Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-07-27
MAYOR WARM UNDER
COLLAR AT BOWMAN
Continued From First Page ]

know the financial condition of the
city"
The set-to followed the most bellig-
erent session Council has participated
in since early organization days, over
! the Gorgas resolution authorizing the
payment of the w. II. Opperman
award of S22.767.
! Quiz Gorgas as TO Balances
| The payment of this sum will not
only prevent the closing of the gap
street but will incidentally preclude
the completion of the splendid i'm
provement. Commissioners Taylor,
! Lynch and Bowman probably started
the ball a-rolling when they, in
joint effort to find some available
Gorgas about the disposition of some
| of the balances.
Both Mayor Royal and Mr.. Gorgas
in newspaper interviews had declared
that they were not opposed to the
closing of the gap-if the funds could
be found.
| Gorgas Lacks the knowledge
! 1t was Mr.. Gorgas apparent lack
of specific knowledge as to the dispo-
sition of the outstanding interest funds
that precipitated the debate.
The discussion was brought to a
Iclose, however, when upon motion of
| Mr.. Lynch the Gorgas resolution rela-
tive to the Opperman award was post
poned again by vote of three to two,
and Mr.. Lynch followed this with the
following resolution asking Mr.. Cor
gas for a report on the condition of
the interest funds.
The Resolution
Mr.. Lynch in onering his measure
said he merely did so because he wish
ed to ascertain if money to continue
the work could be found. This is the
resolution:
Resolved; That the superintend-
ent of finance and accounts be
and he is hereby requested to ad-
wise Council of the nature and
character of the money consti-
tuting the outstanding interest
fund.-" amounting to $20,SS5.3S,
as shown on the annual report of
the superintendent for 1914, or
| other available money, for the
purpose of determining whether
| said fund or money cannot be ap-
piled to any balance due the ac-
count for the completion of the
interceptor sewer along the Sus-
quehanna river, or any other law
full purpose.
Then Mr. Lynch pointed out a num-
ber of items from the Gorgas annual
report, including balances from the
dog license fund, outstanding State
taxes, balances, fines and forfeitures,
etc. There's more than a thousand
collars III Ine lines anu lOIlSlIuIcS
fund" said the street superintendent.
That's toward the balance for the
payment of what the city will owe
the county for maintaining prison
ers?" suggested Mr.. Gorgas.
"Oh, no." chorused Messrs. Lynch,
Bowman and Taylor, that's the bal
ance that remains"
Gorgas Judges" They're Right
/ "Oh, well,' said Mr.. Gorgas, Il
should judge you're right"
To inquiries as to whether he knew
what charges lay against the out
standing interest fund, Mr.. Gorgas
seemed a trihe hazy and this is what
Mr.. Bowman referred to when he sec
onded Mr.. Lynchs motion. He said
he, as a member of council wanted to
know. Furthermore he added that he
considered it all "a lal:ie condition of
affairs that the city didn't know just
where it stood. 1t isn't good house
keeping" the public safety superin-
tendent emphatically declared.
Mr.. Gorgas said he had referred last
Fall to the fact tnat there should be
a book kept in his department to show
the disposition of the interest fund.
Mr.. Bowman demanded TO know why
he, as superintendent OF hnance, mad
not opened the book.
Isn't it true" he asked, that
you've had nearly two years 10 put this
into effect?"
Now all this is out of order" blazed
Mayor Butts In"
Mayor Royal. You haven't right to
criticize the way the method by which
the superintendent of accounts con-
ducts his office. There's entirely too
much animus shown in this body
by whom" hotly demanded Mr..
Bowman. by whom?" =.
"Well-by everybody" answered the
Mayor.
That's all right then" retorted Mr..
Bowman as he took his seat. But
he insisted, II still say that as men,
ber of this Council I've right to know
; what is the financial condition of the
city"
"And you'll get the report of it,"
answered the Mayor.
"All right, then" finished Mr.. Bow
Gorgas Moves to Adjourn
Mr. Gorgas himself got into action
at THAT point, L move we adjourn,
said he.
That Council can legally eXpend the
balance in its River Front interceptor
fund now toward the completion of
the gap in the wall was once more
fully explained in an opinion on the
subject from City Solicitor d. S. Seitz.
The opinion follows:
Mr.. Charles A. Miller. City Clerk,
Harrisburg, Pa:
Dear Sir-Answering your request
os goth instant as to whether the city
can complete the construction of the
lntercepting sewer and apply the funds
in hand to pay the cost of the work
: necessary to such completion, beg to
submit the following:
Contracts for the construction of
this improvement were regularly and
legally let and appropriations made
for the payment of the estimated cost
thereof. The money in hand can
therefore be legally applied to the
payment of any work or materials
furnished in conformity with said con-
tracts, regardless of when such work
was done or materials furnished. The
money was provided for this specific
purpose. and so long as you expend 1t
fer that purpose, you are within the
law Any deficit that may arise can
be met by the issue of bonds without a
vote of the electors, under the au-
thcrity of the Supreme Court in Keller
VS.. Scranton, 202 Pa, 5S6. AS stated
in my opinion of July Sth last to the
Board of Public Works,you can, in my
judgment, complete this improvement
, in accordance with said contract and
apply the funds appropriated and not
yet actually expended to the payment
of the cost thereof. Yours truly,
D. S. SEITZ.