The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-09-20
BOND QUESTION
AIRED IN COURT
JUDGE RUSSELL HEARD ARGU-
MENTS IN DISTRICT COURT
LAST NIGHT.

last night Judge Russell took up tn,
case affecting the funding bond issue
Tom Norman, who as a citizen, oh
| jected when the case was first present
ed yesterday morning at o'clock OF
the ground that one of the warrants
proposed to be funded had been issuet
to the Rock Island railway company
in payment for building the viaduct on
Fifth Avenue, northeast, was in court
and objected to having these bonds
issued on the ground that every war.
rant issued was absolutely void
He stated that he desired to have
the city officials make proof that ey-
cry single warrant had been issued
according to law and for labor, mate
rial and goods furnished the city.
That he was going to insist upon the
city officials showing that these war
rants were within the statutory limits
for issuing warrants; and that he was
going to insist that every single war
rant be presented in open court.
There are several hundred of these
warrants as is shown by the list pub
lished in The Daily Ardmore,te of
August 5th, 1910, and If the court
should require the holders of these
warrants to be present in person and
make the proof insisted upon by Mr.
Norman, it would mean that the dis
trict court would be busy for several
weeks in this matter
Mayor COtner and City Clerk Bruce
took the stand and testified that all
Of the warrants indicated in the petit
ton had been duly and regularly is
sued for lawful municipal purposes
and that they had never been paid and
We're outstanding obligations of the
city. They testified that all of the
warrants issued by the city had been
checked and re-checked a great num-
ber of times and that the books had
been audited twice and the list of
warrants presented to the
court had Deen found to be absolutely
correct.
The court stated that he thought
the city had made a prima facia case
and that 1t would be necessary If Mr..
Norman desired to object to any war.
rants or series of warrants for him to
specifically state his objections to said
warrants.
Attorney w. F. Bowman appeared
in behalf of the Rock Island railroad
and he introduced the contract be-
tween the city and the railroad show
ing that the city was to pay for that
part of the fifth avenue viaduct which
was on the city's property and cover
ing the intervening space between the
Rock Island and the Santa Fe right of
way and being three hundred and
twenty-four feet in length, Mr.. Nor
man had contended that the city was
paying for the viaduct over the rail
road property.
Mr.. Burford, an attorney of TeXar-
kama, Tex, was present, representing
the Post Pipe company, who have
three warrants against the city aggre-
eating three thousand dollars.
The court instructed the clerk TO
let the minutes show that the court
would consider this matter from day
to dav until closed.
These warrants were issued just be-
fore statehood and dc.:n; the year,
1908, just after statehood and It will
be remembered that the city's taxes
we're not collected during 1908.
Since the commission form of gov
was adopted and the present
city administration went into power,
The city has been kept on a cash basis
and no warrants have been issued ex-
cept when there was money to pay
The same.
The case will be taken up again
this afternoon in the district court
at which time it is expected that Judge
Russell will give decision in the
matter.
The citizens are greatly interested
in this matter as nearly every person
in town has one or more of these out
standing warrants and the outcome of
The suit will be closely watched.
To Parents and Guardians,