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pip \ - •« - U- *fe,T»V '•£* ' / • *" aissp PPH ppaF*™l*FR?!flpr '"-TOF. ?v #%*>?! Public Pulse 1^'- <%A W' t ~ KjfJ ?, - fc\-v & -. Woodstodc'sB^autifulPlayHousr mts Son.-Wcd.-art. Is* Ercunfi 7-9 riy • I', ii.iinil<>Jt;| FRIDAY On the Stage *.P. O. Elks Present Oommnnity Players in "A MESSAGE FROM MARS' also On the Screw Friday and Saturday Zane Grey's ^ ^ First AH Talking Pictoil'y,. "THE LONE STAM ; t;RANGER" ' •;v" v' With • •«®X>RGE O MUEN ' SUE CAROL Talking Comedy and NmMm - - news 1 SUNDAY V Matinee, 2:39 Special on the Stage Radio Stars From W-G-N Chicago "EAST AND DUMKK" IN PERSON For several years they have featured on Keith and Orphenm Vaudeville Circuits. This heavyweight combination has earned the title of "RADIO'S Greatest Comedy Sinking Act." We Mf*. "Dont Miss Them." ^ On the Screen Sunday and Monday All Talking WILLIAM POWELL _ In "POINTED HEELS1' with HELEN KANE Also Talcing Comedy -- Movictoae NEWS BfWiiiniii'ir ' • ' TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 4 Matinee. Wednesday, 2:3(f~p "LET'S GO PLACES"' Come and join the mad whirl of fun. SONGS-- DANCES-- LAUGHS WHOOPEE-- LOVES-- GIRLS AH Talking Musical Movietone also Talking Comedy and Movietone News Thursday and Frid$r. "THE BIG PARTY*' with * SUE CAROL--DIXIE LEE (All communications for this department must be signed by the writer, otherwise they will not be published. The Plaindealer invites its readers to express their opinions in these columns.) A number of taxpayers of oar city have asked the questions--1--Why is the corporation tax of the city of Mc- Henry so much higher than that of any other city or village in McHenry County? 2--How, or for what did the city get into debt for over $75,000 between May 1, 1923 and May 1, 1928? In reply to the first question will say, this year's taxes include $1,200 for Band tax; $2,400 for maintaining- sewer; $2,400 to be paid on Publie Benefits, in addition to regular taxes for running the City--also $2,000 to pay bond. The taxes for 1928 did not include the last three items, for that year our corporation tax was only 81c, while the taxes levied in 1927--or the year before Knox, Stoffel and Bonslett were elected as aldermen, the corporation taxes were 1.12 but did not include either one of the items amounting $8,000. So it will be seen by above that for the two years we were office our tax rate averaged less including $6,800 collected for payments on upkeep of Sewer and payment >n Public Benefit debts and bonds this year and $2,500 for Band concerts for two years. This last item, the band tax was voted by the voters of McHenry two years ago. The second question we Will try and explain in as few words as possible. even then this will be a lengthy article: About ten years ago the then City Council and Board o? Local Improvement entered into a contract with the Wells Engineering Co as engineers for some local improvements, for which j pensive pump they wete to be paid as follows: Preparat on of Assessment Roll-- I9r on estimated cost. Plans, Specifications, etc.--2% on estimated cost. Inspection fees, etc.--3% on contract price. We have been informed the City of Woodstock pays 4%% for the last M'HINRY PLAHTOEALHR, THURSDAY, of ft Clay-hole on Crater street. On this "Elephant" the city fathers have already spent over $1,100 of the tax payer's cash and still have about $160 to pay on Special Assessments and interest, making an expenditure of a grand total of $1,260 for, actual value. NotMag. The expenses on the $20,000 and $00,000 bond issues for elections and advertising were over $300. We have no data on Attorney fees etc., on these. No doubt, most readers of the Plaindealer remember the $20,000 issue vote was carried, but the bonds could not be sold on account of the city being many thousand dollars in debt beyond the constitutional limit so the expens.es on these only helped to swell the city's already big debt. In Mr. North's report we find the following: "It will be noted that a deficit appears each year starting May 1, 1924. The deficits are the results of expending more money for operations than the amount of corporate tax to be received." . The statement as shown does not anticipate any license, water or sundry revenues, as these items are current for the year in which they are collected and are included in the details of Schedule B. The total amounts of these deficits as shown on auditor North's statement beginning May 1, 1924, ending April 80, 1928, is $21,505.15. To this must be added for current bills $3,800 due at that time, making a deficit