The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-09
SESSION OF
COMMITTEE
0N'CLAIMS

The session OF the city committee on
claims yesterday afternoon was produc-
tive OF considerable sensation and inter-
esting revelation.
The matter OF the unpaid school com
mittee bills amounting to $4,000 provoked
heated discussion and an exchange or
several pointed opinions bearing on the
financial conduct OF the school commit
tee. President RueclRt representing
the school committee. Stated that the
only duty OF the council is 10 pay the bills
as long as there Is money TO the credit
OF the committee no matter when the
bills were contracted. either this year,
last year or a dozen years ago.
City Solicitor Colwell emphatically stat
ed that such a suppositon was unreason-
| able. and that IL was foolish TO believe
| that any committee had the right 10 con-
! duct city affairs I'm that way. why, II
F, that were so" he said. "the school COM
mittee or any other committee, for that
matter. might bankrupt the city with
| out interruption.
Mr. Rueckert mainly contended that the
city council did not give tho school com
| mittee enough money TO run the schools
the school population.
The committee finally stated that II
would thoroughly consider the claims and
report TO the council az an early date.
The hearing was held about 39O in the
office OF Daniel +. Hayden, council clerk
Mr. Rueckert argued that by a state
statute the school department was given
supervision OF the schools and given au-
thority 10 eNpend the money necessary
10 manage the schools orders by the de-
partment he said therefore should be
| hk he q there
Is money i'm the city treasury TO the
credit OF the school department, whether
1901 appropriation. In substance. he
wished to impress upon the committee the
fact that there was no limited time made
for the use OF the money appropriated
practice. he stated that IL had always
been the custom TO carry over bills from
year to year and and S never before had such
Mr. Colwell-Do / understand. then
that you hold that an appropriation made
for this year can be drawn upon 10 set
tie last years bills without special pro-
vision for that end?
MIR. Rueckert-eYs That is my con-
MIR, Colwell-Then | say that that pre-
sumption is mighty funny one. The
school committee or any other commit
tee might. therefore, bankrupt the city
! cannot be SO; why, it's unreasonable.
! Mr., Rueckert-I hold that we are
not limited 10 the fiscal year The law
which regulated that was repealed when
| this later chapter. noted by US I'm our
! communication, was passed.
Mr. Colwell--Of course, we don't doubt
| that these bills should be paid and that
| they were necessary. but do think that
| the committee has exceeded its authority
! I'm contracting for bills when II was
| known that the department was behind.
| The department clearly exceeded It's
| bounds.
TAX CLAIMS.
At > O'Clock the claims committee took
| un6Ir consideration petitions for remis-
! sions OF taxes.
! Mrs. Lucy r.. Carpenter, represented by
! ex-Police Commissioners Sam II. Bullock.
petitioned for relief from assessment
on 1000 shares OF traction stock she hav-
! ing been misunderstood by the assessors.
! Her holdings are limited TO 20 shares. val
! ued at 5000 The case was taken under
advisement by the committee.
Henrietta Wordsworth OF 753 Westmns-
ter street presented her claim for $50.
stating that during the Burroughs & Ken
| Won fire hosemen entered her apartments,
! dragged "A hose over her carpet and
| cnused damage to curtains and other fix
/ lures
Arlon Mov,ry of North Smithfeld re-
| duested the remission OF n tax OF $500
levied on him as resident OF this city,
| he being voter In North Smithfield
Justin Davis sought remission OF
tax on sl2n. stating that he had decided
| the property away He had not told the
! assessors of his action 80 his petition was
! denied.
William Fitch acting for Walter r.
/ Fiske requested an abatement OF taxes on
/ the nsolvent estate OF said Fiske.
The Rhode Island Hospital Trust com
| pany, trustee OF the estate OF Annie IL.
! Babbitt asked for n remission OF tax, on
/ the ground OF double assessment
| Chester W. Barrows. representing Mary
! j. Willis administratrix OF the estate or
| James MaNan. asked for "a remission OF
| tax OF sii R. also on the ground Of double
/ assessment.
Another case OF abatement was involved
! in the claim OF William r. Hopkins for
! overtaxation. Mr.. Hopkins stated that he
| and his sister Jointly had personal proper
! ~ TO the value or $1,000, but that the en-
/ tire tax had been levied against him.
! Frank r. Finley asked for remission
/ OF tax OF $3.50 levied against him on the
! ground that he had no real or personal
| property.
Charles Hargraves, another claimant
| who said that he had made no legal re-
| turns 20 the assessors, was the next to re-
quest n remission OF tax while Charles
Plant followed with another such claim,
| his tax being 500 personal property and
\ $500 real estate.
The last claim was that of John r.
/ Maglione who sought redress for an as
sessment on n valuation or 374O0 on
property worth but si300. In his case tho
council has no Jurisdiction