The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-08
vi e S 8 A G. E
OF THE HON. GEORGE WILLIAM BROWN,
MAYOR OF BALTIMORE.
MAYORS OFFICE.


First and Second Branches of the Citv Council .
GENTLEMEN:-The new code of the State requires the
annual session nf the City Council on the
first Monday January instead of the third Mondav as
previously provided by law as the statements from
the different departments of city government in re-
aaon to the business and oeratonsSf the
found it impossible fully prepare the report of 'the
general state of the city with account of the
money received and expended, ,, which am by law re-
CURED to make to your Honorable Body during the first
five days of your session.
For many details which could not conveniently be en-
braced within the limits of this communication refer
the documents accompanying it.
TAXES, REAL AND PERSONAL, ETC
The total amount received for taxes city purposes
by the Collector during the year million two hun
dred and hftyeght thousand four hundred fifteen
dollars and twenty-on cents exceeding the re-
celpts OF the previous year by hundred seventy
thirty cents.
of the levy of 1859, hundred and one thousand
eght hundred and two dollars and twenty cents remain
due than half being on personal propertv ont
OF which large amount will be lost city in conse
quence of changes of residence and insolvencies
OF the levy of 1858 there remain uncoected one hun
dred and twenty thousand five hundred and seventy
three dollars and seventy cents of which the tax on ss,
estate amounts only thousand three hundred
and sixty nine dollars and ninety cents the rest
being on stock and furniture judgments mortgages and
vessels These facts show the necessity of prompt col
lection OF the tax personal property
therefore recommend the passage of an ordinance SEN
arating the tax real estate from Other taxes and
requiring the latter paid within five months from
the levy but allowing discount of ten per cent on such
eight if
within two months of per if paid within three
months OF tour per cent paid within four months and
two per cent. ifpaid within five months
The taxes on real estate may continue payable AZ at
present. " "
The of property which the levy for 1861 can
De made including property outside of direct taxation
estimated by the Appeal Tax Court at $l39 900 600,
There were assessed during the year new buildings and
improvements to the amount of 81 ,3lO, ,SOO
The basis of taxation would be increased if all those
who actually residents city could be taxed as
such, but not few of our weathes who
in topp opd
transact their business by claiming residence in the
county Where they occupy country-seats during the
warm weather. withdraw their and other
property from taxation by the city In New York Ros
ton and other cities this evil has been by eg
laton and application should be made to the next a9is
lature for law on the subject
The Register has not yet received the reports of the
various departments which could not be prepared until
the close of the past year and sufficient time since then
has not elapsed to enable the different officers to complete
them As soon practicable full and complete state
ment OF the finances of the city will be furnished to your
Honorable Body '
The whole assessment for opening Holiday Street is
545 10. ~ wy 10 't00'
The amount thus imposed the city is so large and
so lar above the benefits which it could derive from any
enhancement IN value of its property that recommend
arepea of the ordinance which provides for opennq the
street provided it be not too late submit here
nance may be repealed in the discretion of the Citv Conn
Gill; without subjecting the city to claim for damages
REORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
several departments of the City Government, may
public service WIN "'' 'ii'aee 10 the
advise that the offices of City Commissioner and as
slstant City Commissioner be abolished and that the
be divided into three departments with City Comms
sioner for each the three to constitute Board This
closely resembles the old system which continued in force
until the present adopted. This branch Of the
city government has large which could be exercisd
more satisfactorily and advantageousy by board than
by single Individual with assistant who is subor
dinate officer.
recommend that the Board of Commissioners for omen
ing streets be abolished and that their be confded
Court, which is 6tt
charge them by of the intimate acquaintance
OF that Court with the value property the CITY,
The board receive per diem which is charged as mart of
the costs of every proceeding 1t an Objectionable fe
ture in any system that the pay officers Should be made
30 depend on the number of days which they may choose
to devote to the business conided to them But the
judges of the Appeal Tax Court receive fixed salary and
could perform the Office of Street Commissioners whont
neglectng their duties.
CONTRACT SYSTEM
think 1t would be for the interest of the CITY to pro.
vide by contracts to be awarded by the Mayor Register
and Comptroller for cleaning the streets removing gar
bage and for cleaning the lamps and furnishing oil for
those in which is still used The lamps might be light
ed and eXtnguished by the police By this arrange
ment considerable expense would be saved while fhe
city would be better served and the paronape incident
to the Mayors Office would be diminished by dispensing
with large number ofcity officers The contracts should
be for short periods and should be awarded to the lowest
responsible bidder who should be required to give
rity and portion the contract price migh he rsevaa
until the completion of the contract The Mayor Regis
ter and Comptroller should be empowered to rescind
any contract on its violation by the contractor
! urge your Honorable Body the importance of
building vault for the safe keeping of the books in the
Collectors office the absolute necessity for which is shown
in the report of the Collector.
INSPECTION OF GAS.