of $25,305.15 for running the city for four years. This $3,800 debt is an item that comes under Mr. North's report as not yet definately established as a liability, as same had not then been entered on the city record although these bills had been ok'd by the finance committee. In looking up the City's annual report for 1927 we find the city council during that year spent $3,576.96 for drilling wells, and buying an ex- To this add for power to run this pump and labor repairing this pump to date the sum of $550, making an unnecessary expense of $3,926.96 for a few waterless wells near our pumping station. And last summer we were again threatened with a shortage of water. Several members of the present I Council had hard work to persuade two items and pay on contract price, the hold-over members, to have the which reduces the cost cons'derably as old original well thoroughly cleaned the estimated cost is nearly always out, as we were convinced there would considerable higher than the contract be plenty of water. Cleaning out this price. Woodstock has a local man well cost the city just $150; the respread the Assessment Roll, and this suits, plenty of water flowing into the averages them a cost of less than V%l'o reservoir, with no cost for power to or Vz what we pay and they get an pump or pump repairs. By the way, honest spread. ^ this reservoir had never been cleaned The first project was a system of out since built in 1898. until the water extension about 10 years ago on present city council had it done last which the engineers put an estimated year, cost of $33,200. A number of objectors had th;s project killed in court, but the Wells Eng. Co. were paid $996 on this project. Shortly after, there was a sewer project, that was also killed. On these two projects the city fathers spent a total of over $3200, for which the taxpayers got < nothing, but since tjien water extensions have been put in all our streets at a total cost of $12,759.50 instead of the Wells Eng. Co.'s estimate of $33,200. On March 7, 1921, the city fathers saw fit to relieve ex-mayor Wattles On March 21, 1927, ft motion was made by Doherty, seconded by Frett, that the city collector be paid 2% on all collections. Motion carried. Since that date the city council has continued to pay the collector 5% on all water bills until the latter part of 1929, when we discovered this. Then when we objected to the 5% commission, as 2% is the limit the law allows, Three members of the present council and our mayor voted to hire an assistant at $20 per month (although no assistant had ever been asked for). So now it costs the taxpayers over 5% ever with a one-piece1 castaluminum tub w A ONE OF THE MANY FEATURES OF THE THE NEW Maytag gives you a ONE-PIECE, cast-aluminum tub, moulded in Maytag's million dollar aluminum foundry...quality construction that assures permanent beauty and efficiency. The NEW Maytag cast-aluminum tub keeps water hot for an entire washing... built roomy to hold four £NUons more than ordinary washers. The NEW roller water remover baa an enclosed, positive-action, automatic drain. The NEW quiet, lifetime, oilpacked drive and many other notable new features produce new results and greater convenience... Maytag's latest and greatest achievement. PHONP for a trial washing with . the NEW Maytag in your --own home. If it doesn't sell itself, don't keep it Divided payments you'll never nusa. SHE MAYTAG COMPANY, Newtaa, Iowa - •: FouBds^Ssa . M - PRODUC TTJTMF IN Oil Maytag Radio Program* lrn over N.i).C. Coatt to Coart Network MONDAY Fvemnni 9sOO E.S.T., &00 C.S.T- 7«00 M.T., 6:00 P.T. WJZ, Naw Yorki KDKA, Pittaborchi KYW, Chlcaaoj KSTP, St. Paul) WSM, Nartivittei WREN, Kanau Cirri KOA, Denveri KSL, Salt Lake Citvs WKY, Oklahoma Cltrj KPRC, HouMoni KECA, Loi Angelctt KCW, Uod ana 34 Aooctatcd StaiioM Riverside Drive 1: C. BUCH McHenry, 1)1 HABVARD--MARSHALL HARDWARE CO. WOODSTOCK--E. j. f lELD For homes Without €tee~i* tridty, the Maytag ts available -buili Aluminum 'a1 ijl"i -"iU'. to edtect dnly allow* 2%. W« qoMtkm tfca'legality of hiring the assistant. Paying this b% instead of the legal rate of 2% has cost the city to date an extra of about $382 during the years 1927-28-29. This Board of Local improvements has paid foT collecting special assessment No. 6-- $200 per year, when the 2% rate voted as before stated would bring the amount to not over $100 per yeiy, for the three years. Thus it will be seen that the city overpaid our collector the sum of $682 for these three years. Now a word regarding the much talked of Anticipation Warrants: we will quote our auditor's