebtedness NOT
ExcEE DING $40 coo, for STRICTLY ArSIcI-
PAL PURPOSES. The proposition to in
crease the limi. Of Indebtedness to this
- ~ ~
was reached the council Of which Mr.
Hood was cue Of, if no. the main factor,
continued mourning Indebtedness, and
kept right on issuing warrants, the
validity Of every dollar Of which is
questionable, and the illeSali.y Of par: Of
which is absolutely unouestionable. as
little figuring will show. And RICH:
here le. i: &c understood tha. the council
elected las: year is no. responsible for one
dollar Of these Illegal warrants, for none
have been issued since then.
A year ago last month, when the coun-
Gil au;. ordering warrants drawn on the
general fund, over thirteen thousand
dollars Of general fund warrants were
outstanding. representing one and one
hall Per cent. OF the assessed valuation,
which amour: Mr. Ho.od seemed 70 think
could be issued, notwithstanding the one
and one-half per cent. limi. had been
passed by the issuing Of the bonds
authorized. Be: suppcs;ns fox sake Of
argumen: tha. the council had the RICH.
70 incur Indebtedness after the issuance
OF the bonds. they ulos. positively did
no. have the right 10 exceed the FIVE per
cent. limit, including the bonds. The
statute does rot even give the voters that
right.
4. the tine the clerk quit drawing
warrants on the general fund the assessed
valuation Of the city was *e.S, oeo; and
the fye per cen. liui. Vas s4S 1895 50.
The annual report fled by the clerk nine
months prior, January 25, 1894. showed
tina: there we're slS,370.0S Of general fund
warrants outstanding, which with the
bonded Indebtedness Of 3d. made a
total OF SIS 570.Q5 .: tina. time, Of which
s. least s4,5a0 % were beyond even the
Eve per cen. imi. WHEN iSsCED and Of
course Illegal.
I. may also &c well 20 inquire wha. BE-
came Of the SO 900 which was obtained
from the sale Of the bonds Pr;or 70 that
time all stree. improvements had been
paid for by warrants drawn On the gen
eral fund. although contrary TO section
GIL OF the 1870 statutes. which provides
that the Coz. OF such Improvements shall
be assessed aSains. the abu..ils lots. In
this manner the improvement. OF nearly.
il nc. all, Of the streets in the business
portion OF the city were paid for, and 3
large snoun. OF these Illegal warrants
we're outstanding q. tina. time and were
paid with the proceeds Of the 81. 900.
Whether al Of thi. money has been COL
lectej. from the property owners and re-
turned into the general fund the records
only will show, but if 50 the transaction
is no. thereby legaiized.
Again We have the so 900 Of special
street improvement taxes which under
the recent decision Of the supreme eour.
are ou.lawed Because Of negligence Of the
council Of which Mr.. Heed was mem
Der, in enforcing collec.ioi. in which this
same council have Illegally invested abou.
$4,000 Of the city's money.
This is the record OF which Mr.. Hood
makes his beast. Thee are not insinua-
tons bu. cold facts, and ii there Is any
hypocrisy revealed i: is not on this side
OF the controversy. Neither are these
statements made with any intention Of
Questioning Mr.. Hoods honesty, bu.
simply show tina. as = public official he
has nothing to boast Of.
We have no desire 70 misrepresens NJ.
Hood, and ii any Of these statements can
De shown to De incorrect We will certainly
De willing 10 make public retraction, but
deem i: our duty 10 the public 10 make
them known.