El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-05-20
THE PEOPLES MONEY
Should Not by Any Means be Diverted
From its Legitimate Uses.

From Its Legitimate Uses
The city council is usually unani
mously in favor of doing the wrong
ming. In this case, happily, there ls
q difference of oplnioo. The facts are
| these: In the Sta National bank,
9. r Morebesd, president and boss,
Joseph Magoffn, vice president ano
mayor, tn re lies q certsin fund OF
nineteen hundred dollars. 1t is fair to
presume that the BANK is making 5 t.
10 per cent on the monsy, or e95 TO
$3.50 each year. This money is nom
inaily in the city treasurer's hand.
1t has been there for q year. 1t is part
of q tund of $4,000 which was raised by
speci 81 levy for the particular pur-
pose Uf improving tbs reefs AID side
walks of e. Paso. Now large section
of the most honorable city council
want to use this money to build u new
city jail. But we will let the aldermen
tax.
Mr.. Clifford said to q HERALD re-
porter: Last year there was IN the
c ty tressurer's hands, aud deposited
in the s ate National bank, the sum of
about $1,000. After the flood last wear
there Were some bad holes mad, il
streets and sidewalks by the bui dog
of levees in the second ward, and about
800 of this improvement fund was
used to repair these places. That left
US q balaoce Of $500 still on hand and
10 the treasury to be used to improve
the sidew alks and the streets Now l
favor of taking this amount ard divid-
log it equally among the four wards of
the city, ueiugiit as far as it will go for
the purpose for which it was collect
ed"
Mr.. Clifford stated further that he
thought that at the next general tax
levy the ra to shO I'D be so Increased as
to keep up the work of improvement
In our streets and sidewalks. s.Of
the city docs need a new Jail, but 1
hink that the streets should be fixed
iret. But of course if 1 can't get it
used for improvements 1 will be glad
to see it used for q Jail"
On heing asked for what amount he
tho aght the whole city could be put IN
good condition. he said, Il believe it
will take between ten and fif cen
thousand dollars" Mr.. Clifford con-
tinued, "None of the money used in
he 81 ward was used for sidewalk
purposes, and therefore that ward de-
3 erves ts share ii we 30 use the ba-
lance. There are some people that
that the sidewalks are not q
part of the street, but hold thai they
are, and l think that the reason the
ouncil won't act is becsu 9 they
rink that they would be improving
private properly at public expense"
Mr.. A. M. Robinson, chairman of
the street and grading comm ttee,
when called on by the HERALD report.
r. said, I'VE all realize that the
.mou"t on hand in the treasury is not
) f1icient to Improve the whole city,
n - So -,
AK for this purpose as tuere is a con-
Fl citing law existing in the state
-tatutes." Mr.. Robinson stated fur
Their that the committee would be more
than wiling to lend the city teams to |
citizens where all the residents in an |
ent re block would combine in helping |
TO improve the streets and sidewalks |
facing their property, and that they |
would be especially glad to help those |
On North Oregon rect.
Alderman Bum err, who is the third |
member of tt is committee, was seen |
aud on being asked how he stood on |
his latter he said,'' 81 am for using
what money we have on hand for fixing
Up the streets that need it the most.
While we can use what money we
pave, aud fix up the worst places, l |
,hink that the city council ought to
manage in some way to levy a tax by
~hich means the entire city could be |
improved in her streets and side
vnlks.'' Mr. Drummer said further, 81
hink that the city should give o eaon
treet it's much needed Improvement.
or that street needs it more than any
'ther street in town, and needs the i'm
right now" When asked
q TO what he thought about taking
he street fund for Jail purposes, be
aid: Il am positively not In favor of
ny such move, and don't think the
treets should be neglected.