The sun., 1901-09-27
WILL FIGHT
WATER BOARD
City Council Objects to Commis-
sions Purchase.
MR.. KANE PLANS TROUBLE
Chairman Of the Finance Committee
Opposed to Buying Ground for
a New Reservoir--C --COmmis-
siOner Belts Statement.

."rI,c fight IL on" said Chairman James
Kane of the finance committee of Clty
Council lnst night. This remark was
made by Mr.. Kane after the session OF
Council during which, action was taken
to holI up the Water Department i'll the
purchase of land from Thomas Il. Weldin
in Brandywine hundred for the building
of "A large reservoir. The following resc-
luton was adopted:
"Wnercas, Ii has come TO the know
ledge of this Council that the Board
of Water commissioners are negotiat NJ
for the purchase of Il piece of land adj
jncpnt to the city, therefore be it
"Resovc,i, That the City Council in
regular meeting assembled appoint tn"
finance committee as committee for the
purpose of ascertaining the legality of
the transaction"
Mr.. Kane then moved, "That the city
auditor bc instructed to withhold his sig
nature to the checks passed at the meet
| ing of the Board OF Water Commission
crs today for the purchase Of the ground
until the report Of the committee is r".
ceived."
Have you any cause for that" asked
Mr.. Stewart.
Yes" replied Mr.. Kane, ''they have
been to the c.ty auditor and tried to get
the money secretly. They were There
this afternoon"
| The motion was passed without further
discussion.
| Immediately after the adjournment Of
Council Mayor Fisher and City Solicitor
Reinhardt were called into a conference
with the members Of the finance COM
mittee. City Solicitor Rcinhardt did not
agree with Mr.. Kane that the Water
Commissioners had attempted to get the
monry secretly. The committee instruct
ed Clerk IIamann to issue communica'
tion to City Auditor Boughman author.
1 ling lin to withhold his signature ia
the checks. This was done. According
to Mr.. Monaghan no further action wa.
taken except reaching the conclusion to
meeting with City Solicitor Reinhardt
next Monday night.
The action instructing the city auditor
to withhold his signature will fail of the
intended effect. The act creating thr
Water department transfers to that body
IAN power concerning the water supply OF
the city tllat was previously vested ii
Council. and further that in the event OF
the city auditor withholding his sigma
ture to checks of the department tli'
Board Of Water Commissioners can pass
them by unanimous vote and the city
auditor is then compelled to afiiy hi
signature though relieved of all respon
Sibility by the action Of the board.
This action will be tanen by the Watt"
commissioners unless in the meantim,
they are held mp by an injunction
President Belts of the department ne
Iieves that the court will not uphold sucl
m injunction, il 1t is filed, inasmuch n
the commissioners have done nothing il
legal
WHAT PRESIDENT BELTS SAYS
When seen last night Immediately afte
the session Of Council President Bett
of the Board of Water Commissioner
said: Il believe Mr.. Kane will give u
lll the trouble he can. Regarding til
matter of the city auditor Withholding
his signature to checks the law specific
that in that event he must return III
I checks to the department and state hi
objections to signing them. Then at
subsequent meeting the board can pas
the checks by unanimous consent an
the law requires that the city audto
, sign them; but the action of the boar
+ relieves him Of all responsibility.
$ Regarding the matter of Council film
m injunction to restrain the departmei
from making such expenditures rs AZ
: lobjpcted to Mr.. Belts said he did II,
4 believe the court would uphold such II
injunction. II believe we have done
!. wise thing" said Mr.. Belts.
p This body is not for the purpose {
t raising taxes as Mr.. Kane seems I
!. think. and as to the matter of the su
o plus which must be turned over to Coul
ell, it would he different thing IL th,
money was used for paying off wat,
\ bonds and other bonds as specified
n the law, but it is not; it is used fl
@ general expenses.
Now as to the question of trying
have those checks signed secretly that
not so. Mr.. Grohe and Mr. Weldin wei
;. to Mr.. Boughman this afternoon simp
;, because Mr.. Weldin wanted the none
I Mr. Grohe went to show the authori
N FOR the expenditure of the money.
n "If Mr.. Kane does succeed in stoprii
d this purchase there is another point
q probably has forgotten to consider Al
that is he may make the city liable +
heavy damages.
I'VE have done nothing illegal N
1 in fact had Mr.. Rcinhardt's opinion til
a we had all right to make the purcha
i before we did anything"