Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1860-04-12

then took the oath Of Office
The newly elected Aldermen then took tn si
respective ssats; the Mayor and other city ol
6cer, entered upon the duties of their respec,
i've Offices
Mayor Caldwell then delivered his Inaug u
raj:
Centlsmen of the City Council
In assuming the position OF ex ecutive office
Of the city of my adoption. it may not be i'm
proper to say that approach the discharge o
the duties necessarily connected with the sta
tion. under q sense Of responsibility which
never before 1t has been my lot to experience
occupied the place before me-men, whose va
ried abilities, general reputation, and know,
edge Of municipal affairs far exceed any quail
ties OF q similar character that can ever 40
p!re to- But. in an earnest desire to promote
the welfare Of the city, and to assist in main
tanning fair and honorable position for ouI
favored locality, hope to be awarded in the
end the credit of having yielded to none-no,
even to the ablest of my predecessors You
will find that thall have to make frequent
elaine upon your generous indulgence, and
from my knowledge Of the the members of the
Council. feel assured that q charitable con.
struction can be relied upon in all matters
likely to involve an error of judgment. That
our mutual relations shall be courteous and
harmonious during the year that We shall be
brought in contact with each other my best
efforts shall be directed to accomplish; and q
reciprocal sentiment upon your part, have
every reason to believe, will exist.
Davenport, like every other city in this
western country, has suffered severely from the
financial revulsion of 1857. From . condition
of exsltation beyond precedent in this region,
| her business interests have been brought into
q state Of comparative humiliation. Property
has diminished in value; merchants have been
| driven almost to despair; Q manufacturing ell
ement as yet only in it's first stages of devel
opment. has dragged along with sickly exist
ence the country round about has been stag
gering under = load of debt, and abundant
financial resources have been in . great meas
urs cut off, With all this, we have the sats-
| faction of knowing that our condition, 6nan-
cially considered. 10 as good. or At least, no
worse than any fret class city in the State Of
Iowa. Throughout all, there has been a fair
exchange of commodities, some production Of
manufactured articles. and reasonable supply
Of money. Throughout all, there has been .
strong disposition to surmount our difficulties,
creditable alike to the integrity aud persever-
ance OF our population, and which, if persisted
in. will bring those Of good heart to the full
realization of their hopes at last. It is within
the memory Of many. when Cincinnati and
Chicago had to paes through an ordeal similar
to the one which we are now experiencing
when property in each was worth almost moth
ing, and all kinds of business we're depressed.
Yet these two cities, no more favorably To-
Gated than ours-in fact. possessing in common
just such attributes as ours-are now the
great centers of the North West. have passed
safely tho season of youthful trial. and are
striding to q glorious and commanding maturi-
ty. The proper use Of their natural facilities.
the actual investment of capital and the in.
domitabs energy of the residents, as we'll as re-
Gently acquired population, have lifted both to
power and eminencs. That such win be the
Ultimate destiny of Davenport. there are many
who, in spite Of oil croakngs to the contrary,
entertain a firm and abiding faith. Among
the most hopeful of these, l wish to be
classed, and am willing so to 60 upon record in
this my first official act, and to wait patiently
f~r the time to come round for complete con-
firmation Of this expressed opinion.
Tne pecunary condition of the city will first
claim the attention Of Council, and should re
ceive that immediate cansideratien which its
Importance merits The idea has obt aimed .
fast hold upon the public mind. that our re-
sources for the payment of interest upon the
city Indebtedness are almost If not completely
exhausted--that the collection or taxes has
been pushed to the extreme limit of f,rbear-
ance. and that the city must. Of necessity, 60
to protest. Tha. this general view has re-
ceived encouragement from sources entitled to
great consideration, there can be but little
doubt. question, therefore, of the most Sc
rious gravity will be presented, as to the best
means of extricating the city from an unpleas-
ant position, in o manner that shall be at once
honorable, and save our already over burth.
oned tax payers from unnecessary distress.
Reputation Of the original public intebtsd.
ness. or any part thereof, presume will find
no advocate in this chamber. What we hon
estly owe. We will endesvor. sooner or later,
honestly to liquidate. Our fair fame as . city
is not to be sullied by any denial Of obligation
10 redeem our promises to pay. At least uch
a course of proceeding shall find no advocate
in me, and for the promulgation Of any such
sentiment, certainly was not elected TO this
honorable position. But, that some arrange.
ment should be made with the creditors Of the
city to whom interest 10 or may become due,
either by extension OF the time of payment, or
otherwise, is a subject for your examination,
and commsLd it to your early and prompt
attention. with the single suggestion, that, in
my opinion, feeling of fair play towards our
struggling and almost PROSTATE business inter-
sets, demands, ct present, ameliora tion in some
form or other.
1t is our business as faithful guardians of
the public interests, to institute such policy
in the management Of corporation affairs 90
shall steadily look to the future expanion II not
greatness We have situation that 10 M
equalled for picturesqueness and beauty, and
and an ample and well-dsvised city plat. 1t
follows then. that just and permanent grades
should be established, substantial improve
ments put upon the streets, and system Of drain
age adopted conducive to the general health
Of the body polite Wisdom dsm.nd' that
free. and good communication with the coun.
try should be afforded. In my opinion, main
route to the extreme borders Of the city, in
every we'll travelled direction, should never be
lost sight Of for . moment With the increase
Of population, other and parallel road ways
will follow, but at present, those east. west,
north and rorth-w col, should receive prominent
attention. in order that the farming popula-
tion may be induced to Welt tho city not only
habitually but frequently-not only with their
loaded teams, but with the members of their
families for the purposes Of ordinary trade
1t is hardly creditable to any city govern
ment, that a main syreet within the corporate
limits should be in such condition as to be
liable to the charge at any time of being i'm.
passible and yet, there are points in the very
heart Of Davenport, which, under the influence
Of continued rains, might be viewed most sus-
piciously. That the eidepaving, curl bing and gut
tering should receive increased attention in a
city which is rapidly becoming more and more
compact, is obvious to every one-and need
hardly call your minds to the fact, unless to
say. that in many places the foot walks are
really in dangerous condition and require