Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-27

tIcaily complete. tho old worn approach
that Jagged" was Hhorcd up and strength-
ened temporarily so that travel could be
continued. All this happened months ago
and now officials Of the Department OF Pub
Tic works have under discussion the II eded
height Of bridge span. the width OF a
hascule lltt and other details,
The new South street bridge may be COM
picted during 1919. but tho Department OF
Public Works will have to make better tmo
on the project II IL Is TO DO listed IN an ae-
compiishment Rt the end of the next twelve
months
LABOR COSTS HIGHER
In Justice TO departmental heads Rtten-
tlon must be called to tho fact that labor
and material costs hRvo been advancing
steadily all through the year. This fact
acted as deterrent la some instances where
progress had been planned Another factof
that u said TO hRvo entered into the att
uation was fear that attacks would DO
made upon the legality OF Bome phase OF
the loan program. This fear was strength
ened because OF the factionRl troubles ex-
istlnE in tho political party In power
with the clearing away OF the elouda
from tho loans came the question OF now
best to gauge tho state OF the money mar
kot and whether II would be better TO nx
a sale price for city bonds or TO sell thom
TO the highest bidder After many early
fall meetings the latter course was decided
Upon. and u was agreed TO sell SiO,OoO,OOO
worth OF bonds covering the improvements
and contracts planned for the fall and WIN
tor months, This amount OF bonds was
advertised, and on October 81 was pur-
chased by syndicate OF bankera headed
by Droxcl & Co. Mt an average price OF
iO2.i0i.
BONDS SOLD AT GOOD PRICE
The popularity OF municipal bonds was
k,s h. asf first of tho
ui4.62S.O 600 offered brought such IA good
price and was oversubHcribcd many times
A total OF 100 bidders competed for portions
OF the first allotment This good Hhowine
greatly pleased Mayor Smith and municipal
nnnnelera and again the Mayor placed
himself on record against any further de-
lays Again he repeated that work on
| laya He repeated that work on many
projeeta would be started without delay.
Hardly had tho nrst bonds been sold
| when the question OF the need Tor au
| Increase In tho tax ratio loomed so large
| that IL overshadowed consideration or the
| Improvement projects. Tho need Tor ln'
| creased revenues became apparent wher
| department chiefs, headed by the Mayor
| himself, deluged Councils with demands toi
new places and salary increases that To-
tailed about $4,000. 900 Even without these
demands the income at the old rate OF 81
on realty was shown to be insufficient The
aalary increase plans OF the AdmillHtrotior
were checkmated by Select Councilman
Charlea segor. Of the Penrose-MeNicho
forces, when he took the stand that nc
| 'bIR fellows" should have their pay IN
creased unless the wages Of the little tel
| lows went up at the same time AH such
an action. In view OF the depleted condition
OF city finances. was palpably Impossible
| the administration changed front over
night and all raises" and increases were
cut out substitute plan being adopted
whereby the Civil Service Commissioner
were ordered 20 prepare a schedule OF sal
aries that would 10 some degree standardiE'
nav envelopes This work viii likely be
completed early next year
While Councils were employed with the
tax rate question as the result OF the bud
ret demands OF departments, the members
of Mayor Smiths cabinet had their forcel
al work preparing plans and apeelhca-
tons for permanent improvements with
the result that Director DatesmSn. OF the
pepartment OF Public Works, early this
fail started asking for proposals. for con-
atructlon work on main and branch sewers
ana on some badly needed highway paving
puring October November and December
the Department OF Public Works placed
under contract the 81 100000 worth OF
branch sewers provided for In the loan pro-