Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-17
MAYOR DECLARES
COUNCILS HOLD UP
OUTLAY OF FUNDS
Answers Charge That Heads
of Departments K eep
Money in Idleness by Put
ting Blame on the Organi-
zation.

Nlg rom machine sources tnat RESPONSE
bility for idleness Of approximately Sli.-
10000 of city funds that should be under
contract to give work to the clty's un-
employed rests with the heads of de-
partments in the Administration.
The Mayor declares that the bulk Of this
money that now lies unexpendcd In the
City Treasury has been rendered virtual
ly inaccessible to constructive work at
the present time because Of the hindrances
to its proper expenditure enmeshed about
1t by the Organization Councils
The desire of Councils to retain absolute
control ocer the expenditure Of loan
moneys has tied UP the bulk Of the funds
10 such an extent that authorization Of
Councils is necessary to almost every
outlay, the Mayor shows. That "au-
thorization" has in most cases been con-
slstently withheld.
The figures purporting TO show the re-
Hponsibilicy of the Mayor and his direc-
tors came originally from the office OF the
City Controller They were included as
supplementary material in n reply from
City Solicitor Ryan to the Mayor when
the Mayor requested an opinion on the
feasibility on the early start Of Construc-
tion of projects included in the proposed
100000 loan.
IDLE MONEY IN FOUR CLASSES
Finally they were used in an oratorica
cutburst in Councils by John z. Connolly,
organization chairman of the Finance
Committee of Councils,
Analysing the specific statements in
cluded In the City Solicitors opinion.
Mayor Blankenhurg shows that the idle
money in the city treasury falls under
one of the four following classes:
Money that has been improvidently
borrowed under previous administrations
for specific purposes for which 1t can
not at the present time be used, such
as S7S5 900 for library.
Money which could not be used until
after the execution Of agreements nvolv-
ing long negotiations, such as the $1,000
900 for the removing OF grade crossings
I'm the southern part of ths city, and the
s500,OD0 for the opening of streets under
the Richmond branch Of the Philadelphia
and Reading Railway
An item cited bv the city Solicitor OF
sls4.033.O .Ol for Improvement of the Park
way, the Mayor points out. could not be
put under contract until the city acquired
certain properties. Those properties have
since been acquired and are being de-
molished by contractors and the amount
of the funds for paving the included
streets may not be put under contract
at this season Of the year.
ANALYSIS OF OTHER ITEMS,
Other statements Of the Mayor contra
dieting the assertions OF the city Solicitor
Included the following Items:
Instead Of $97962.fl, available for repairs
20 streets not occupied by the Transit
Company as asserted by the City Solicitor,
+he Mayor says that under FIVE different
stems only s51 $50 was available September
!, and from that amount $4,000 was used
In September,
From sil2 1871 % for country roads and
4epairing streets. the Mayor contends that
s2OOGOO is tied up by Councils pending
FURTHER legislation, and that the remain
der is being advertised and will he under
contract before the end Of the year.
Instead OF a balance OF $4,000 for i'm
nroving country roads, the Mayor asserts
that the balance existing AT present ia
$3.50 The remainder has been put under
contract.
The s2a1. .O5s.5S cited as for the improve
Ynent of the West Philadelphia water sup
pIy, the Mayor declares 20 be an error
He saws that from S600,0h0 originally ap-
a
mains not under contract.
In conclusion, Mayor Blankenburg says:
"If. as I presume Is the case, the Con-
troIler simply furnished copy or tran
script from his monthly statement, he Is
not TO blame for the use which has been
made Of his material. The motives OF the
Councflmen who vouched for the state
naents is too well known in the commu-
nity to require comment Whether the
CITY Solicitor wrote in ignorance Of facts
which il would seem that he must have
known or deliberately chose TO ignore
those facts. is question 10 which he
alone can give the answer
CITY SOLICITORS STATEMENT.
Discussing the Mayors statement, city
Eolicitor Ryan said
Yes, / will later make a detailed reply
% the Mayors statement, He requested
me 10 advise him as to a method devised
by him Of acceleratlnE a loan for 81 ,31J.-
000-which is yet % be voted upon-and
his special reason for requiring such aC-
tion by me was. he said. TO give work to
the unemployed He also asked II I
couid not approve or The plaa he outlined,
that | would suggest lawful means 10 ac-
complish the purpose; namely, the relief
of the unemployed.
ANY one with a shade Of familiarity
with city finances and the negotiation and
Issuance OF loans must have known that
what he proposed 20 do was entirely un-
lawful, and I so wrote him, and suggested
that he make use Of the money now In
hand and pointed out quite q number Of
items that could be used. My authority
for the figures is tho fiscal officer Of the
City-the city ContTolIeT-snd his figures
are correct.
I'm his statement today the Mayor
makes no denial that there IS now law
Iully authorized hut uuissued by him G,-
2l0e0J Of loan fund. There Is nothing In
- = world 10 stop him from issuing that
pa y and as 10 the balance which is free
Ar disposed Of, I undenestImated the
N Mt, as / viii clearly demonstrate.
49, City Treasurer of the city of
iliss "a ielphia has actually on deposit this
= - ing In the banks and trust companies
= Pc ailadeiphiR sls.42Ls3 50, and what Is
, tled 10 put this money In operation
snt,I put Il IN practical use is not abuse
officials who answer in accordance
Nlth law and justice. but honest efficiency
that viii do work and not merely talk Of
plans. The discussion will result, 1 hope.
rot only IN enlighteHing the Mayor but
uIll make all citizens better informed OF
cur actual condition