Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-10-25

Mayor John X, Royal voted under
protest TO reduce the city mill rate
from nine and a half to nine mills
only to save his political face
City Commissioner Harry f. Bow
man, Superintendent of Public Safety,
and the father of the nine mill tax
rate ordinance for 1915, made that
statement to-day in a vigorous reply
to the Royal organs declaration that
the Mayor was responsible for the re-
duction of the 1915 tax rate.
Commissioner Bowman merely re-
fers to the conferences that the en-
tire Council had on the millage ques-
tion before the ordinance was intro
duced, refers TO Mr.. Royals bitter
opposition of the efforts of Messrs.
Taylor and Lynch TO give the people
of the city the benefit of the reduc-
ton. and of the city's chief executive S
reluctant affirmative vote on the final
passage of the measure.
The statement follows:
when the question of reduc-
ing the mill rate for the year 1915
was raised, l suggested at one of
our conferences To reduce the mill
rate from nine and onC-half mills
TO nine mills. The matter was
thoroughly discussed at executive
conferences, AT which all MEM
bers OF the Council were present.
MIR. Taylor and Mr.. Lynch agreed.
at once, with me that this was
possible. MIR. GorGaS also finally
agreed that il could be done,
while MIR. Royal bitterly opposed
the purpose and at all OF our
later conferences opposed the
measure. | finally introduced the
ordinance ON December -, 1911.
Upon passage of this ordi-
nance Mr.. Royal spoke on the
floor of Council protesting against
wstS passage, stating that next wear
we would DC forced To replace the
addition One-half mill. We all
took sides that even il this were
true, the taxpayers would be re-
lieved at least for one year. Mr..
ROYAL voted with all of us TO pass
the ordinance for fear of public
ccnsurc.
I'm other words. Mayor ROYAL
voted along with the rest OF us
under protest, 10 save his political
face.
Il want to say at this time. that
myself. a. well as the other three
Councilmen. Messrs. Gorgas,
Lynch and Taylor. know that the
city government for the wear 1916
can nc operated ON the same mill
rate that ii was run for the Year
lslo. So too. L believe, does
Mayor Royal, only lie will not ad-
INIT il until after November =.
Our efforts will all be lent in
that direction"
In addition to inaugurating and
poosung the movement in City Council
that led 10 the Topping off of half
mill from the city tax rate, Commits
siohef Bowman did a lot of other
thihes that VIII go down in Harris
burg history Of things well done
Some Things Wen Done"
For instance. Mr.. Bowman reduced
lhe minimum water rate from So to So
ahc lowered the price of water meters
from Sl1.50 to $3.50. The water rota
tc private dwellings was eur from 81 81
10 10 cents per 100 cubic feet which
means that the householder gets the
peheht OF 20 per cent. more water
under the present rate of So than he
Eot lor SO. The rates for hotels and
were reduced from
~ ~ cents TO 3 cents per 900 gallons.
GlIer important works of Commits
sloher Bowman in the water depart-
ment included the installation of a new
CRATE system at the pumping station
bS "hiCh q saving of SO per cent in
the use of coal is possible. The COM
missioner also bought the pumnine
station coal for 81 cents per ton less
man In previous years. How much
mat amounts TO in a year can be fir-
ured out for ones self when il is
understood that some 5000 tons are
BY i2augurating a bid adj
Vertlslng system Mr.. Bowman saved
at least loo per cent. on water nine
) ust SI,444.0S was saved. incidentally
N the cost OF alum. All told S32.4S5.7l
was saved in the operating exnep.as
through careful and economical man
agement over the expenditures of tbe
previous year and the net profit of tbe
department for 1914 totaled sS4.441fE
Protected Business District
Protection of the citv's business H..