Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-03-24

March 70, looS.
Council called to order by his Honor,
MAYOR COOK
PREsKS1.-Mayor Cook, Aid. Christie,
Thorington, ANDERSEN, Hubbell, Mackin-
tosh Morley, O'Brien, Rammng. Sears
Minutes of last meeting read and ap-
proved
The Mayor laid before the Council the re-
turn Of the late election, to set apart the
city as a separate School District, referred
to the Ordinance Committee to report re-
solutions for the election Of officers, dc, un-
der the late School Law.
j. NJ. Bowling, John Forrest and John G.
Forrest were allowed two dollars each as
Judges and clerks Of said election.
Petition of H. Champion and others, for
crossing at Iowa and Second streets, was
referred to the Street Committee.
Petition Of VIM. Stolley and others wss
referred to the Marshal. with power to
act.
Aid ANDERSEN offered the following re-.
solution
Resolued, That the Mayor be, and hereby
is authorized and empowered to lease to
John Schrick the public ground known as
La Fayette Square, for the term Of two
years
Provided, Said John Schrick shall agree in
the lease to erect and maintain in good or
der, substantial fence around said square,
during the term Of said lease, and also in
the second year OF said term SOW said square
with timothy grass seed. And provided
also. that said John Schrick shall keep and
protect from injury, the shade trees in said
square
Adopted.
Petition of VIM. Pape for permi .sion to
lay down drain from his premises into Har-
rson street, was referred to the Aldermen
from the Third ward, and the City Engi.
neer, with power to act.
The Finance Committee made their an
nual report, and in connection Herewith,
that of the Treasurer of said city. The re-.
port of the City Treasurer was accepted
and ordered printed, and the report Of the
Finance Committee ordered to be Irinted
in all Of the city papers.
FINANCE REPORT.
TO tie Mayor and City Council of tie ..City
of Davenport
The Finance Committee offer the follow.
ing report
The total amount o, receipts into the City Treas.
q hal h.tu N
Total payments thereffom,. i0l O4s, 60
Balance on hand, ,...."............ 81 13l, ,88
For full particulars in relation to receipts
and expedentures, the Council are referred
to the report OF the City Treasurer, which
is now before them.
As will be seen by that report, the assests
OF the City are the same rs last year, with
the exception of 81 shares of the G. GR l.
K. X. stock which have been disposed of and
the proceeds included in the receipts Of the
last year.
The bonded debt of the City as reported
last year was s2SS, 800 it has since been In
creased by the appropriation of $4,000 of
the City Hall Bonds to S29s,5O Annexed
to the Treasurers report is An estimate of
Expentures for the ensuing year. to which
we would call the attention of the Council.
As will be seen by that estimate, the total
Expentures for the next year are set
down at s72,776,73. The estimated receipts
Independent of next years taxes are SI9.-
966,3O, leaving balance of $53SlO.37 to
be provided for by tax. Your Committee
are of the opinion that the estimate is too
small by at least lO,OOO, understanding it
las We do) to be the settled policy not only
of the City Council, but of our citizens at
large. to meet all our liabilities as City
promptly and as, We know of no better
way to meet those liabilities than by faith
fully and honestly estimating them, and by
timely preparation, put ourselves in a posi-
ton to meet them We are therefore of tho
opinion that it will be necessary to levey
upon the City Treasurer for the ensuing
year. More especially when we consider
the amount Of delinequent taxes, and that |
the city is already involved in law suits
that may require considerable sums of mon
ey to settle.
As will be seen by the Treasurer's report,
most of the expentures of the past year,
Independent of interest were made early IN |
the season, and it is estimated after a care
full examination, that of $lOl ,O4S,6O re-
ported iexpentures for the last year over
$50, 900 were paid out on orders issued, or
for liabilities contracted during previous |
years of the remaining $4,000 the larg-
est proportion has been used in paying the |
interest of our bonded debt,
Your Committee can safely say, that the !
affairs of the city have fol. the past year
been carried on with view to the strictest |
as a careful examination of the |
proceedings of the last year will testify. |
One expenditure after another has been stop
ped-tirst. the lighting of the streets with |
gas next, the discharge of the police force. |
the abandoning Of the City Hospital; to-
gether with other important and necessary
reforms; and when the ordinance regula. |
ting the salaries of city officers shall become |
a law, reducing them S5 900, without, in the |
opinion of your committee, impairing in the |
least degree the efficiency of any department |
of the city government. We may safely say |
the lowest possible point in regard to expen-
ditures has been reached. and notwithstand- |
ing much fault has been found with the City |
Council in relation to depriving the city Of |
gas light and police force, by those who |
looked upon them as absolute necessities,
your committee are of the opinion that no |
reduction has been made in the city expen |
ses, that, financially considered, were notab-
solutely called for. As will be seen by the |
Treasurer's report, the bonded debt of the |
city has been increased $4,000. and tenn
porsry loans have been made to meet our
city interest, for which we are still liable. |
Yet We may safely say the liabilities Of the
city of Davenport are to-day at least $780,
600 less than they were q year ago This |
made during year of general
depression in business and financial distress,
if not a subject Of congratulation, ought at |
least to be satisfactory. S3O,916 OS has been |
paid as interest, commission and exchange |
on the bonded debt Of the city during the |
last year, and although we have received
no dividend on our Railroad stock. and were |
to pay the interest on $4,000
Of bonds given to the G. 4 r. L and NJ. 4 |
NJ. r. r. companies, we feel pride in say
inc oup Oitv papop hoa navor hnnn upda,