The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-01-12

legation, but we are not willing tol
stand for the excuse that the general
council was TO blame Overdrafts In
all the other departments. it is sig
niflcant, were caused by extraordinary
expenditures, and for every one OF
them except judgment and costs.
some permanent. public benefit may
be cited.
At the beginning Of the last year
the recent general council found a
floating debt Of O.64O.11. so a de-
felt is not so unusual. The general.
council paid it. This Mayor Yeiser|
mentioned, but he did refer to the
splendid equipment of the Paducah
city lighting plant. which was pur-
chased at a cost of s11, 900 in face OF
opposition, which would have insisted
on more costly machinery. There
was an additional expense of some
$1,000 for installing the apparatus.
All was paid except $S,7SO. and this
amount is outstanding according to
the terms of the purchase. Thus Is
Sill 56.61 of the floating debt &C
counted for. And the lighting plant
Improvement was an extraordinary
expense not considered at the begin
ming of the year.
Riverside hospital overdrew its
account $6,O53.57, "by reason of
many improvements being ordered,
that were no. contemplated in the be-
ginning of the year."
For the purpose of widening Tenth
street, a matter that scarce permitted
of delay, an unexpected Indebtedness
of $1,000 was incurred.
Then We come to the Cornelia
johnson judgment and costs, which
amounted to $5,OO6.66. This case
had not been disposed of in the court
of appeals at the commencement of
the year The preceding council had
not seen fit to provide for it, and the
last council did not. 1t was paid by
a note during the last month of the
year, thus throwing the responsible
ity for the $5.OO6.66 on the recent
council instead of the incoming coun-
ell.
The recent general council set aside
SO, 900 as a refund, which a former
general council had accepted from
the Cumberland Telephone company
in pursuance of an agreement that
the council went back on after spend
ing the money.
Thus it is seen that wherever a
deficit occurred there Is some material
benefit to be exhibited. The general
council was economical and guarded
the city's fund with care. The leg
islators managed the cit-'s affairs at
a saving of S1S,UOO to the taxpayers,
as compared with their predecessors,
who levied rate of 20 cents more
The actual running expenses Of the
city were paid easily out of the 81 l65
levy. The oyerdrafts were incurred
for extraordinary improvements, and
in mourning this indebtedness the
councilmen and aldermen showed
their courage and honesty. These i'm
provements had to come, yet they
could very well have allowed the
lighting plant extension, the widen
ing of Tenth street, the payment of
the Johnson judgment, the tender to
the telephone company, the i'm
provement of the Riverside hospital
and a dozen other matters go over
until this year, for this council to
bear. But they considered that the
city government will continue indeh-
nitely, and that the improvements
should be acquired at once so that
the citizens could enjoy their ben
efts 1t was poor politics, because
It affords their enemies an opportun-
| ity to misconstrue their conduct. But
those men after mourning the debts
in the open stood for reelection.
and manifested their willingness to
assume the burden of paying of
the obligations.
II the present general council ex-
hibts the fidelity, courage and econ
omy, that were characteristic Of its
predecessor. the city will have cause
for cungTatulation.
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