The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-04-16
$4,000
10000 90
100000
a 1000 90

y ~ A1Aihitof our liabilities
~ beN iuSormation I could
ial166 line allowed me-
3 rsssrdsd =
9escial committee
49, Body. viii, according
lar III \ r. AAancial eoad,.ion and
sdsib. asd subnig y boa q possible : com
plete stat~Aent Of our liabilities and assets, =
basis for your future action.
/! From The foregoing Exhibit We may estimate
the actual indebtedness Of the city, or the bal
Ance against us, In round Numbers, ct $780,
OOO, with the accraing interest thereon, from
and after January lst, 1866. This, gentlemen
and fellow citizens, i TOO mseA. We canaot
carry such > load and prosper. Il mssf there
for( reduced BY the paynsnt proper H.
quidation 6f very large portion u t.
| Experience hes taught ~, and " are now
suffering from the effects Of IN unwiss and i'm.
provident administration Of our city A9airs.
say this without any design or desire 10 dispar-
age or reflect upon our predecessors. We we'll
know 49, degree Of extrsvagAncs has char
acterissd' almost al enterprises In I'll parts Of
the country. for fsw years past, and il Vas
not, perhaps, 10 be expected that We should BE-
entirely exempt fromfths prevailing mania -
But the past II past. And We should not
shrink from the responsibility devolvsd upon
US by our constituents. They, doubtless, ex-
pect much more from US than We can hope 70
accomplish. But with union and determine.
ton Of purpose We can accomplish much for
the protection Of our interests and improve
ments, and the maintenance Of our credit and
reputation abroad. To do this, we must 6ry,
adopt and require strict system Of economy
and accountability in erery department Of city
affairs.
/ II may be said that there 10 much 10 Do.
and that improvements should not stop. -
To sAhis l cheerfully assent; but l would
strictly Limit the szssst u improvsmsss By the
means which can Be legally provided. Al In
crease Of our indebtedness for this purpose
would BE- unwiss, evea II that incrsass we're
not prohibited, ~ IL i, by ths new Consultation
Of our State. See article IL, Section 2, which
reads - follows: mo county or other politi.
cal or municipal corporation shall be allow ID
to become indebted In any manner, or for any
purpose, to an amount in the aggregate sx-
ceeding ave per centun the value Of the
| taxable property within such county or cor.
p,rstion, to be sscertAined by the last State
and County tax lists previous to the mourning
Of such Indebtedness"
We havea large amount o: road labor and
| TAI each year, which, ii properly and judcious-
~ expended. will DO much toward pulaing and
keeping our streets and thoroughfsrss in good
condition. TO this fund or resource might be
added fractional part Of the general revenue
and contributions from parties owning the
property which may be most Immediately bens-
fitted ~ improvement. Additional paving and
4 macaa6nizing should be prosecuted only ~
| the owners Of property who pay the cost, on
the respective streets, shall desire the same
i Every possible exsrtion should Be made 10
/ pay promptly the aocruing interest upon GU
Indebtedness, and to recall all our AoAtiag our
rency Ia the shape Of scrip. l can suggest no
other practicable mode Of accomplishing these
objects than to levy special tax, in addition
70 the tax for the current expenses Of the year
This you are authorized TO do BY the seventh
section Of our amended charter, which 10 -
follows; The city governments srs hereby
authorized - levy such taxss - 1t or they may
deem necsS1Ary 70 pay the interest upon the
debt said city, and support and carry on the
municipal affairs; aud ali laws contrary to this
provision are hereby repealed"
The first and ostimp0rtAnt step TO be taken
IN reference 10 the Scrip, should b to require
the i've Banking Houses, with whom the sr.
rangement WAS made for issuing and rsdeeming
II, TO return immediately the amount $50, COO
now in their hands, the consideration and
object Of the arrangement with them having
failed. This would reduce the amount in cir
splation tgo.t.fths Then, BY Offering some in
SOlsuutf W way VI oDotemoOk Oh l0tofoSt, IUP
The payment Of delinquent taxes within limited
periods, We might calculate With considssA Able
certainty upon reducing the Scrip In circulA-
ton to such an amount that our citizens and
business men could easily CARY the balance,
and bring II nearly or quite up to par. This
matter demands our special attention. The
whole amount Of this circulation should be re-
called ~ soon ~ possible. I therefore ask
your counsel and cooperation in MATURING
some definite plan, best adapted 70 eject thii
object.
In order to reduce our permanent or bonded
Indebtedness, We should embrace every fsvorn.
BILE opportunity for ehecting salss Of or nsro.
iating, our railroad stocks for our boads. This
could doubtless be done with The $l0O, 900 d
stock In the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Min.
nesota b I'D, very soon, that Company, ~ d.
ready stated, having considerable portion Of
the road in successful opersti IN, without any
material inoumbrance, and having The bene6l
Of the diversion Of the "Des Moines Improve.
ment" lands, Ill which must stroaely tend IA
make the stock available in mai ket Ct : fair
price. The $4,000 Of stock In the Mississip.
pi and Wabash road. and the 500, 600 in ths
Ksokuk, Mt Pleasant and Auscatips road, Il
converted In the same way, would enable m Il
reduce our Indebtedness 70 IN amount vithip
eur means to provide for, without serious in
conveniepse
Our city Charter aud ordinances, on account
Of the many and conflicting amsndmsnts, md
repeating clauses. which have aocuuulaasd a
the process Of time, have beeons alnesa iaeeu-
prehensibIe. ! would. therefore, sueesst he
propristy Of having thsn I'll revised, siapliaed.
and condensed into ~ iutslligibls form. II
the revision and compilation 81 the srdinanses
cannot Be done within reasonable length Of
time. ! would respectfully call your early e.
attention " The impsrfeosions Ia the ordnance
providing Tor tAs assessment and collection Of
our revenues. The provisions for eaforcins
collections. making salsA Of property and ree-
ulating rsdsmptions ara not . clear and q.
cisnt = they shsuld -.
The police regulations have been regarded .
inPsrfsot, and The Police force q very insfi-
slsai- Z bs<.sr dieipiAns shouid 10 established
md more thorough attention to duty sxactsd
. that department.
| The Firs Dspart0sat ID YET u ~ infancy -
But with III sasrgstic and oemmsndabls spirit
evincsd By the members, and with tAs acQuisi-
lions which they are making. have no doubt
tha4 they will q al times be found efficient IN
protecting life and property from the ravagss
of Ars. They need and should receive proper
I'D aid support from The city and from our
satissns.s