The Mayor and City Council expressly authorised
to pass ordinances to establish and regulate inspections
within the city.n Under this provision am ordinance
might be passed. establishing and regulating the
ton of gas in such to be perfectly fair to the
Gas Company and at the time satisfactory to the
community
The almost entire dependence the citizens and the
City Corporation on the of gas for artificial light
at Tho
the of the supply should not be under the
exclusive control of the private corporation bv which the
gas is manufactured and furnished.
CITY PASSENGER RAILROAD
No subject of local interest is important to the
citizens of Baltimore than the City Passenger Railroad
the origin and history are fresh in the mem
ores of all to require here extended notice By
approved the 3Oth March, 1859 authority to
construct City Passenger Railroad given to william
II. Travers and others, and the I'd of April following
the grantees assigned by deed their entire rights and
erest under said ordinance to Lawrence Johnson Conrad
s. Grove, Robert F. Taylor, John Ely and iona than
Broc1-all residents of Pennsylvania Under color of
the authority thus conferred, railroad has been con-
structed through various streets of the city, which
passenger have been placed and
is and has been for many months in successful operation
1t has become matter of the first necessity the people,
but by whom it is managed, what is the amount of the
profits derived from it, and by whom those profits are
shared, kept profoundly secret The whole enter
prise is in the hands of private partnership composed
of individuals who for the most part unknown the
city authorities, and over whom they have adequate
control
the City Council when it passed the ordinance which,
from the beginning, has been fagranty violated
By the 7th section book required to be opened by
the association within ninety days from the approval Of
the ordinance for the purpose of receiving subscriptions
to the capital stock of the railroad said book
be kept open for five days. and notice of the time and
place of opening the book to be given in all
the daily papers for ten days previous thereto and in the
of stock being subscribed than the
pany authorized to issue, the same to be
divided pro rata to each subscriber.
The original grantees, after all their rights had been
al hppk and
take subscr ptions to stock but this entire proceeding
repu .Iaed by the assignees. who together with
other whom they associated with themselves,
built, and carry the road for their exclusive
benefit with the exception only of the fifth part of the
city. Thus the property in the road which was to
be distributed among all those who chose subscribe
fer stock has been appropriated by few individuals for
their private advantage.
In other particulars the ordinance has been still
i3 disregarded and set at nought The route from the
western limits of the city Baltimore street to
have been completed within year, but it remains
still unfinished to the western boundary line, and the
cars have not generally run on that line to the
tent to which the road has been completed.
The route Fayette or Lombard street. or both, as
far said streets may be graded paved required
be completed within two years arhest but this route
has not yet been commenced and there IS no probability
that will be finished within the stipulated time which
will expire the 30h of next March-indeed, it could
not be commenced at this season of the year
The route from the northern limits of the city
Charles street to Read thence to Calvert thence along
Calvert to Lexington thence to North thence to Ex-
change place. thence along Lombard TO Exeter thence
Bank thence to Ann, thence to Alice Anna, thence to
Winsor thence to Essex thence along Essex and Buk
Lancaster thence to Chesapeake thence to Elliott thence
along Elliott street to the eastern limits of the city at
Canton, to have been completed within year
But the portion of the from the northern limits
Charles street to Alice Anna street has not yet been
menced and the other portion of the route from Alice
Anna street to the eastern limits of the city at Canton
completed in May last, but not used by the cars
until October following.
The from Hanover Sharp street. Ferry
Bar, to have been completed in year but was
not commenced until September last and is not yet fin
ished to the point required by the ordinance.
The route Gay street to Baltimore Cemetery was
completed and in operation two months after the expra-
tion of the appointed time.
The End section of the ordinance requires that the rail-
way shall be built under the supervision fthe City Com
missioner and Joint Standing Committee on HIGHWAYS
This provision has been disregarded.
The 3rd section provides that the guage of the road
should be that of ordinary street carriages in order
plate of said railway, but the trampate of the road
constructed is that in many places gutter
formed between the iron rail and the pavement which
not only nconvenient, but injurious to the wheels
of vehicles.
Section 9th requires the to at intervals of not
than ten minutes, up to twelve O'Clock at night
This provision is not complied with.
Section 11th requires the association to keep the
covered by the track and extending feet the outer
limits eher side of the track in thorough repair at
their expense This provision has been dsregarded
to the injury Of the streets and inconvenience of
people.
By section II oneh of the gross receipts of the road
is to be paid quarterly to the City Register to be applied
to the establishment and improvement of the city boun-
Diary avenue and the purchase and improvement of pub
lie parks. These payments have from the first been
punctuay made, and the quarters interest due the
2Sth of October is still in arrear As the amount is re-
ceived in cash by the association there possible JUS
tifcation for its retention
By the 5h section the of $40 is be paid annual
y upon each running regularly said railway as
license money therefor to the City Register This provi
sion has not been fully complied with.
The important question arises to the remedy which
the city has for such grave violations of very important