The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-08-26
SKIN GAME PROPER
NOW ATTEMPTED
The City to Rob Either the Tax
payers or the Telephone Co.
Committee Meeting TO Consider
Proposition to" Compromise"
Matter.
AGEEMENT ALMOST REACHED

A meeting OF the railrosd and tele-
graph committee OF the general ooun-
ell was held this morning at the city
hsll to take up the matter Of oompro
missing the city's claims against the
East Tennessee Telephone Company,
and out of It is likely to develop one
of the biggest skin.games on record in
Paducah against the taxpayers, I'M
less the general council sits down on
IT,
The city has a number of claims
for LICENSE, franchise tax, pole rent
md other things against the tele-
phone and telegraph companies here
Eating back several years. The com
psnies have refused to pay number
Of the claims, claiming that they
are not legal, aud the city for some
reason has never either forced collec-
lion Of them II they are legally due
or wiped them off the books IL they
are not.
The East Tennessee Company, IL
has been figured out. is indebted TO
the city to the extent of something
over $1,000. The company denies
/ that il owes the bill, but has now pro
( posed TO pay the city sS, 900 sHd call
il square. That Is, il will pay the
city 50, 600 If the city cancels every
claim the city has against it or msy
have against it, up to January l.,
1905.
IL is understood that the members
OF the committee that met this
morning have virtually agreed 10
recommend TO the general council an
acceptance OF the compromise y
IL the general council agrees, the
city will thus be skinning the car
payers out Of half what is due,
80, 900 Of the $1,000, or be SHINING
the telephone company out Of what
ever 1t gets from the telephone com.
pany. II the company owes the city
81, 900, the city ought to collect Il If
the company dosen't owe It, the city
ought not try to collect Il, OF any part
of 1t seems to be the general opinion.
II the city collects the 50 0 90, how.
ever. it will get but half, or about
$1,000, by virtue Of an agreement IL
has with Attorney J. G. Flournoy
He is to get half of Whatever he col
lects from these companies. He will
get half this $1,000. although he has
collected nothing, and nothing will be
collected except by agreement Of the
city through the general council.
A great many people have already
begun TO ask questions.
One is, IL the city has g., 600 due IT,,
why doesn't the city collect it: II an
outside attorney is TO get half Of the
amount accepted by the city, why
doesn't he collect 1t without bringing
il before the committee, instead Of get
ting half for something the city itself
does by the general councils action
Another is, If e., 900 is due the city,
why doesn't the city collect $1,000
instead OF 90, 600? What right has
the city to cut the amount in half II
the entire amount is due? Does the
city thus "compromise" with ans
private citizen, concern, or company,
by splitting their'or its license, taxes,
or anything else in half? What mer
chant ever gets such a rebate; What
taxpayer has half his atxes refunded
Another thing is, IL this money is
; due the city, and il to be collected by
the city, why should an outside law
yer be given half Of it? Why doesn't
the city collect it through her owl
paid attorneys? Paducsh now has q
city solicitor, and in addition has just
employed big law firm at cost, n
is reported. of about $4,000. to assist
in doing what one man is already paid
regular salary to dn. II the city
solicitor can't collect these claims
why isn't il left to this new law firm
these assistants to the solicitor who
are to get a large slice of city funds
/, In other words, what possible ex
cuse is there for such a skin-game?
What will the tax payers think, il