The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-05-17
Inaugural Of Mayor Leland.

of the United States, rendered by the sup
porters of the policy of the present national
administration, / shall, | trust, at all times
bear in mind that am not merely the officer
of the party which elected me, but of all the
inhabitants of our city, and shall endeavor
to discharge the limited duties imposed up
on me as its executive officer without par
tiality, and to enforce its ordinances and the
laws, uninfluenced by fear, favor or affection
and without manifestation that have
friends to reward or enemies to punish.
To those of my fellow-citzens who felt it
their duty to oppose me on account of an
honest difference of political views, and to
those who SO heartily supported me, tender
my sincere thanks; to the former for their
manliness and fairness of their opposition,
and to the latter for the zeal, earnestness
and kindness with which they assisted me.
And | recur with feelings of sorrow rather
than of anger to the few who stopped to
personal defamation, and to those who tho't
in proper to put "an enemy into the mouths
of men to stea! away their brains" in order
to qualify them to exercise the privileges Of
freemen.
As one of the early settlers Of this place
who has witnessed and shared the priyations
and trials to which, as the inhabitants of a
new country, we were subjected; as one who
has watched with much soliCitudc our city
struggling against adverse circumstances till
overcoming all obstacles she has at last be-
come thriving and prosperous, | have ever
taken deep interest in her well being. |
rejoice at her prosperity, and | sincerely
hope that we may administer her affairs
/ as to develope still more her resources with
out involving her in pecuniary embarrass-
ments with their attendant evils.
By the Charter of the city, it is made the
, duty Of the Mayor, from time 10 time, to
. communicate to the Aldermen such iniorma-
/ tion and to recommend all such measures
as, in his opinion, may tend to the improve
ment of the finances, the police, the health,
security, comfort and ornament of the city.
/ Our financial condition, fear, needs i'm
provcment We are in debt. Those debts
( are now due, and we have no means TO pay
J them.
The condition Of being in debt is not a.
ways an evil but to have debts due, without
the ability to pay them, is a state OF things
which should always be avoided, if possible,
as seriously detrimental either to individuals
or corporations. Where payments can only
. be made in deprecated orders on the trea.
! sury, the cost Of whatever is obtained by
the city necessarily increases as the orders
diminish in value.
The condition of our finances, as near as
can ascertain, IS that the treasury is empty,
and that the debts and appropriations amount
to little over eight thousand dollars.
lncluded in this amount are 1000 appro-
pri1ted to the erection of bridge across the
c'ual on Columbus street, ) 500 apprcpri-
atcd towards tie binding Of bridge across
the Side Cut on Madison St, on neither oi
which has any work yet been done. About
$1,000 for the nearly compiuted wall and
cmbanhment Of the La Sale street JTidgy
across the canal, and SS2j due and unpaid
on lsInps and lamp posts. Ia addition tC
this are claims not yet passed upon for the
City Attorneys, Printer, City C.c.l. and also
the unpaid small orders issued Tor current
expenses, amounting in all TO about $500
more.
The plan adopted for the payment Of these
sums | suppose WIS to draw orIrrs upon
the treasury and pay with the orders, and
"a a part Of the plan the sum Of twenty
thousand dollars was II be borrowed with
which to pay the orders.
The objections to the plan were not thai
the people were unwilling that the city should
borrow money for the purpose Of improving
il, but the amount was too large, and more
than we could conveniently pay the interc>
upon. 1t was uncertain by whom and to
what purpose the money would bc expended
For these reasons the loan was very proper
ly defeated. The time when it was to b'
voted for or against, was not proper one
because it was during a heated party con
test, which was calculated TO create distrus
by the one party of the other; and tn,
minds Of our citizens, at such Il time, wer'
not in a condition to examine the matte
coolly. ! think it very probable that a loaI
for smaller amount, and with specitica
ton of the purposes for which it was TO b.
used, would have failed, at such time ant
under such circumstances. the fact there
fore, that the people have just voted agaius
the $50, 900 loan, is, in my judgment, 10 in
dication that they will vote against lOal
for about one half the amount, if they un
derstand what IS to be done with the none,
when borrowed.
The convenience Of the inhabitants Of tn
city requires another bridge across the cana
between La Sale street and the Fox River
and also bridge across the sidc-cut, betweel
the bridge on Main street and that on l..
Fayette street. In determining the location
of these bridges, if the whole or portion
of the amount is to be paid for out Of tn
city treasury, the only inquiry should be t
ascertain by which location the creates
good to the greatest number may be obtain
ed. They should be located where this ent
will be accomplished. In my opinion tn
whole public has an interest in the erection
) Of bridges OF this character; and portion
of the expense should be paid out of tn
city treasury. individuals who are nor
particularly accommodated and whose pro
perty is more Immediately benefited, shou
contribute more towards this expense thai
those whose property is not so immediatel
greatly increased.
The property holders, on and near tn
street on which the bridge is placed, shou
contribute a portion of the expense, to b
raised by voluntary contribution or assess
ment by commissioners upon their property
The remainder should be paid out of th
city treasury. If the bridges and works c
a similar character, could be sufficient i
number, and so located, as to accommodat
all the inhabitants equally, then it would b
right to pay the whole expense out of tn
treasury; but it is impracticable for the cit
to 60 this.
Among our pressing wants is the urgen
necessity. that additional precautions shou
be taken to guard against the danger of tn
destruction of property by fire. The buiid
ings now being erected in the city are of
much more valuable character than tLos
: previously built On account of their great
er size and height, if on fire, the flame
could not be extnguished by those primitiv
means, which the prompttude and energy G
: our citizens have made SO effective, hereto
fore, in saving our smaller buildings Wit
the remarkable facilities we have for obtain
, ing supply of water, it is not wise econo
my to save the expense Of engines wit
which to use it, at the risk Of the destruc
ton of property to a large amount, whic
might be saved by the purchase of them.
There may be a necessity for the expendi
. ture of money for drainage and sewerage
Int on, pot at nrespnt sufficiently f,,o;i;o