Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-03-07

been met by money raised by taxation
premium on bonds sold and other unap-
propriated moneys.
The net result of all transactions was
an increase in the temporary loans of
=, 7G5.21 And for this increase the city
has more TO show for its money than in
any previods year of lis history-new
streets, new sidewalks, ne sewers, new
bridges, new granite VII vail, engine
house repaired, poor farm repairs, new road
machine, teachers salaries paid 10 he ex-
tent of Il 200 that usually is carried over
to the following year; outstanding
orders of only =, 1920, and so on, and so
on There is no need of gong INTO de-
tails; the printed report gives them all.
Now let US take up some Of the charges
i'll the Commercial article:
/. The time between settlement day
and election day was three weeks. Set
tlement day was Feb. IA; the report was
made up, as is usual, as soon as possible
after that date, goin G to the printers ON
the 25th, and they We're delivered as
agreed IN one week. The charge hat the
report was purposely delayed Is absurd.
There was nothing to conceal: its con-
tents were known in general way before
it was printed; the details have been
given from to month right through the
year, and four weeks ago THE AMERICAN
gave in substance the general res ult, and
the report as printed confirms all that
was then said.
2. 1t is charged that Clifton Woodward
received S641.41. This is true, he did re-
ceive it, and for it he gave to the city
throughout the year his own services, in
cuding team, for which he himself re-
eeived 1922, being at the rate of 81 per
day; the ba baance--S319. .41-was paid for
his man with team, both working on
highways and sidewalks.
3. The horrible charge is made that J.
H. Higgins received 1888 95 for his work
on sidewalks. He did, and he earned his
money.
4. Mayor Davis is charged with receiv
ing 1899 S0-the implication being that he
received that amount street commits
sioner, after agreeing TO work for
nothing. The facts are these: of this
sum S2o5 was paid for the new ruad ma
chine; the balance was pa4d TOR repairs
on city machinery, for teams and labor on
streets. Not u single cent Of this sum
trent into Mr.. Darts pochetS.
TO quote Mayor Davis's own words:'
Il worked twenty-three days in June,
and eleven days III July GA the Streets l
have never presented a bill fer services,
and of course | never intend to.a
o. The charge is made that the mayor
has spent S10,0402 20, when he was allowed
only $1,000 The sum mentioned has
! been spent; that part of the charge is
] true, and The city has something to show
for it, TO enumerate sewers; cost
(about) $500; paving, $500; wing wall
west end of bridge, $500; new culverts,
including the two large ones on Main
street, say $1,000. All this was extra work,
over and beyond the usual work for
which the original appropriation of
IS, 600 was made.
These extra expenses We're provided for
in the customary and proper way by
transferring to the highway fund unused
moneys from other funds.
The next awful charge is hat Sl.O49.14
has been spent on sidewalks. Again the
"charge" must be admitted to be true
The appropriation was 10000 the balance
of the expense was provided for usual.
For the money expended the city can
show permanent improvements in the
shape of concrete walks that have been
proved one of the best expenditures the
city ever made. Nobody begrudges a
cent of he money thus spent.
l. Next we have the statement that he
last administration left 3 ,279 - to pay
for the new bridge. This is truo-on pa
per. This statement is clearly an attempt
to deceive. How could there be balance
of 3 900 when there WAS, according TO the
treasurer's report, but S65 in he treasury?
Everybody who cares to know, knows
that these alleged balances are merely
paper accounts.
s. The statement is next made that the
amount appropriated for city purposes for
1897 was S40,950, and that $50 ,66S10, was
spent. OF course the inference intended
to be drawn from this statement is
that the debt has been increased SIS ,0oo
more infamous falsehood by i'm
plication could scarcely be made. It
ought really to have been made stronger;
for, with equally good reason, the
total expenditures of Sos, ,731 96 might
have been taken. The fact is that TO
the appropriation of $3.50 should be
added the state and county taxes, the
overlays, interest, coupons, city notes
paid, and all the rest of the city treas
urer's account.
Or to put it another way, deducting all
these items from the total expenditures, it
will be found that the statement made at
the beginning of this article is absolutely
n
creased S2, 1924, and not SIS 600,
9. "Our city debt is about $50, 00O. " says
this letter. This is an unmitigated
falsehood. The city debt is SS4 ,245 20. of
which the bonded debt is s5S 800, and
temporary loans S23, ,150-all bearing in
terest at per cent.
The city's assets amount to S2I ,O45. 30,
lea inlr Il ct dGht nt SEQ 14l