report: "The deficit was made possible in part by anticipation taxes and issuing warrants therefore, and by utilizing fund3 collected for Bond and Bond Interest. The money borrowed on Tax Anticipation Warrants during the year ended April 30, 1926, was excessive as warrants had already been issued for the 'purchase of a fire truck in the sum of $4,000. The borrowing of $9,500 was not permissible under the law ag the total tax to be collected was only $8,480.91 or less than the amount borrowed, which amount could not exceed the legal rate allowed on Anticipation Warrants." For the readers' information, the Iggal rate is 75% of the taxes to be collected which in this case WHS $6,359.68, Then he goes on and states, "These Warrants issued to the banks are now in litigation and would seem to be the outgrowth of excessive borrowing of the year previous. During the year ended April 30, 1927, the warrants issued to the banks in the year 1926 were liquidated out of monies borrowed on warrants Issued in 1927. That the city owes this money to the banks cannot be questioned; however, the question of the legal liability of the city, or of its Council • members, will have to "be determined by the present litigatior. It would seem advisable to Show appearance in this suit and not fight the liability. In this manner it is possible to ascertain a method of paying t h e l i a b i l i t y . " . . . When this suit came to' trial after Council for plaintiffs, Mr. Benttett, Mr. Barnes, Judge Allen and Mr. Carroll had their inning lasting about two hours, our city attorney, Mr. Cowlin, said a few words, did not call any witnesses, or show any of our city's records. Judge Shurtleff wanted to know whether or not the city of McHenry was in debt beyond the constitutional limit, although our present mayor Mr. Knox, ex-mayor Frett and ex-mayor Wattles, as well as all but one of the men representing the city as aldermen during the years these warrants were ^°sucd were in ths Court rnnm. not one of them would tell the Judge what he knew about the city's debts, even though Mr. Frett and Mrs. Knox each had published over their signatures, statements showing the city's debts to be, as we remember it, $62,000 by Mr. Frett. This Mr. Frett stated was subject to corrections. Mr. Knox's statements had it $83,000 including the corrections and ommissions m Frett's statement. Judge Shurtleff then continued the case to give the attorneys a chai" < to find out what the financial standing of the city was. When the case wis again called, Judge Shurtleff asked if there was any one else that wanted to be heard in the matter. The writer volunteered to state some facts in the ; case, and told his honor that every ^ one of the Anticipation Warrants, were issued without an ordinance created to borrow money, or an appropriation made for the payment jf these warrants and, furthermore, that most of the money borrowed was used to pay the warrants Issued the previous year, as stated in Mr. North s report. To this the Judge replied that this was illegal and that the City Council of McHenry had no right to so. But judgement was ordered entered against the city of McHenry, and the taxpayers are called upon to pay this debt of $13,700 together with several years' interest, when every dollar was contracted illegally by the city council daring the fiscal year of 1927. How long are the taxpayers going to stand by and have their taxes increased by such transactions? Another item of no small amount is that the City Council has used money out of its general fund to pay bills ana advance money to our different special assessment funds. One item alone: They paid our collector commissions to the amount of $1,200.85 for collecting special assessments; this they had no Tight to do as in each special assessment the collection fees are includecLin the total amount. So why have property owners pay this into the special assessment funds to lie there idle and the city dads unlawfully pay the collector out of the city's general fund, thereby increasing the city's debt? Including the above $1,200.55 we now find that the city has paid out for the various special assessments a grand total of $4,321.29. These sums should have been paid back into the city's general fund as soon as the first installments were paid on each special assessment or improvement. There is no question but what had our city dads this money due them in their own individual business, each one would have seen to it that they were paid. Why not handle the city's affairs in the same careful manner ? When Mr. Carey was elected City Treasurer, he