Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-10-08
Street WORK STOPS;
SCRIPT IS UNSO[D
Mayor Bloom Issues State
ment Explaining Why
Men Were Let Out.
FINANCES ALL RIGHT
But Scrip Is On Hand and Money is
Necessary to Meet the
PayroIlS.

Mayor Simon Bloom announced yes
terdaN that all of the city employees
in the street dcpartment-eleven ne
groes-had been Let out and that no
street work will be done in this city
until some disposition is made of scrip
| that is on hand and which ii is neces-
sary to dispose OF to meet payrolls.
Mayor Bloom has about $4,000 in
scrip that could be used. if sold, in
bringing about much public worl;
here in the way OF continuing the good
street work that has been done in re-
cent months by the street department.
Mayor Bloom has found it impossible
to do this work without seeing some
average Of $1.50 day.
Mayor Bloom, as the last quarterly
financial report of the city shows, has
reduced the debt Of the city since last
April 100000, but despite this good
showing it seems difficult matter at
this time to place the city scrip-and
this III the face of an appropriation of
$4,000 made by the city council re-
Gently to insure the immediate re.
demption of the scrip of city en-
ployes.
Mayor Bloom issued statement-a
hJJC inn {l{n
which he reviews the financial sltua-
ton as to the city and in which he says
he has exhausted every method of rails
ing funds for the city government He
has tried to dispose of the scrip at
banks, with merchants and even made
a special trip to Chicago and st. Louis
recently with that end in view. His
street department fund is considerably
ahead OF the allowance made in the
budget for that department, as he has
practiced economy in carrying out it's
work. His. statement follows:
"To the Public:
The city being without any cash
money with which to pay labor all work
on the streets will have to wait for
better times. AS stated on any num-
Der of occasions, the city is without
funds to properly take care Of the fire
and police departments. AS mayor of
your ciyt, l feel it my duty to ac-
quaint the public with these condi-
tions.
81 am not placing the blame fol
such conditions on any one, believing
that what has been done before me
was all done with the best of intent
ions. l do not believe that the good
citizens Of Pine Bluff will try to place
any blame on the present administra-
ton for conditions as they now exist
The city, through it's council, to re-
lieve the situation, voted to place
twenty five thousand dollars in war;
rants in the hands of the Board of
Public Affairs to be sold to relieve the
situation and pay the fire and police
department in cash. l have used ev-
cry effort in my power To dispose OF
these warrants. At my own expense
l made trip to st. Louis and Chi
cage for that purpose. / failed in
this. Our local banks will tell you
that have appeared before them and
asked for their assistance and advice
on number of occasions. The money
situation being such that just at this
time although the banks have hereto
fore. l am told, been very kind,
could not get them to take warrants
Since l have served the cityeas mayor,
only one time did the banks take any
of the city's warrants; and had it not
been for Mr. ]. w. Mathews and Mr.
F. w. Eek, l believe we would be
without fire and police protection
now. In May Alderman Fox of the
Finance Committee, advised, If the
budget was changed and cut down,
the banks would help us out. This
was Immediately done by the men,
bers of the council. I have tried tc
run the city's affairs with as little
expense as is possible How we'll l
have succeeded l will leave to the
public and the books of the city.
feel sure our friends will appreciate
the position we are placed in, and
our regret is that we cannot do work
on the streets where it is badly need
ed. 1t is simply up to the public to
know of these conditions. as we can
not go on with the work when the
city cannot even pay for the feed for
the few teams we are now working.
Respectfully
"SIAlON BLOOM"
/ ~