The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-09-24
Five Months of Scholey

rs to it's advancement and It's financial
outlay.
Tax payers have tendency to look
at these things once i'll a while and an
investigation at this time may lead the
people to wonder whether or not
the election of Mr. Scholey and his
friends to the offices Of the city was
an experiment which the city can af
ford. Some may think after this con-
sideration that Kenosha has had too
much Of Scholey already and too much
Of Democratic rule. Before the nomi-
nation Of Mr.. Scholey for mayor, form
err Mayor German declared that at the
close Of his term there would be
$145,000 in the city treasury. This
claim was not contested by Mr.. Scholey-
or by any Republican candidate, but
glance at the records Of the city
Since the election of Mr.. Scholey the
city has collected more than $4,000
for saloon licenses and from other
sources, so it is only fair to say that
the best information from official
sources shows that there has been
placed in the hands of the pres
ent city administration more than
$150,0O0 Of money contributed by the
tax payers of the city. At the end of
the five months Of the Scholey admins
tration the report of the city treasurer
showed a cash balance in all funds to
the amount Of sos, 1890. At the meet
ing of the Council held week ago,
the total appropriations crowded the
$4,000 mark so at the present time
with just five months Of sScholey as
mayor, the city has cash balance to-
day of less than $4,000. In other
words the administration Of the af-
fairs of the city in the five months has
cost the tax payer over 100000. This
should be a great awakening to some
of the so-called Republicans who voted
for Mr. Scholey with the idea that the
Republican candidates were not suit
able to govern the city.
It is only fair to the administration
to tell just what has been done in that
time. Many streets have been graded
but nearly all of them were on the
north side Of the city and the great
mass of people will probably overlook
this work on this account. The poll
tical friends of the administration have
been pretty well taken care Of and
places have been found on the city pay
roll for large number Of men who did
loyal service in the campaign. No
great work of improvement in the city
has been done with the possible excep
ton of the resurfacing Of Durkee
avenue. A portion of the cost of this
work, and only portion, has been ap-
propriated for. The remainder Of the
bill is yet to be paid. This will be one
piece Of work that will be fully com
pleted this year. It looks as if it
would be the only piece.
When Mayor Scholey and his Coun-
Gil went into office contract had been
let for the completion of the work
planned on Market Square and It was
thought that the work would be COM
pleted before this time. It was on this
street that the policy of delay of the
present Council first became apparent.
The street is in worse condition today
than it was when the election was held
and it will be physical impossibiity
to complete it as planned this year. The
work Of curbing South Exchange street
was started, but stopped when it was
within few hundred feet Of compile
tion and all efforts to have the work
continued have been without avail.
Market street, Grand avenue, Newell
street and Ashland avenue, still remain
unimproved, Notwithstanding the fact
that provisions for their improvement
were made months before Mayor Soho
ley and many of his associates were
nominated. The extension of the Flee
trio Railway Company remain uncom-
pleted Nothing has been done to get
purer water for the city. Not one cent
has been used toward building trunk
line sewer. Not one cent has been
spent for lake front protection, save
at the foot Of two small streets on the
south end OF the city. The city has
not taken over any new land for parks
and not single public building has
been erected, the Council has paid
nothing to the School Board in this
time.
The streets of the city have been
kept in fairly good condition, but it
hardly seems that the condition would
warrant the great expenditure that has
been made in the street department.
The north end of Main street has been
raised at cost Of $1,000, but this
could not be called great expenditure
of public funds. In fact the vast sum
of money seems to have been dribbled
away in small expenses.
There are members of the Council
who are seeking to serve their constitu-
ents with honesty and fairness, but
they must bear the blame Of the admin
istration IS wastefulness. Ism t it about
time for some one to call halt9