was told by Mr. Petesch whom he succeeded, that he, Mr. Petesch, did not get any book or books or records when he went into office May 1, 1924, and we can not find that the city council made any effort to find these records until after Knox, Stoffel and Bonslett were elected al- 4ermen. We were informed by Mr. Stenger that he turned over to Mr. Petesch the treasurer's record book and all other records in his possession at a council meeting at the city hall soon after Mr. Petesch was elected. After getting this information the •writer,, called upon Mr. Thiele, who was their cashier of the now defunct Citizens State Bank. Mr. Thiele and the writer started a search in the bank building for the missing records and books, after searching for about one-half hour we found said treasur- •r^ record book, carefWly laid on ths APBXL 20, •W". they could not use ed under a stack of maffasfms about Walther's surveys. We finally decided three or four feet high. We found on recommending the James Anderthat Mr. Petesch had recorded the city's finances in said book up to April 1, 1926, balanced the book that day and not another entry has been made in said book to this day. Mr. Carey was elected treasurer in 1927 and as near as we can find out the city has no record of what transpired from April 1, 1926, until llr. Carey took over the office. Another strange coincident. At about the same time that our treasurer's book was "lost" the/Board at Local Improvement record book disappeared, as was mentioned in the Plaindealer of a few weeks ago. Another item of more than ordinary > interest is that ever since 1919 when the city first engaged the Wells Engineering Co., the different boards of local improvements have had implicit faith in said company, had them keep the books for the board of Local Improvement and whenever there was any money to be paid out on any project the Wells Eng. Co. would make out the Cash vouchers for the president and clerk of the board of Local Improvement to sign and they were paid by the treasurer. In making this investigation we looked pretty thoroughly into our last Special Assessment: namely No. 24, for repairing our sewer system, as this was the only one put through during our term in office and we eould find all the records on same. In the first place, the year before we were elected the then city council hired a Mr. Walther for this job. He did some work on this project. For his work he handed in his bill of $135 and was fired. Then after election, Aldermen Knox and Bonslett were delegated to look into the references of several engineering firms who wanted to be hired as engineers for the city on this sewer job, with the understanding that the firm to whom the job was to be awarded, were to assume Mr. Walther's bill for $135. Mr. Knox and I went over to Woodstock to interview Mr. Try on in the matter. They would not consider the job, on account of the Walther's bill son Co. They ware hired by the unanimous vote of the city council, and were to be paid for their work as pef their agree&MNitin writing as follows: In case of boftd* issue or special assessment improvement work we propose to prepava the necessary surveys, plans, specifications, estimates, take bids and supervise and inspect construction for 5 per cent of the "cost of improvement. Our fee is payable on i completion and acceptance by the city council. Wa make no charge for our ' sendees when an improvement Is abandoned because of the failure of a bond isfcue or because of objections fc ,J_"' raised by the interested property owners. Under such conditieas ws fpaot the retairn of the plans, ll ifil'ii* •S#>, (Contmue4_on page 7) ,1 AH OU go to a lawyer on v >*• legal matters ... to a physician for medical aid. No one knows law like a lawyer, nor medicine like a doctor. And no one knows paint--and painting--like j|i painter. With painting, as dee, it pays to use services of experts, aft expert painters . • . know paint anj painting from every angle . . . use onty the best of material including Dutc Boy white-lead. C311'4 we eet , » i -- g e t h e r o n s o m painting work? p a i a t i a likg a painter everything ; ' Herman J. Kreutzer Painter and Decorater 71*W Waat We Thank You Remember Way Back When---? 1S1 1894 :.«b You for Your Hearty Response to Our Four We tfiank you for1your ofd* garmen make the old and new comparison display. • ^ We thank you for your generous patronage on opening • s;- . Come and Register for^l Free Movie Ticket# J Come Tomorrow Cor Bigg^ and Better Value* v But Don't Wait Mala and Benton Streets I?' Wien's • «• ;V •" "i- Woodstock UlindU Courtesy