Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-04-15
Tuesday, Apra Is, 1878.
The New Oniccrs.

tered upon the duties appertaining
to their offices. The Mayor, Mr..
A. w. Comstocl, made few re-
marks, in which he recomme die,
many improvements in the manner
of conducting our municipal af-
fairs. He said:
GENTLEMEN:-It is but right
that at this, our first meeting, j
should follow the time-honored GUS
tom and make such suggestions as
deemed proper as to the policy best
to be pursued in carrying on the
public affairs. l deem it my duty
TO make, as it seems to me, and to
offer my suggestions on some i'm
portant matters tonight, and to
recommend some measures that in
my opinion will benefit our city.
| would recommend the most
rigid economy in the administration
of public affairs that all the Off
GERS be required to do their whole
duty, and that any repetition of
neglect should be cause for removal
at once. l would recommend that
the proper person should attend to
the purchase of all material neces-
sary for the use of the city, and
that such purchases be open to
competition, that the city may de-
rive the benefit.
recommend to your carful con-
sideration the question of keeping
police force. Believing, as l do
that we are law-abiding commu.
nitv. if this expense could. l.
your judgement, be despenced with,
it would be great saving to our
tax payers, which saving might
properly be expended in the i'm
provement of our city. You will
remember that without the polio,
we have a Marshal and Sheriff
whose duty it is to constantly guard
the public peace.
/ would recommend the strict en-
forcement of the ordinances of the
city; believing that all laws should
be respected, and that if any of the
ordinances are obnoxious it is bet
ter to have them repealed than to
have them disregarded.
would recommend that all ne
cessary improvements be made, and
none other; that special attention
be given to the wants and demands
of the city in regard to the opening
of new streets; that, also, the pub
lie moneys for such purposes should
at least be expended in each Ward
in proportion to the amount of tax
able property; that more money
should be expended in opening
streets than heretofore, as there il
more need. You have only to visit
the outskirts of the city in almost
any direction to see the houses and
homes of the laboring men of our
city springing up, and many of them
with hardly foot path to them.
These houses of the laboring men
are evidence of the real prosperity
of our city, and they should be given
all the aid and encouragement poss-
iblc, and at least all they are enti-
tied to. There are some few streets
which needs opening, of which the
city has not acquired the title of
the land or the right Of way. ]
would recommend that steps be
taken at once, and jury be sum-
moned to assess the damages in ac-
cordance to the amendments which
have recently been made to our
City Charter, that all dispute be-
tween the city and its citizens be
ended. That special attention be
given to getting up a system OF
seryerage,-that any work which
may be so expended will be last
ing benefit to the city.
The formation of Hook and
Ladder Company, and that COM
petent, sober man be employed as
Engineer of the fire department
think it would be preferable TO
employ one man and perhaps add
tribe more to his salary than tc
try to get along in the manner we
have been in the past.
You lave now u new duty i'm.
posed upon you, viz: The allowing
Of the tax necessary to support the
public schools. This should re
ccivcd your most careful attention
remembering that the prosperity
and continuance of the American
Republic depends upon their sue
cess. Our State has just reason L
be proud of her beautiful and eff
cient system of public free educa
ton. Where any boy with a reas
enable amount of talent and indus
try can become literally, nay, classi
cally educated, commencing at TIN
primary schools, passing through
the Union Schools, graduating a
the Michigan University,-that in
stitutioh which justly holds ram
with Yale or Harvard, and all with
out cost. The general government
has dclt literally with us, and sha
it be said that we will do less ! Be
ter 10 be even O little extravagar
than to do anything which migl
curtail their usefulness.
In regard to the health of tn
city / deem it prudent that sue
sanitary measures should be take
rs will prevent, beyond possibilit,
the breaking out Of the fearfI
,.o,ro,a which lately has been In