The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1949-06-02


one day to get all the news and ads
together, have been forced, for the
first time in over four years, to hold
this weeks issue to eight pages. l
dislike an eight-page paper just as
much as. you do, and / hope 1t will
be another four years before we
have to have another one.
After dismissing the jury on Sat-
urday afternoon when the foreman
reported that they were hopelessly
deadlocked on the Sunday movie
trial. Judge Mish announced that
within the next two weeks he will
recall the May Grand Jury into
session and place before them the
whole question of alleged violations
of the Sunday Blue Laws. And it's
my understanding that until the
Grand Jury convenes and reports
on it's findings, no further action
will be taken by the law enforce
ment officers of the county regard
ing the Blue Law violations.
The officials of the Conococheague
Motor Racetrack were arrested be-
fore the meeting started on Sunday,
but after posting the usual $500
bail for each one of the five arrest
ed. the officials went ahead with the
races as scheduled. The theatre that
was prosecuted and tried by the
Jury also opened, as usual, on Sun
day night.
The statement published in the
daily papers by former Mayor
Sweeney regarding the financial
status of the city at the time his
administration went out OF office,
certainly gave a much clearer pic
ture of where the money was spent
than the general statement issued by
Mayor Mills, who while he accused
the Sweeney administration of a
lack of ordinary business planning,
only mentioned the increase in sal
aries of the administration and its
employees. the appointment OF a
full-time fire chief, and the cltys
part of the increase in salary grant
ed to local magistrates, as specific
instances of additional expenses that
have been added to the citys obi
cation in the past few years.
Although Mayor Mills, on page 3
of his statement said that after
weighing the matter carefully and
from every angle, the present adj
ministration is faced with the neces-
sity of asking the citizens of Ha-
gerstown to approve a bond issue
of one and one-half million dollars
= and he further stated that the
money realized from the sale of the
bond issue will pay for the light
plant expansion-he gave no infor'
nation on how the figure of mil
lion and a half dollars was arrived
at.
1t seems to me that, since it is
presumed the administration will &C
ahead with its referendum on the
bond issue, the public should be tolc
little more about it so that they
can intelligently vote on it wher
the time comes. And here are a few
questions that the public would like
to have. answered:
/. How many contracts have &C
tually been signed for the expansion
and improvement of the light plantt
2. What is the total amount O.
each of the contracts?
8. Are further contracts not yet
signed being considered by the city
administration? If so, what is the
amount of each of these proposed
contracts, and just what are they
for?
4. What is the total amount a
the present time that has actually
been contracted for, for the modern
ization and the enlargement of the
light plant?
5. How much of those contracts
have actually been paid?
6. When is the remaining amour
of the contracts to be paid?
There seems to be a great deal O.
confusion in the minds of the public
regarding the whole light plant sit
uation, particularly as former Mayo
Sweeney in his statement said tina
the sum of 100000 was placed il
the light plant budget by his ad
ministration for the improvement
and enlargement of the light plan
in 1949.
1t is to be hoped, therefore, tina
at an early date the Mayor an,
Council will give the public a clea
and concise statement on this vexe'
light plant situation.