The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-01-04

council that it be authorized to get
prices on property, and subsequently
asked for authority TO purchase the
same. Common courtesy would have
indicated that the board Of public
works had least be consulted in regard
to its needs and requirements. The
board of public works, dealing with
the personal property Of the city
daily, certainly has more of the needs
of the department than a committee
who are Office men and have:no prac-
teal knowledge of the needs OF the
department.
Had this committee, however, made
a purchase OF suitable real estate
the matter might have been passed
over unnoticed, but the purchase
made by the committee is so, at vari-
ance with the practical needsEof the
city and out of harmony with the
economy necessary, to be practiced in
the city finances that it would be I'M
wise to allow the measure to pass. In
the first place the location selected
for city stables were about as unhandy
as they could possibly be for the need
of the city as has already been re-
ported by the board of public works
In the second place the city does not
need a whole block of land on which
to build stables for ten or eleven
heads of mules with a few carts and
wagons, and now and then two or
three heads of stray stock. The city
is now getting along for these pur-
poses in space equal to about one city
lot and hence one quarter of block
of land would be ample for the city
needs, and hence it is matter of eX-
travagance to buy a whole block when
less than one-quarter of a. block is
needed
AS already stated in the communica-
ton from the board of public works
there is plenty of property in the city
already belonging to the city and IN
used that might be utilized for city
stable and thus save the useless ex-
penditure of s1.350.00 for practically
useless property.
The city has on Baylen street wharf
three pieces of streets, which it uses
occasionally for storing ballast, and
either of which might be profitably
utilized for a site for a city stable.
1t is an admirable location and the
streets running east and west in the
middle of the block where private
parties have obtained permanent in
functions against the city from ever
opening a street through 1t is not
at all probable, however, that the city
would ever want to open a street at
all of these places even though it
were not restrained from doing so. At
any rate there will be little trouble
to obtain suitable land in a suitable
location for city stables without so
large and useles, an expenditure of
money as proposed by the finance
committee
To sum up / veto this ordinance for
the following reasons:
First. Because the purchase of
property for this particular purpose
is the duty of the board of public
works under approval of the mayor
and council and rot the duty OF the
finance committee.
! Second Because the property pur.
chased is entirely unsuitable for the
needs of the board of public works
Third. Because the property is
much more than is needed for the pur
pose and hence an unnecessary ex
penditure of money.
Fourth. Because the city has prop
erty much better situated that il car
use for this purpose, thus saving the
useless expenditure of s1.35O.OO.
Respectfully submitted.
CHAS. H. BLISS.
M2yor-