The record-union., 1899-09-19
SUMP WILL Be CONSTRUCTED
TRUSTEES TRANSFER THE NEG
ESSARY MONEY.
Mayor Land Offers to Advance
Money for Two Months Sal
aries without Interest.

aries without Interest.
At the meeting of the Board of Trus-
tees last night Trustees Mckay, Teb-
bets, Douglas, Paine. Dolan, Brown,
Kent, Bentley and Devine were pres
ent.
Emmett Phillips complained that he
had not been informed that bids were
to be called for for printing the supple
mental register and lost the oppor-
tunity to bid.
Trustee Tebbets said that he in
formed Mr. Phillips over the telephone
that bids would be opened on Satur-
day.
Trustee Bentley said that it was the
intention of the Finance Committee to
give every one an equal chance and not
to slight any one. Mr.. Phillips could
have seen the action of the board in
the newspapers. 1t was a rush prop
osition, as the register had to be
printed for the primaries.
Mr. Phillips said the proper place to
find out about it was the advertising
columns of the paper and not the re-
ports of meetings. where the reporters
We're liable to make mistakes
The sense of the board was that it
was too late to alter the action taken.
L. T. Hatfield addressed the board
on the subject of the sump. He spoke
of the conditions last winter and the
delay this summer in fixing the sump.
The sewers are open now at various
places and manholes poisoning the at
mosphere. The trouble is over the
phrase temporary sump," which is a
misnomer as it will not be tenn
porary one. There is $4,000 in the
general fund and the sump will cost
$4,000. The question now is whether
the Mayor and members of the board
are willing to put their hands in their
pockets and advance the necessary
funds to pay salaries and other ex-
penses. He thought public opinion of
the business men of the city would
find the money. The season is so far
advanced that it will be hard to COM
plete the sump before the heavy rains
set in, but action must be taken i'm
mediately. If the Trustees wish to be
reelected. now is the time for them
to make a record, good or bad, on the
subject. They must have the courage
to do what they think right, no mat
ter who criticises them.
Dolan wanted to hear from the Cor
poration Counsel on the subject.
Bentley said the question was wheth-
er the board had a right to make the
transfer at the expense of other claims,
There is one case in which the Mayor
can make an emergency expenditure,
and that is for the protection of the
levee. He thought that the case now
as the sump had been undoubtedly un-
dermining the leyee and weakened it.
He could consult the Auditor and Cor
poration Counsel as to what he could
do in the premises.
Mr. Hatfield said this could not be
called case of emergency, and the
provision is only to obviate the neees-
sity for advertising. The money must
be provided for in any case
Brown said the only question was the
transferring of money from the gen
eral fund He would not vote to take
out Of that fund the money on which
officers rely for their daily bread He
knew the southern part of the city was
liable to be flooded. but hoped the
board would think seriously before
making the transfer.
Tebbets thought if the Mayor were
called on he would advance the neces-
sary money for salaries. as he had done
once before.
Devine said that he thought if the
engines We're commenced it was safe to
pump from the sewer. the boilers could
be set up and the sewage pumped out,
and the sump question go over until
spring. He thought the sump could
be built for less than $4,000
General Tozer. T. B. Enwright and
T. B. Hall appeared for the Chamber of
Commerce and the former said he un-
derstood the plans for the proposed
stump had been drawn by the City En-
gineer and approved by Engineer
Grunsky, an engineer of the highest
ability. For himself he would say Go
ahead. Put in the sump, if you have
to throw it away next summer and I
will be one of the fifteen or twenty
citizens to put my hand in my pocket
TO pay for it."
Mr.. Hall said the fact that the sump
was approved by Mr. Grunsky
was enough for him. The only
thing necessary, it seemed to him.
was TO transfer the money to the sewer
fund and do the work Immediately. He
thought provision for the salaries could
made certain of his pay and the work
go on Immediately
Mr.. Enwright urged the immediate
prosecution of the work If the water
should back up a foot or two more
than 100000 worth of goods in the
cellars Of the heavy firms would be
damaged. The sump should be con-
structed Immediately.
Bentley said that all the board want
ed the sump constructed as soon as
possible. He thought the Mayor, Audi
tor and Corporation Counsel could find
some way to raise the necessary
money, but he would vote, if it could
not, to transfer the money
Dolan moved that $4,000 be trans
ferred from the general fund to the
sewer fund. as case of emergency
Mayor Land said the money could
not be drawn from the other funds.
If it is to be transferred. it should be
done tonight. As Mr. Enwright had
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