Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-04-16
Inaugural Address
of Mayor Sholes.

nosha Rave conferred upon me, in the choice they
have made of Chief Executive officer for their City
the ensuing year. 1 enter upon a discharge of re
various and important duties now devolvinc upon
me that officer with some degree of msgivng as
10 my ability fully to serve the public interest or tc
meet public expectation. l shall, however by q
full and industrious exercise of all the ability pos
sess endcavor to merit the appreciation of the peo.
pie, whether it be my good fortune to receive it OF
r8t
We are now entering upon the third year of oul
existence a city and at th period of our histo.
~, it Tray be well TO advert to prominent facts con-
nected with the past administration of affairs 50 far
at least as may be necessary to indicate the proper
policy for the future.
POOR DEPARTMENT.
The first and most important matter for youl
consideration, gentlemen of the city council is thai
of providing for the support of the city poor
This bra ch of expenditure has been large and dr-
ring the past year has exhibited increase of more
than thirty per cent, over the fiscal year immedi-
atelv preceding. The amount of orders issued on
pauper account under the first city administration
was about s 500, while under the last it has ex-
ceeded 1000. AS to the causes which may have con
tributed to this increase of pauperism and paupcr
expenses in our midst and whether any of them
can be reached and removed by legislation your
part, shall not pretend definitely to speak trust
an immediate investigation of the subject will be
authorized or instituted and if it be found that any
action of yours may be cfIectual i'll the way of re-
moving to the slightest extent the sources OF
paupersm in existence around us, YOU will not he
state in the discharge of your duty i'll the premi-
scs. So far as general causes may have contributed
to the increase spoken of, alludc to business en-
baTaSsments and prostration, and the consequent
want of employment as regards portion of our Ia
boring population, think We have reason to be-
lieve that the worst has been experienced and that
while from circumstances of this character We, in
common with neighboring cities and communities,
have no doubt greatly suffered, there encoura-
glng indications of an improvements our business
affairs which, while it will of course favorably affect
the interests of all classes will particularly
bring relief to the cmbarrassments and sucrings of
the laboring and dependent poor among " and
tighten the public burden of pauper expenses.
The average number of paupcrs supplied by til"
city authorities the past year, was am told, about
fftv-womon and children, exclusively. In adli-
ton, one insane paupcr female supported at an eX-
pensc of SO % per week, in an Asylum at st.
Charles, under charge of Dr. NJ ad. Estimating the
entire paupcr expenses for the year at $4,000 it APP
pears that the average expense for each individual
per week has been about eighty cents. As much
economy was exercised by my predecessor, upon
whom the whole burden of this service was thrown,
rs could well be under the circumstances which OK
listed. And whether under any circumstances, witt
a proper and humane regard to t comfort and
welfare of this class equal number could be sup
Piled ut less expense, is question the affirmative Of
which am by no means disposed to assume. 1t
is matter, however, which should be carefully cX
amined under your authority: and if any system
can be devised which, while it may not disregard
the comfort and health of the pauper class will tend
to q reduction Of the expenses Of this department.
no tmc should be lost il the practical establishment
of such a system. The authority of the Mayor over
this subject extends 10 further than may be direct
ed by the City Council and it rests with you gen
tlemcn to determine whether the present mode of
supplying paupcr wants shall be continued ora less
expensive and more efficient system, if possible, be
instituted. Until otherwise instructed, shall pro-
badly pursue the course heretofore pursued, with
this difference. | shall contiuc Il, far as possible
within fixed limit the amount, character and cost,
of supplies per week, to each individual or family
now public charge. or that may hereafter become
50. This limit shall have a reasonable and liberal
couformancc with the real wants of those to be sup
:o1 clnll lao fNaH af9r invD
ton of thcindiydual or family circumstances ofeach
and all A motive shoul be presented for econo-
my on the part of pnupers themselves. BIZ placing
them upon allowance, and under no ordinary cir
cumstauces granting extra allowances, a strong me-
tive of this kind will be introduced, and while it
will work injury or injustice to the poor may e
a source of saving to the public. And with this
council on monthly estimates of expenditure 10
make advance appropriations for this department,
so that orders may be Immediately drawn upon the
Treasurer and the money, if any in the treasury, be
taken for the payment of current paupcr expenses,
or if not that the orders may be directly used for
this purpose and thus the necessity and perplexity
Of contracting lumbcrless accounts to be suisse
N't anu N'iItiiI'f'Il i0tlitN> W. tilC l't'ilti''i
and action of the City Council, be obyiated. Under
an arrangement of this kind the precise state Of the
paupcr of the city could at any and all times
be known by reference to the Clerks books and if
in any particular case the expenditures were deem
ed improper or extravagant the necessary corrective
could be Immediately applied
OF the $4,000 expended last year on pauper ac-
count one thousand was for nonresident poor,
and of this $3.50 65 has been returned by the coun-
" in the shape Of county orders A balance of 479
dollars and 60 cents, on this account now stands
charged against the county on the city books, and
may lie placed under the head Of assets for the pre-.
seut fiscal year.
\ clause of Sec Is, of our city charter reads The
City Council shall have power to purchase lease
a house or farm for the use OF the poor who may
become city charges to appoint an oyerseer of said
poorhouse or farm, to fix his compensation and de-
termine his duties and enact the necessary ordinan-
ces fol the management of said house or farm and
Of the City poor" Whether the economical inter
ests of the city would be subserycd and the welfare
of the poor be properly secured, by resort to a
system of this kind, is a matter for YOU to decide,
after you shall have collected such data as will en-
able you to to just and intelligent conclusions