Norwich bulletin., 1910-02-12

At the January meeting of the court
of common counoiI Mayor Mahan took
public exception to sections OF the
farewell message of Mayor Armstrong
which the present mayor declared was
prepared with the evident intent to de-
ceive the people. At his suggestion the
finance committee wa sinstructed to
inYes gate the matter and to make re-
port at the February meeting the ac-
tual amount of cash in the treasury at
the close of the Mahan admfnistra-
ton in 1906, and the amount in the
treasury at the close OF the Armstrong
administration in 1903. Alderman Rog-
ers, chairman OF the committee, stat
ed that the committee had prepared
the report. and gave as reason for not
presenting the report at that meeting
was the absence of other members of
the committee. Therefore it was read
lily accepted as report of progress,
and the committee was continued with
the understanding that actual report
will be made at the next meeting.
Now that the matter has been stirred
up, the dear public is interested and
want to get at the facts in the matter,
and mere statement of the amount
of cash on hand at the periods stated
would not OF themselves be satisfying.
The unpaid bills should be taken into
consideration; for If the report show
ed that, for instance at the end OF the
Mahan administration there was $23-
600 in the treasury and bills due
amounting to even more than that
III,
administration there was s22, 600 on
hand and not a quarter of the amount
was required to pay the outstanding
bills, why then the report would be in
favor of the Armstrong as against the
Mahan administration, although the
greater sum remained in the treasury
on Mayor Mahan's retirement from Of
flee. So, gentlemen of the committee,
report will be above suspicion of po-
litical trickery.
Mayor AIahan is perfectly justified
in having himself and his associates
during his former administration plac-
ed before the public in their true light
as municipal managers, and to prove
to the public that the statements of
former Mayor Armstrong were not true |
as regarded the finances OF the city. |
OF course the reason given for not sub |
hitting the committee report at the |
February meeting was extremely finn |
sy SO 1t is hoped it will be given in /
detail and without coIoring at the |
March meeting.
The message of Mayor Armstrong |
was delivered Sept %, 1909, and the |
finances were given consideration to |
Sept. 1 the ex-rnayor stating plainly .
that "in order to obtain the exact IN
balances to October l, 1909. |
there should be deducted from this
amount the payments for the month
of September" Here is one paragraph
of the Armstrong message that is OBJ
jected to by Mayor Nathan;
: "The cfty's business was so financed
on Sept. 1. 1909, there was S225.000 IN
the city treasury in cash. On entering
upon our term of Office in October,
1906. we found an accumulation of bills
and depleted treasury"
Still at the second meeting OF the
Mahan administration authority was
given to borrow money 10 meet the
current expenses OF the city until such
time as the city tax was collected
Mayor Armstrong In his message. by
way or explanation, says: Tin october,
1906. we found the city treasury prac- /
.ica1ly empty, that is to say, If the bills
,n hand at that date had been paid,
here would not have been q dollar on
deposit to The order of the city treas
lrer, in the fund used for the pay
nent of city bills. and il would have
been necessary to raise q substantial
'um " square the bills. We found