The Nevada Democrat. [volume] (Nevada, Calif.) 1854-1863, 1857-02-25
The CITY Charter.

The City Charter.
Mr.. Eaitor:-A petition has been hastily sign
ed by SO large q number of the citizens of Ne
vada praying for the repeal Of the city charter
as to entitle it to the serious consideration Of
the members Of the legislature from this county.
As a citizen / cannot concur in the propriety
and wisdom of this application, and l believe
that candid and full investigation of the oper-
ations of our city government under its present
organization will satisfy every reasonable man
of its usefulness.
The eagerness with which the present charter
was sought for at the time of the disincorpora-
ton of the city less than year ago by the de-
cision of the Supreme Court, is well remember
ed. That municipal government is peculiarly
demanded by the exgencies which surround the
towns and cities of this State is capable of clear
demonstration. The structure of our buildings
require the utmost precautions against fire, our
numerous streets require more attention than
can be given them by Board Of Supervisors,
regulations against nuisances and sanitary reg
ulations involve such provisions as do not pro-
perly belong either to the Legislature or the
Board Of Supervisors and can best be made by
the citizens themselves acting by discreet and
responsible residents of the city-and although
some are disposed to cavl at the supposition
that we need police Independent Of the town
ship constables, believe that on more sober
reflection they will agree that such police,
Oh IF nd foif nj off ia
demanded for the protection Of the city against
fire as well as against the disorders which are
found in all communities of the population of
this.
As Misrepresentation seems to prevail howev-
or with reference to the management of the af-
fairs of the city by the present Trustees, my
purpose will be to show that they have acted
not only lwith the intention of beneGtng the
public but have acted wisely and beneicially.
In the frs! place, they went into office without
dollar in the Treasury, or at least if any mon
ey remained in the hands of the former city
Treasurer, A. w. Potter, it was never paid over,
nor was it paid to the creditors of the city. AS
Mr.. Potter is not in the country to answer for
uiuscll IL 10 lOI HlS lTleuus W say NlaI ulspOS-
ton he made of any funds remaining in his
hands.
The city went into operation in May last
Up to the time of the fire no debt of any con-
siderable amount was created by the Trustees
the principal expense incurred being for the po-
lice, and they were sustained from licenses to
taverns, billiard saloons, &C. Prior to this time
it has been | believe informally the custom for
the few residents of the several streets, most in
terestcd to build the bridges by private sub
scription. After the calamity which swept
away the property of our citizens, they were
left in no condition to rebuild these bridges 1t
was as much as they could do to restore their
business places and dwellings. The Trustees of
the city were appealed to, and acting very pro-
perly upon the presumption that these bridges
were useful to the whole community, they
undertook to do what was entirely meritorious,
to rebuild them, relying for the means of dis
charging the debt upon tax which would fall
equitably and lightly upon all. Acting upon this
idea and DESTROYS of rendering all the roads
passablc they expended nearly $4,000 in build
ing and repairing the following bridges.
Amount expended before the fire in building Little
NItek 800