The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-05-07

Inc people OF CnS CITY WCIC III
hopes that after election there
would be disposition on the part OF
all members of the city council to
work in harmony for the best inter-
ests of the city for if there ever was
time when the members should
work together it is at the present
time.
Mayor Bryan saw the need OF har-
mony in the council and in his open
ing address advised that there should
be forgetting of the past and an
endeavor on the part of all to worn
together. Since he has been at the
head of the city government he has
been endeavoring to bring this about
but unless we are mistaken there is
still disposition on the part OF few
to kick over the traces whenever
opportunity presents itself. Why
they are doing this is beyond us for
we cannot see where any good can
come from it.
The present council is not to blame
for the present financial condition of
the city and there is absolutely no
need of making things as difficult for
them as it is possible to make them.
When the present council took up
the reins of the city government on
the 1st day of May they were con-
fronted with this condition: There
was on hand in the general fund
according to the report of City
Treasurer Nels Lee just $5S3.07
with obligations outstanding amount
ing to $5SOO.OO, which included a
loan ofS21OO. 90 made in March 1914,
a loan from the library fund amount
ing to $1,000 and a loan from the
bond fund of $4,000. The first loan
is in the nature of certificate OF
indebtedness and must be paid on
March 1st, 1915. The bond fund
need not be reimbursed until the bonds
become due and some disposition will
have to be made of the loan made
from the library board.
Compare this condition with that OF
year ago when there was on hand
in the general fund of the city
S1972. 81 with no outstanding indebt-
edness and then draw your own con-
illusions.
You cannot blame the less of the
license money for the financial con-
ditions at this time for it was during
last year when license money to the
amount of $1,000 was collected that
this indebtedness was incurred.
An attempt was made at the
Tuesday night meeting of the council
to pass a resolution authorizing the
finance committee to negotiate loan
but it was stated that this could not
be done legally and that the council
had no authority to authorize the
loan, for the reason that 90 per cent
of the amount of the general fund
levy had already been borrowed by
the last council. Had this same
practise that is being followed at
this time been followed year ago
the council would have been unable
to borrow the sum of$50OO against a
tax levy which totaled So, S73.6s and
then have to pay it back again out of
the taxes collected the past winter.
Mayor Bryan is working in harmony
with the Finance Committee OF the
Council in an endeavor to finance the
city and the rest of the council
should should back them up, instead
of trying to throw obstacles in their
way. We all want to see things done
in legal manner but there is no
need of drawing the lines especially
close this year, even more closely
than ever been done before, in order
to make things difficult.
We hope to see more harmony in