Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-03-21
RIGID ECONOMY
As PRACT|CED
BY EXPERTS
HOW MR.. K0RBER FOUND
A GOOD PAYING TENAN
Being the Story Of the Eviction
of the CITY Council From the
Library Building by a FIinty
Hearted Library Board,

WE FAVOR RIGID ECONOMY Y
IN ALL PUBLIC EXPENDITURES
Out of an the pledges made 10 the
people of Albuquerque in their plat
form ana by the candidates. the one
quoted above is probably the most inn
portant, second only to the pledges
first to build a complete. up-to-date
and adequate sanitary sewer system for
SlS3.00O. and, second, to build the
sewer and give us "a system OF graded
streets Tor half of what the republic
cans proposed 10 spend on the saui-
tary sewer alone, or $4,000.
Accepting this pledge. as They did
the others, in good faith, the people
ef Albuquerque looked forward hope
fully not only to business admins
tratiol but "a wise and capable hand
ling of the peoples money coupled
with rigid economy
Rigid economy. as most Of ms UNI
derstand IT, means the expenditure of
the least amount OF money in the best
possible way to attain the necessary
result.
When this administration took
charge the city council was holding
meetings IN the public library buid
ing where it turned Wnen forced Go
give up the ola building at Second
and Tlieras. which through long mis-
management had continued as the
city hall"
A previous council had purchased
piece of ground at the corner of See
ond and rijeras, FOR use as a site for
Il city hHll. while another admins
tiation had set aside "a special taN'
levy. 10 he par away for use in build
ing a city hail when the right Tune
should come. The city government in
"A word, was getting along as best il
could pending the time when, either
by accumulation, or through bond
issue. the money would be available
for building the city hail II WIS not
the best way; hut It served the pur-
pose
The previous administration submit
ted to he People it proposal to vote
bonds for cityhall. A large major
ity OF the votes east were in favor nf
the city hail bonds but the import
lnco of the matter was not clearly un-
iefstood by the people The eligible |
voters did not come out. The vote
cast was light and while twO-thirds |
II those east were for the bonds, 1t
.Vas found that two-thirds of those |
eligible to vote. meaning tax payers, /
lad not voted. The city attorney, !
therefore, held that the bonds could |
lot be legally issued.
II had been the purpose to submit (
his matter to the people again, with !
clear statement of the need for .
'ity han. ana there is little doubt
iad this been done, that the bonds
would have Carried.
When this administration came in,
hen, the council was meeting IN \
room in the library
The city engineer had an
ffice there much more comfortable
nd much better suited to his needs
han the one he is now occuNlng. The
ity clerk had an office in the center
+ the business district. conveniently
Dcated next to the mayors personal
usiness office. The fire department
ad quarters on North Second street
rom which the department could get
ut as quickly as II can from it's pres
Mt quarters. rhe police court, the
hicf Of police and the city jail were
forrying along and the iail, while a
oor one. was little wOl So than the
ne now in use, as regards light, air
nd sanitation.
1t was about this time that Mr.
1cob Kofber, public spirited citi-
IN and well known democratic war
orsc. considered building one story
uilding ON North Second street lie
ns encouraged to build three story =
uilding and while his existing con- Z
act with the city WAS under consid
ration he stated. at "a committee !
lecting In Mayor Lesters office that
ne of the conditions inducing him To J
und his building three stories was
rat Mr. o. y Marion had promised .
, uct him "a tenant MIR. koThrr did =
ot state whether or not Mr. Marion
ld the city in mind at the time. $
3N "a curious coincidence. IL was Z
,out this time that the lihrory board F,
hitch did not MS" the rooms then /
ling occupied by the city informed G
ie citS council that it would have 10 a
,y the library rent It was in the t
tturc of an ultimatum. The city T.
ust either pay rent or move out ii
cte we have the curious spectacle
the mayor. who appointed. and the [
ilncil who confirmed. being notified \
the appointees that the city must d
owe ont or pay rent il
The council moved out. IT was evil
ntlN concluded that IL the city had !.
pay rent to some one II was wiser, y
ore economical and better for the -
lbic interest TO pay II into the cof
rs of a private citizen than to pay ID
to city Institution. whore " could
used Tor the public benefit nj
The council made a deal with Mr. 1,
orher 10 rent certain portions of his ~
Hiding for sl200 a year with $50 in
ditional for heat The members
the council today do not know how nl
Ich money they have spent in tiNing al
MIR korhers $ building THE charge ga
S been ,ariously estimated at from n'
500 To iLS0o. But the expenditures M
re scattered over several months
"a mo- one apparently knows how r.
ich of the city's money has gone in- hi
the building. s'
The city owns a lot entirely suitable ~
city hail. II rs used at present N'
a wagon yard. and the only result
the cit, il that sidewalk which ""eo
CITY paid for Is being broken up
the wagons n,
There are. or Should be-. approx Il,
telY $4,000 in the city han huild- H.
fund. Within another year this hl
nj should increase to $4,000. -
For Sf0.non the city could build q