The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1910-12-30
OUR CITY FATHERS MEET.
The Vernon Contract Discussed.

After the roll call and the reading o
the minutes the following business wa.
transacted:
City Register, NJ. A. McCaffrey, re
ported the receipts and expenditures o
the city. from June goth to December
goth, 1910. The receipts for that period
were $57, 9a.6o, and the expenditures,
$47, SS4. rs. with cash balance on hano
of 50, so8.4I.
One OF the principal items in the re.
ceipts was S5o,o34.oS for taxes for the
wear 1910. The amount oftaxes received
for the year 1904 to 1909, inclusive,
aggregated $4,eIo.3I. The amount
received from water rents, was SS,oII;
from liquor licenses from the county
clerk, $S3I.25; from market stands and
scales, SOFA SO, from fines from police
magistrates, $23e.so from property
owners for share in street paving on
North Market street. $3.50. so.
Among the expenditures were interest
on coupons, $40, gas; tax levy for sinking
fund, S4,I79. IS; salaries. $s,745. 81; street
account, S4,o6S. 80; street paving, So, 600;
Carroll street sewer, 81, IS; electric
lights, $5,254.73; fire companies, $4,000. 80;
interest on coupons, $4,000 loan, J
$I,44o; water works, SI,372.64. The re-
port was accepted.
Mayor Schell asked what the board
intended to do about the contract be-
tween Colonel George w. F. Vernon
and the city relative to the collection of
the city's war claim. City Attorney
Smith read the letters which had been
received from Colonel Vernon, in which
he refers to the resolution passed by the
city officials on September goth, 1885,
when the contract for the collection
of the claim was signed by Mayor Lewis
H. Doll. The letter referred to claims
which had been collected by Colonel
Vernon and emphasized that he did not
intend to abandon the collection of the
war claims.
In answer TO letter from CITY At
torney Smith as to what he had done in
the matter, Colonel Vernon stated that
the contract did not require him to give
bill of particulars or render any state
ments. 1t is also stated that he did not
intend to relinquish the claim. Accord
ing to the contract made by the city,
Colonel Vernon is to receive 81 IA per
cent. of the amount collected. He
claims TO have the exclusive control of
such collection, the contract being ire
vocable.
City Attorney Smith stated that he had
looked up the authorities on the case,
but had failed to find any case where a
contract Of this character could be annull-
ed 1t was suggested that the city could
employ some one else to collect the
claim, and leave the settlement OF the
matter relative to Colonel Vernon's con-
tract until later. N
Mayor E. Y. Goldsborough was before
the board to offer his assistance in the
matter. He raised the point as to
whether the Aldermen at the time that
the contract was made, had secured
authority by an act of the Legislature.
He thought that the matter should be
pushed forward, and suggested that the
board appoint committee from the
Board of Trade, and that additional
counsel be employed
He urged that an effort be made to
get the matter before the Board of
Claims, for the city could prove its case,
that the claim is different from the ordi-
nary war claims before Congress, in that
the city had saved the governments
property, having statements and affi-
davits as proof thereof The city, he
said, could ask for such amounts on the
basis of the salvage of this property.
The following bills were passed and
ordered to be paid:
H. c. Roberts, Electric Supply
Company ......................."...$ 81 I6
General Electric Company. ......... 81
The Darling Pump and Manufact-
urlng Company. .................. az 90
Anchor Packing Company. 20 oS
K. d. Wood and Company......... 100 oS
The National Carbon Company. $50 ga
Maryland Brick and Supply Co... 81 90
Tahler lime and Stone COMPANY. 40 90