The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-04-16
n Number Is.
He Opposes the Scheme.

be voted on by the people Of Rapid
City next week and sets forth his
reasons as follows:
81 see from the action of the coun-
Gil that a proposition to fund $27,
100000 of warrants issued to con-
struct the conduit pipe, is to be sub
mitted to the electors to be held in
this city on the Goth inst. I desire
to ask those in authority or those
who have been instrumental in for
warding q proposition of this char
acter, what Clique of preferred
creditors are to receive these special
benefits or privileges? For all must
admit the injustice of selecting
series of $27 100000 Of general fund
warrants to be bonded, thereby in
juring the validity of the same
amount as warrants issued in ad-
vance OF these privileged warrants.
These warrants issued to construct
the conduit pipe were under a fair
and open contract made with the
contractors knowing full we'll at the
time the nature of the con tract, and
the warrants to be issued for the con
struction, the con tractors also de-
manding that they be drawn on the
general fund To come out at this
late date asking that these special
warrants shall now be funded in
bonds, placing them ahead of war
rants issued four or five years ahead
of them, is not only unjust but dis
honest. 1t will be argued, have no
doubt, that the interest on these
warrants is payable semi-anpually
which undoubtedly is true, but is no
reason that these warrants should
be funded or paid in advance of other
warrants issued anterior to them.
II a proposition had been submit
ted to fund all general fund out
standing warrants there would have
been something tangible to consider
torit is debatable question now,
If it would not be Of a financial ad-
van tage to fund all warrants into
bonds bearing less rate Of interest.
| 40 not believe the voters and
taxpayers Of this city will ever sub
nit to proposition SO fiagrantly
uni ust and uncalled for, Gearing as
it does, the earmarks of fraud and
jobbery Every voter and taxpayer
that desires far play and justice to
all and special privileges to none,
will, / hope, investigate with care
this obnoxious proposition. 1t is
such schemes as this that have come
near running our city financially
Not quite SO open and brazen as this
but equally as dangerous. In our
opinion this is a deep laid scheme to
benefit the holders Of these conduit
pipe warrants at the expense of
others that have been issued in GOOD
faith.
Why, then, should this city do such
a foolish and unjust act to gratify
someone specially interested in these
warrants. | cannot believe or think
that the tax payers of this city are
prepared or ready to be led blindlv
into a trap of this kind especially
where credit, honor and Justice are
at stake. In other words, every
thing is to lose and nothing to gain
by such an act of folly.
We are prepared to show conclu-
sively that should this proposition
be carried that it will invalidate
$27, 100000 of warrants issued prior
to the ones funded, that it is special
legislation by the council in submit
ting this proposition, also that no
one can be benefited except the
holders of the warrants issued for
the conduit pipe, and that the war
rants issued previous to these war
rants will be deprecated thereby.
We will not answer an ANONYMOUS
communication from anv source.
was mayor at the time of the
issue of these warrants. They were
issued in good faith, for good pur-
pose, were an over issue at the time
but the emergency gave them
validity. They will, and should be
paid, but in their turn only, as the
law provided at the time OF their
issue. 1t is my earnest desire that
every elector will look into this mat
ter carefully and considerably. We
do not wish tn ini1,.a +ht intarnct ot