The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-03-24

INAUGURAL ADDREss
| LYSANDER w. BABBITT,
/ Mayer Il IN City Il Csuneii 1lsffs.
Gentlemen Of The Common Council Of The
City Of Council Bluffs:
By the suifrages Of my fellow citizens
have been called to the responsible position
of Mayor Of this city, and in obedience to
the Charter, which makes it the duty of the
/ Mayor to inform the Common Council from
time to time Of the condition of the city,
and make such Recommendation as he may
think best to promote her interests, and the
welfare Of its inhabitants, l shall proceed
to give you brief synopsis of the progress
and present condition of the city, together
with such suggestions as to the policy,y ihtch
should guide the administration .Qi 5ts afs
fairs, as will in my opinion be most scobs
ducive to its progress and improvement,
and waiip the creates. measure advance the
interests aaa promote the r pinoss Of her
citizens. II.
1t is conceded by oil Who haze correct
knowledge Of our city, that, in geographical
position, sanitary advantages, rapid progress
IN improvements and population, Council
Bluffs has no equal in the West. Situated
in latitude 4lo l6' north, and in longitude
lS0 42' west from the the City Of Washing
ton, the fact is disclosed that it occupies
almost a central position upon the North
American continent. Being located upon
the most feasible, direct. and by fanr hum
dred miles the shortest route To- 03ilroad
from the Atlantic to the Paci6{ ban. and
occupying almost central posisiA between
the two great seaboards.dp We anticipate
too much, when We saysthat Council Blue
not many years in thc'6uturc will b.
the great central dcpo. for the, dc
Railroad?
The greatest river in tho world FORMS CUR
western boundary, while on tho north, east
and south, We nre surrounded bya country
which for fertility Of soil, beauty Of land
scape and salubrity Of climate, is unsur
passed by any country in the world. The
great river that washessour western border
is navigablc $500 miles above US, for
steamers of 800 tons burthen, and for the
largest class Of steamers navigating our
western rivers, from this city to the Gulf Of
Mexico, a distance Of $500 miles.
These great natural and local advantages
We have, and all that is necessary to develop
them is people who can appreciate and
turn them to practical use. A portion of
that people are already here-combining
intelligence, mora,,tv aud business capacity
of high order, to which may be added en-
ersy of character and untirii.ng Industry
The balance of that people We r'H have
here, when our natural and local AT van
tages shall be fully laid before the world.
1t is now seven years since FIRST located
at this point, and in that short period of
time, how great the change. Then there
were but two two story buildings in the
ci'y-now they number moro than as many
hundreds. Then there was not brick
building in the cty-now they may be num-
bered BY !tifties, embracing among them bu-
siness houses that would do credit to any
city in the Union. Then We had a steam
boat arrival once in about two weeks-now
they arrive and depart daily during the sea-
son of navigation. Then our merchants
paid from 50 to 81 per hundred on freight
from St. Louis-now they pay 80 to so cents.
Then We had a tri.weekly mail, carried in a
two-horse tack-now we have four daily
mails, carried in four-horse post coaches.
besides several semi and tri-weekly mails
Then there was no Touring mill in the city
now We have two, capable Of manufactur-
ing from one to two hundred barrels of
-four per day. Then our streets were crook.
ed and narrow and without any established
grade, or sidewalks-now our streets are
wide, straight and several miles graded, and
in the business portion of the city, We have
brick and plank sidewalks in the aggregate
about two miles in length. Then we had no
churchs, no regular place of worship, and
but ono minister of the gospel in the city
now we have three elegant churches finished
and two others in tho course Of construction,
six ministers of the gospel, and six regular
places of public worship. Then the taxable
property in the whole county was valued at
about $65. 000-now the taxable property in
Counci' Bluffs alone, is valued at 81 ,4OO, 0OO.
and in the entire county at about SO, 500, 900.
Then there were about dozen business
houses, including all classcs, in the city
now we have ten dry-goods stores, with
stocks ranging from Sc, 900 to $50, 900, four
grocery stores, one hardware store, three
jewelry stores, ten saloons, five shoemaker
shops, one tent making establishment, four
bakeries, three livery stables, five hotels
one auction store, seven blacksmith shops,
two confectionery stores, three pork packing
establishments, four merchant tailor shops
two read.mads clothing sores, two insu-
rance Offices, two railroad Offices, one dis.
tillery, one rectifying establishment, three
carriage aud wagon factories, Eve banking
houses, two tin and sheet iron and stove
stores, two newspapers, two book and job
printing Offices, two book stores, four paint
shops, two millinery shops, one pillow factory.
six carpenter and joiner shops, four lumber
yards, two steam Touring mills, two ambro
type and photograph galleries, one marble
shop, two gunsmith shops, two breweries,
one dentist, nine physicians and surgeons,
seventeen lawyers, two public schools with
four teachers and $50 scholars, one high
school with two teachers and about fifty
students, one brass band, two string bands
Spd one military company. These embrace
but . small portion of the improvements
and CT. apges that have taken place 10 our
"a. ill.,, tho last siv vcars md averv