The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-21
THURSDAY, APRIL 2i, 1870.
80 MNSSAGN "a MAYOR NOX.

THE HESSAGE or MAYOR FOX.
on our ffth page viii be found the essential
portions OF the FIRST annual message of Mayor
FOX, which was transmitted to Councils this
afternoon. The Mayor gives an interesting
and able review of the affairs of the city, and
we commend the message to the careful
perusal Of our readers. Our financial affairs
have evidently received from the Mayor great
attention, and he makes number of sug-
pestions that are worthy of thoughtful con-
sideration With regard to the Receiver of
Taxes be thinks that it would be great inn
provement if that officer we're required to
make TO the City Treasurer each day exact
statements of every item on his books, so
chat citizens could see for themselves whether
they have been properly credited or not.
This plan, in the Mayors opinion, would
obviate much difficulty and annoyance, and
be a great protection to the citizens and
che taxpayers. The Mayor thinks that the
amount of outstanding taxes is not by any
means as great as is supposed, and that a
ulisapprehension has been caused by the loose
manner in which the financial affairs of the
city have been conducted, as citizens have
frequently produced their tax receipts when
called upon to pay the penalties of delinquen-
cies, thereby showing that they had not been
credited upon the Receivers books. Such
system as is proposed would, in the Mayors
opinion, obviate such mistakes in the future
The Mayor takes up each of the city de-
partments in like manner, and gives de-
called account of their financial and other
operations during the year 1863, accompa-
MED 10y many pertinent and sensible sugges-
tions
With reference to the police the Mayor
contends that the present force is entirely
insufficient for the present size and popula-
tion Of the city, as it is not greater to-day
than il was during the administration of
Mayor Conrad. In the rural districts espe-
cially the lack of proper police protection is
severely felt, and the Mayor recommends
chat mounted patrol shall be established in
these sections of the city. During the adj
ministration Of Mayor Yaux a mounted patrol
was tried at Chestnut Hill at the expense of
The citizens, us nm experiment, and it gave
such satisfaction as to warrant its organiza-
tion as permanent feature of our police
svsten. The Mayor recommends that High
Constables be done away with, and that the
city be divided intofour police districts, to be
under the supervision of inspectors, and that
the remaining High Constables be transferred
20 the detective force.
The Mayors recommendation that the
street lamps shall be lighted epery night and
1R night viii, we are certain, be received with
universal favor. This is an improvement that
has long been needed and that every citizen
will appreciate. He also recommends that
more light be placed on Delaware avenue,
and that the docks that run up to Delaware
avenue shall be fenced in at the expense Of
the property owners. These are both excel
ent suggestions.
We cannot, of course, allude in this place
10 all the points of the message in detail, and
we refer our readers to the document itself. It
a clear, able, dispassionate, and bipartisan
review of the municipal situation, and many
f its suggestions if carried out cannot fail
to be of great practical benefit.
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAIL
pO4