South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-07
GIVE REASONS
FOR DELAY In
WATER PLANS
Councilmen Explain Attitude
at Meeting of Chamber
of Commerce.

Why certain members Of the city
council voted at the special meeting
last Monday night TO delay for two
weeks the measure providing S40O,-
600 for a bond issue on water works
extension was revealed, and obJec-
tions partly cleared away by prom
inent business men, several council
men and other city officials at a
meeting at the Chamber of Com
merce Thursday night
That the city administration in
framing the proposed ordinance had
failed TO write IN a provision re-
pealing the ill-fated ia bond issue
previously passed but which was not
sold on account of having been put
at too low a rate of interest, was
the main objection of the council
men present Also the indefinite
way in which administration mem
bers had answered questions Of the
councilmen was shown to have
caused councilmen to feel that they
had not been sufficiently informed
as TO where the money raised by
bond issue for water extensions
would be spent,
Not Definite.
Councilman John Olejniezak said
that John De Haven of the board
of public works had told the council
that Just where the money would
be expended in putting in water inn
prOvements he could not definitely
answer and that he thought part of
II would be used to increase salaries,
The common council so far as
the welfare of the city is concerned
does not need pressure from any
bod" ne declared. The city ad
ministration cannot say that we
have not acted for the welfare Of
the city, but we do want little more
definite data on where the money Is
going to be spent So far as the
100000 bond issue is concerned we
want to know the place of improve
ment West of Olive street there
have been petitions for improve
mCnts for q long time. Now there
is $4,000 for the southwest and
southeast but nothing is said about
the west OF the city
Want Measure Passed.
II was agreed by the council that
they were as anxious To have the
measure passed as were any Of those
present, but they wanted the diff
culties cleared away first. Mayor
Carson said that he was satisfied the
council realizes the ciV needs the
money and that he had every conf
dence in the council passing the
measure. The mayor said that the
ordnance provided that the money
was TO be used iu putting in water
improVeme entS where needed in
South Bend and that it could not
be spent for an increase in salaries.
City Controller John Swygart said
that none of the $400, 600 issue would
be spent on salary increases though,
he declared none of the city Oftl-
cials from the mayor on down are
receiving sufficient pay and that
there had not been an increase in
paw of city officials since 1905 when
south Bend was city of $4,000
population. AIr. Swygart explained
that the city officials had already
borrowed $250.OO0 from the track
separation fund FOR the water de-
partment but that this amount
would have to be returned TO its
proper department al the law did
not permit money TO be interchanged
between departments but when bor-
rowed il had TO be returned with the
current rate of interest. He said
that at present there was but $4,000
or $4,000 left in the track separa-
tion fund
Can't Tell Exactly.
Mr.. Swygart told the city council
men present that IL was practically
impossible for them at this time
to tell lust what extensions they
could make and where it would be
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