Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-01-26
MORE CITY AFFAIRS.
som mething in Regard to Issuing $4,000
in Bonds for school Purposes.


ties is admitted by all. X anyone
doubts it, let him start out on an in
vestigation and not damn an enterprise
without knowing what he is doing,
The only question is as to the amount
of money at present needed. The
Board of Education in their wisdom
have fixed the amount at 100000 They
were elected to decide such matters
and when you come to figure out this
problem you will find the sum none too
large
The Greene street school house,
known as the "Willard School, cost
S22, OOO 1t is good building, but it is
none too good is that not fact?
Is there citizen but takes pride
in that building? Now do you want TO
do any less for High School building?
We don't want any fuss and feathers"
about such building, but plain, busi-
ness like structure, up to date, but not
extravagant, either in design or mater.
ials or workmanship. Say $50, 600 for
Il IlnH DCDOOl cunning. OhNil 'l'iNNN
for school building in the upper part
of the fourth ward and $1,000 for addi-
tions on school structures on the West
Side.
loan of $40, 900 negotiated at per
cent interest would increase the taxes
for interest 513 tenths of one mill to
raise SO, 600, which on our present dupli-
cate of 81, ,S25, 900 would raise about
50, 100. If levy was made for paying
off the principal, the above figures of
course would be increased.
CITY FINANCES AND BUSINESS
The additions to the duplicate next
year we hope will at least raise it to
IS, 900, 900, perhaps to 1000, coo, but not
likely. Our needs in many directions
are constantly increasing, the great
efforts of council being to reduce eX-
penses so as to make both ends meet"
If any are doubtful let them attend Il
few meetings of Council. For instance
the improving of our streets entails a
good deal of expense outside of the
contract for paving. Can we stop paw
ing? If so, where and when? The
Street Commissioner is handicapped all
the time from lack of funds. More
money is needed for street sweeping
and sprinkling. We need right away
to devise some new method to systemat-
ize our street cleaning.
1t is proposed tie raise a little money
for this purpose by requiring owners
of vehicles used for hire and bicycles to
take out licenses but this will be entire
ly inadequate. The Statute provides
for levying the cost of street cleaning
on abutting property. This can only
be done by majority of lot owners
along street petitioning Council; when
this is done basis is laid to provide
for thorough cleaning of the street.
More money is needed in the general
fund. This fund is intended to cover
all demands not provided for by specla
levies. 1t requires careful steering to
avoid running this fund on shore. 1t
gets stranded regularly twice year.
The same is true of the street fund.
Both being overdrawn before the semi
annual payment is received by the City
Treasurer.
Some one may say that this is not
business. Keep your expenses inside
your income. Well, it is simply impos-
sible. If you could put fence around
the city and keep every newcomer out,
stop the building of new additions to
the city, and be willing to get along
with Il city government only designed
for 1000 people, then you might pinch
in Il good many directions, throw great
many men out of employment, draw
within yourselves and get along real
cheap and that would be very nice for
few people with assured incomes, but
ruinouS to the wage-earnerS.
No one, however need get frightened
because u fund is overdrawn, for it
often happens that the City has $2O,-
600 lying in the City Treasury while
the street fund is overdrawn. This
condition continues until the next
semi-annual payment of taxes is re-
ceived, when the fund is again set on
its legs, and the street people feel
flush and begin to give the citizens
work right where it is needed, and
there are always plenty of demands
for work. The struggle of Council al
so begins at the same time to keep
down the street expenses, but before
many weeks the City Clerk bobs up
with an 'eXhibit,' showing the condi-
tion Of the City funds and the street
fund is again in the dumps and over
drawn. That City Clerk is like Ban
quos' ghost, he haunts the Council
with those awful exhibits just when
they are getting along so beautifully
and giving the dear people such valu-
able improvements, always badly
needed, But such is life. The strug-
gle of man with his own finances is
only an epitome of the City's expert
ence from year to year 5. j. II,
Eurnt by Doentgcn Rays.