Evening journal., 1903-06-26
LAST MEETING
OF OLD COUNCIL
CONTINUED From First Page)

for this action upon my part is that
feel that the public should know these
facts and 4 also feel % a matter of justice
to myself ia view of the many unreason-
able statements that have been made
against the finance committee of this
Council feel. too. that now, at the close
OF my term. the public will appreciate the
conditions as here presented in perhaps a
different light than they have heretofore
understood them.
In the first place l want to say that
when assumed the position as chairman
of the finance committee. IN July, 1899, the
budget for The fiscal year OF 1899 and 1900
had been adopted by Council; therefore, 1
had no control over it; that ls, as TO the
fixing of your appropriations and estimat-
ing upon the receipts. The amount esti-
mated by the preceding chairman Of the
finance committee. Mr.. James b. Oberly,
as likely 10 be received from the Water
! Department J do not know but as q mat
ter of TACT ON December o. 1893. the sur
lulus turned over TO Council was 500. .23i. Of,
or S27.59O. Il less Than was returned the pre-
vious year. IL viii be seen from this that
at the end of the fiscal year ending June,
which had to be met by "a loan from the
bank. At The meeting of Council in June.
1900. the nnance committee recommended
the adoption Of our report shat the tax
rate should be $40 based upon the as
sessment as presented by the Board Of As
seasment and Appeals. and after calcula-
tlon upon the various sources OF revenue
and a reasonable estimate upon the re-
ceipta from the Water Department, in
stead of "a surplus coming up to our esti-
mate, IL fen short more than $4,000 less
than the previous year. In 1901 the tax
rate was raised TO sl.50 on the $780, and
some relief was afforded by the I.egisla-
ure authorizing q bond issue.
In 1902 the same condition prevailed and
your finance committee received the sun
OF s10Ai.l0 from the Water Department
and last year the surplus diminished I'd
T2S7.u During my first year as chair.
man OF the finance committee I'm conjunc.
tlon with the tax collectors there was as
sessed property for city and school pur.
poses that had never before been assessed
namely the road beds of the streets uset
by the railway companies, also that uset
by the gas company. as well as the poles
and equipments of the different telegraph
and telephone companies and so convinced
was your committee OF the wisdom and
right to make these assessments that. not.
wlthstanding the adverse opinion and ad
vice of the then city solicitor your com
mittee entered into an agreement with r.
c.. Harman Esq, making contrac
which. while Il netted a large fee, to tn,
attorney, also netted very large amount
OF revenue to the city. revenue that had
never before been received. and which IL g.
fair to assume viii be perpetual.
The terms OF that contract were tina
Mr.. Harman was to receive one-half OF thl
amount of the settlement if the cases werl
decided favorable 20 the city. and IN an,
event that the decision would be against
the city would not have had TO pa,
one dollar The amounts received from
the new source OF revenue thus established
was S30S5i.3S. OF course. this is not tn,
annual revenues from these sources, bui
cover in some cases three years ana ir
others only one and two years. However
the revenue expected to be derived from
these sources this year will amount TO be
tween $4,000 and $4,000. The leading point