Evening journal., 1918-05-10
SAYS CITY must face
Financial PROBLEM
Find Out What's Needed
and Do IT," Captain " il
son Tells Council
WATER BOARD MUST
HAVE MORE MONEY

Declaring that this city faced an un-
usual situation brought about hy IN
usual conditions. Former Mayor hoF-
ace Wilson. who presented The budget
NJ the. Water Commissioners. OF when
he Il a member. 90 Cits Iounch ias1
night urged the Councilmen to laoe
the issue sQuarely. lie LOOK occss,Vn
10 remind Chairman Robertson ul tnc
fnance committee. that Mr.. Rob rtson
MAS looking az the financial requests
from a narrow viewpoint captain
Wilson also stated that he knew what
the Councilman had TO contend Nll'H as
he had assisted in preparing hure
budgets than any other present mem
her OF Council. with the exception oi
Councilman Kane.
Speaking Of the numerous demands
being made on the city at TINS Time
Captain Wilson said. q
'These are unusual times brought
about by the war and II you uon
heed these appeals being MADE you
will all make the mistake OF your ives
Don't nut the city IN an ignomlnlous
position. The way TO do this thlng Is
10 nnd out what is needed and DO IL
Caniain Wilson and City Engineer
Hoopes appeared before Council az Il
recess taken by that body whom lhe
h,,dget for the Water Department Tot
Inc coming year was presented. zap
tain Wilson stated that he and 'the
other members of his department Ieil
that IL was their duty 20 explain whal
WAS needed in their budget. lie staleu
. that it would require about si'o'Jeo
/ Tor operating expenses alone next year,
] As compared with si5OOOo for the past
I wear. and that sum did not take care OF
/ any water main extensions. lnder
normal conditions 10 required about
$4,000 90 do extension work, nut al
present Il costs about $4,000.
CAPTAIN Wilson referred 10 the Ques-
ton Of wages and stated mat NUM-
ber Of the Water Department employees
were remaining on the job through pa
triotic motives, as they had received
nattering offers OF employment else
where. lie also explained that the wag'
increase granted laborers had peel
greater than that allowed clerical loroe'
and officials.
Csptaln Wilson referred TO the prob
able necessity OF Installing serNlc
mains for the DUPONT building prolec
o. at Wawaset Park, which with tne wor
b. needed at The Emergency Fleet housin
operation at Front and Union street
Z would cost close TO SiOO,OOO. tie ca
z planned that the dupont were willln
Z TO bear the cost Of their work, the CIT
- eventually 10 repay them for H..
z Several councilmen expressed then
. selves as favorlng installing the serNll
mains, claiming that the city would r
ceive the money back Gouncl lima
Kane said that within twelve years,
\ would all be paid for.
= In answer iO a question from Cou
y Gilman Robertson a. to inst how mu'
3, money was needed Captain Wils'
stated that The budget called Tor 1885,
a 80. but that The department was SCI
y sustaining.
n Mr.. Robertson said that the little u
" lows paid the bills and that the lar
, consumers OF water are getting wat
q for less than 10 cost 10 pump it.
!, Chief Engineer Hopes explained On
n fhe estimate for the installing OF s.
Z VICE mains was a doubtful matter,
the costs changed over night
u Following the conference the Wat
Department officials thanked COunl
FOR their courtesy, and several OF Il
Councilmen stated that they felt n
departments were operated on the bus
Ie ness-like principles Of the Water ID
ie parlment they would be better on.
az Some surprise was occasiOned WHIT
al Charles Warner. president Of u
D Board of Harbor Commissioners. al
3 peared with a budget for that depar
'r ment for The ensuing year. which d
IS not contain q request FOR an increas
) Mr.. Warner stated that his departme
re- merely asked that Council allow the
D. the same appropriation OF last yea
De- $1,000 Mr. Warner explained how
al was proposed by the lIarhor Commi
ar sloners 60 make further surveys Of q
m water front and have plans prepar
\ for the erection Of wharves at the 10
In Of Front street. he explained that
IN was not intended 10 erect them at Nh
lme owing 10 the high cost OF m
terials. but that with such plans pl
pared. the wharves and docks could
st erected in the future.
in Previous TO the recess when the
~ matters We're discussed. COuncilm
IS Mearns took a fling out Of the rarbs
ge situation here, when he said N
". President, I.desire TO speak on a sr
he iect which IS of vital Importance to {
ed people, and we are here as their rep
nd sentatiycs. ] will ask you 90 go ba
he 10 a meeting held last summer folio
or ing the receipt Of complaints by me
ay bers Of Council from citizens about
So noncollection Of garbage and the stem
RS arising from the inclnerating plant.
d. that meeting a man wearing the u
j6. form Of the army told us that it "
none Of Councils business. He said
was a matter for the Board OF Heal
m did not know The man. but was
le- formed that he was Lieutenant Colo
n J Austin Ellison. and when ash
ne what the army had 10 do with
,ei garbage matter, was told ttat he "
ey working FOR the ID. B. Martin Compal
jl Last week l met this same gent