Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-04-30
ADDRESS
THE MAYOR OF KENOSHA.
To the Common Council, April IS, 1857.
Gentlemen Of lie Council j:

Gentlemen Of tie Council!
In compliance with the requirement of the City Char
ter it proper for submit to you recommendation
of such measures think worthy your consideration
together with statement somewhat in detail of the tnan
cia condition of the city.
voluntarily assuming the several positions which
YOU elected you have discharge your duties
the best of your ability and bound in good faith
the people of the city, however limited in degree the
sponsibty of the trust assumed concede much OF
your time and attention to the public interests for the
coming year may be necessary economical and
efficient administration OF the city government
is well perhaps reflect that you havei~ charge not
merely the public property of the city the control of its
treasury and immediate pecuniary resources but that
under the somewhat extended local power placed in your
hand by the city charter it is possible for you reach
IN your influence the future fortune of communtyi
public credit and private morals and the personal interests
OF every Individual citizen.
have confidence to believe that in all your action upon
the several questions of unusual importance pertaining
our finances and public Improvements coming before you
Tor decision the present year, well in all OF
private interest submitted the Council for its arbitr-
uon you will concur with me in disposition act Justly
and impartay and to the best your Judgment and that
regardless Of personal consequences
Aenosha organized under its present and
mlclpai torm OF government on the first Tuesday of
AprIi, seven years ago. Notwithstanding the general
business depression which succeeded that year Ill Wis
consiR, including city and county, and involving
nearly all orr citizens in depth of debt bankruptcy
and encouragement which seemed fatal to every private
almost alone among ali its sisters the State struggled
through with unimparcd credit and without unpaid
debt Prudence and economy in the management of our
pubic affairs, sustained by the characteristic will Of
citizens to all corporate liabilities promptly and III
good aith has produced this atterng result and secured
to lis now independent financial condition. prosperous
city and the promise Of prosperous future Within the
last three four years. population, capital business
and real and personal property valuation has than
doubled. Labor is high, every building is occupied,
every hand employed and yet our business and
pacIties demand more capital and greater population
We need greater evidence ofloca welfare, and yet
this time have scarcely felt the direct beneficial nhu-
ence OF either of our proposed public Improvements.
Without railroad connecting the city with the interior
country and without the complete OF haIbor
exports alone from this eli within the last few years,
shown by authentic statistics, have fallen far if any,
short OF two millions and half of dollars in value per
aunum; while the whole value OF commerce per
mum, stated by Colonel Graham, the General Superin
tenent OF Western Lake Harboss, in his recen. Off
cial report the Department relating the har5or
this point including simply exports and imports amounts
a total value OF five millions OF dollars-a
derived from careful examination of the custom house
records and the warehouse and mercantile books of the
place"
FINANCIAL CONDITION.
While the valuation and population of the city has rap
idly increased within the last few years, the amount Of
annual necessary the yearly expenses of the
city for general purposes has remained nearly
stationary The average assessed annum for such
purposes since the organization OF the city government
has been about egh5 thousand dollars The expense OF
the city for the last fiscal year. including all Indebtedness
incurred general city account during the year, APP
pears from the books Of The and clerk has been
less than seven thousand dollars, about per cent
upon the low assessed valuation OF city property. This
fact fairly construed, indicates admins ration of fnan
cia affairs Of which may well be proud, and eco
nomical system OF municipal government unrlValed by
that OF any other western city.
submit herewith a statement embracing the amount
of revenue derived from taxes and other Sources and the
various disbursements made general account for the
last fiscal year. and including brief exhibit of the cond
ton of the treasury that account athe present time