Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-05-13
The Mayors Inaugural Address.
Delivered before the Common, Council, Apri
S5ti, 1865

folioWlhg The example of my predecessors. T
| s!lali ny 70 lay before you such Recommended
slouo Io' youI action as, IN my opinion, will
serve TO promote the welfare and PROSPERITY of
our city. Vi
IermI1 me hrst to express our common felt
grasitude to an Allw1se Providence for mani
fold blessings that we have received so abund
antly ID our midst in the past. We acknowI.
edge mat although we are heavily burdened
WIN nfgh taxatlon-direct and indirect-and
| othef Inconvenience, that could not be avoided
we are nevertheless, doing we'll Our mer.
| chants and manufacturers are doing a good bu
slhessi thelr capital and wealth increases: other
| ana new ones are established: our tradesmen
and laoorers find ample employment and are
wei, Pala' During the past year, many and
cosby s'ofe buildings and dwellings have been
| erected, and to all appearance, the present sea.
son will add materially 10 their humber and
beauty We may we'll be proud of the enter
Plnhee auo industry OF our citizens, of their in
telHSence' OF our sources of wealth too numerous
TO mentlon, which are centered within the lin.
It's OF our corporation. But let us not FORGET that
d great zeal depends upon the earnest good will ,
the wisdom, and the undivided attention of this
Councll to our municipal wants. to secure the
wealth, honor and hourishing conditions that
I we are entitled to. Great is the responsibility
| mat rests upon this Council. Our constituents
look upon Us as the safeguards of their interests
lhey expect, and have right to expect that
VIC " IA 1edEe uOtuln9 uDQOne which calls for our
action. Let us not betray their confidence in our
Willingness and ability to meet and to scalmthe
| threatening storm that now blows at our doors
I GU VIII perceive tina allude to the situation
IN which The city is placed by the decision of
The United States District Court which makes
the claims of the bondhoders, issued by this
city III aid OF the building of the several rail
roads through here, valid. | believe it is not
necessary for me to enter into details We are
| embarrassed, on account of them, on every side
judgments against us have been obtained; other
suits nave been commenced, and that only on
The coupons, and this thing is likely to continue
for an Indefinite period of time, until all said
bonds, when they become due shall have been
SUED and Judgments obtained if nothing is done
| by US to prevent such a calamity. Other cities
nave been Ia The same position, but the most of
them have devised means for settlement with
the bondholders, and generally W ith a beneficial
result Every man of legal know ledge tells us
That there is no escape for US from paying or
compromising those bonds and Judgments 1t
Will not remedy our evil to complain that we
/ nave oeen Wronged or defrauded whether i'm
| aglnafy or reai) by individuals or companies in
| giving those bonds with ut frs obtaining Sc
/ curIty. We We're all anxious to secure the ben
chts derived from the railroads. We have now
got TO meet the consequences. Can we resist
the collection of Judgment after Judgment? Is
there an appeal, or any way to 90 round about
] eminent, remaining IN state of anarchy Our
| duty to our constituents, in my opinion is verv
pam. The sooner we get them out of this emu
barrassment, provided We can, the better we
shall serve them. We shall undoubtedly have
great sacrifices to make, but that cannot be ayoi-
ded The main and perhaps the only question
Is, what course shall We take 10 ultimately wipe
out our Indebtedness? Some suggest to buy up
! the bonds at low figure, and if the bondhoiders
Will net come down To terms, repudiate them
| Some are OF opinion, that the best way is TO
take them up from time to time at such Der
ceutage as we may be able to obtain them, un-
! til they are all wiped out. Others, and | think
! the vast majority, which represent my views in
the case, are decidedly in favor Of using every
effort to buy them up III the shortest posslb e
tlme at reasonable rates, for which they NAV
! be bought. 1t Is confidently believed that if
we earnestly go to work, the bondholders can
| be induced to part with them at low figures
rather than risk the difficulty and time of col
| Iectng judgments. Repudiating payment
| Gentlemen, we cannot expect. Waiting until
! all The bonds have matured aud then paving
them from time TO time, is about as dangerous
! policy They will constantly rise in value and
those holding on will certainly shave us. There
lore, let US go 10 work. Let us find men among
US VINO can be entrusted as agents. Let US
literally pay them for their services. Or have
we no men OF Intelligence of knowledge, of
patriotic feeling among US, who may be entrust-
ed with these transactions? 1t would throw
poor light upon our citizens if we had not But
tell you, Gentlemen, we have such; but they
want and must have our undivided confidence
Without 1t, they will not undertake it. Let us,
therefore, stand united on this point Let us
employ such men, and listen to their advice
Let us not stick at tIifes, and fail in this great
object 10 redeem The city out of the clutches
OF the bond speculators-United we must stand,
divided we fall.
Our Fire Department has been shamefully
neglected for the past three or four years.
Whether the fault is with the Common Conncil,
or the citizens, or both, am not now to inquire
| We have good engine and hose, an engine
house, hooks and iiadaG!ers--eyeryth thing necessa
ry, with which good fire company might work
we'll. But it seems that there is 10 disposition
Oh The part or eur citizens TO encourage the or
ganlzatlon OF company. Why is this thing to
be? We have been very fortunate. We have
had no fires of any great extent, but is this go
ing TO remain so? Can reasonably expect
mat no disaster OF an extensive and destructive
tire will ever visit us? Can not our business
men induce young, able bodied men to join into
company? J. think they could, if they would
make The membership OF that company condi- |
tIon III their engagement. This Council should
make the membership of such company hon |
orable, grant them some suitable privileges, and
perhaps pay them decour III great emergen |
cies, and by their showing proper appreciation, |
when it appears that such a distinction has
been earned.
The Street and Bridge department also re-
quires your earnest attention. Different locali |
ties have different interests at stake. Unanimity
of action is seldom obtained in questions of this
nature. Our bridges, five in number. are in poor
condition, are continually out ofrepair, and very
expensive to support. Two others have gone
out of existence, which people interested, ask |
to have rebuilt Another one, as | am informed
will be proposed, which would increase the
number to eight. 1t is clear, that on account of
the curved course of Rock river through the
city, proportionate large number of bridges
will always be required. But it is also clear
that few less would answer all purposes. AS
general thing, we have more streets and roads
that we are in need Of But on the east side of
the east curve of Rock river and above, they
would be OF service togive the people connec-
ton with the main roads, it is different. Two
bridges out there could be diSDenSed with IF