Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1942-04-09

Councilmen Stare and Wagner
declared forfeited to the city of
Newark the abandoned street
railway track Of the Southern
Ohio Traction company now re
naming in the streets; authorlz-
ing the service director to re-
move the rails and to replace the
pavement within the car tracks
area with new bituminous con
crete, under WPA project, and
to sell the rails and accessories
to the highest bidder and to pur-
chase materials required after
advertising for bids.
AS Clerk Of Council Fritz Nc
Elroy finished reading the ord
nance Councilman Robert Evans
made a motion that the leglsla-
ton be referred to the finance
and street committees for furth-
er study. Councilman Payne sec
onded the motion.
Councilman Stare jumped to
his feet saying, Il am not IN ia
vor of such action. The govern
ment wants this steel and wants
it now-it is the type of steel
that goes into guns and armor
plate what are we going to
do, give it to them now, or are
certain members Of council going
to sit back here like the isolation
lists, Wheeler, Fish, and some
more of them. The government
asked US for those rails . Pm
in favor of giving them now"
Answering Councilman Evans
criticism Of two estimates sub
mitted to council wherein the
first called for an outlay Of $8,-
600 to the city and the second
showing that the project would
not cost the city anything, City
Engineer Charles Wells explain
ed that the WPA had offered to
make concessions of materials
equal to SIC per man month in
stead of Sc, and the resulting diff
ferential combined with sale of
copper and other materials sal
vaged as well as sale of the rails
would take care of the expense
of removal and relaying of the
street.
Councilman Wagner spoke in
favor of the project, as did Ma
yor Lockwood, and +. f. Baker,
from the audience.
Councilmen Evans, Payne,
Gaunder and VanWey remained
adamant in their opposition to
immediate passage in spite of
frequent applause from the large
majority of citizens in the cham
Der favoring the proposal.
Councilman Evans objected to
taking the steel out because he
said it formed a bridge thus
keeping the concrete now in the
streets, from crumbling." Stare
again reminded Evans that this
is war and we are called upon to
make sacrifices"
Service Director Anderson,
commenting on Councilman Ev-
ans motion to refer the ordin-
ance to the street and finance
committees said he overheard a
conversation on the street be-
tween a prominent local banker
and a member Of the finance
committee in which the member
said, that legislation will be re-
ferred to the finance committee
and | promise you it will die
'a-borning' y.
Councilman Rehbeck signified
his willingness to get the steel
out and into government hands
as quickly as possible, but be-
came confused in the vote and
voted to give the ordinance one
reading only He asked to
change his vote, but when the roll
was called the second time again
voted no"
President of Council Clint Co.
mer ruled that further vote
would not be taken "since coun-
ell can't seem to make up its
mind" and ruled one reading.
Previous to the vote +. +. Ba-
ker, secretary Of the Newark Fe-
deration of Labor, told council
that by May / another five hun
dred men would be out Of work
in Newark-that the picture had
changed and it looked like New
ark was not to get any defense