The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-04-17
Report and Recommendation of
Mayor II. B. Woodward to the
Council Of the Incorporated
Village of Somerset.
April II. 1874.

expedient, concerning the affairs of
Corporations, and to recommend such
measures as to them may seem proper.
In accordance with said law, we this
this evening make such recommended
tions and suggestions to you we deem
best for the general welfare of our peo-
pie and town. The prosperity of any
village, town or city depends, in no small
degree, upon the proceedings, energy and
wisdom Of its officers. That trust, gen.
tlemen, has been confded to your
hands. so far as relates to the duties of
Councilmen, and we sincerely hope that
/ your actions NAV be such that our citi-
zens may never regret their selections.
We are pleased that we can inform
you that our Corporation is entirely free
/ from all Indebtedness, and has now about
nine hundred dollars in her treasury
/ Though we are In a good state financial
/ ly, we trust that you will exercise rigid
economy in all expenditures. Scruti-
nize all accounts, bills or other disburse-
ments, as you would your own private
\ business.
The out-gone Council began several
new improvements which have not vet
been completed, and it is to be hoped
that they will be pushed to completion
at once.
The first item to which we wish to call
your attention is, more suitable apparat-
tus for protection against destructive
fires, and would recommend that you
Immediately procure a good ladder
wagon, hooks, new ladder, ak, crow bar,
&C., and have them kept in constant
readiness for use, should they ever be
| needed. Perhaps, for the present, there
should be good substantial pumps put
in the cisterns. A place can be left for
suction-hose, should you conclude TO
purchase an engine of any kind. This
arrangem ent would be much better than
nothing. The hooks, ladder, wagon, &C.,
would be needed even with an engine, and
the pumps could be used to good advan-
tage in incipient fires, before any kind
of an engine could be brought into use,
in many cases. As to the consideration
of a more expensive fire apparatus, we
leave to your more mature conclusion,
hoping that you will give the subject
due reflection from the fact that several
places in this State, as well as others,
have been almost ruined by extensive
conlagrations, for the want of appli-
ances sufficient for all circumstances and
emergencies.
The next subject to which | wish to
call your attention is a revision of and
additions to our ordinances. A few
good ordinances, we'll enforced, are worth
more than book full of worthless ones
poorly enforced. There are some which
it is almost impossible to enforce, some
that have never been published, and 9TH
ers that there are no records whatever to
show that they were ever passed at all.
We have some excellent ones, and some
that only need republishing properly,
and recording. We should have an or
dinance for the better observance of
ication" one on "Disorderly Conduct"
and a revision of the ordinance on
"Nuisances." &c. 1t has been suggested
that there should be an ordinance estab-
fishing Night Police. Under the pres
ent arrangements it is impossible to pre-
serve order during the hours of night,
because we do not pay the Marshal a sal
airy that will justify him in watching
around till midnight. By giving night
police the ringing of the bell, lighting
the street lamps, taking care of the Town
Hall, fire apparatus, &C., he could, at
the same time, keep lookout for fires
and burglars, and the cost of maintain
ing such police would not exceed, per-
haps, one hundred dollars per annum
extra. If, in your judgment, such po-
lice would be too expensive, we would
suggest the propriety of closing all pla-
ces of business between the hours of 10
o'clock p, NJ, and o'clock A. NJ.
Your attention is called to the Chin
neys of the Court House and Hall which,
have been condemned as unsafe and
smoky, and suggest that they be topped
| off in more modern style, and made
secure.
And further, you will consider the
propriety of macadamizing the road
leading to the Steam Mill, and improv-
ing the condition of the Public Square.
The Street Commissioner, in my opin-
ion, should be allowed a certain salary,
or be compelled to put in all the time in
so many days, or not be allowed to work
with less than so many men, except in
certain cases. All extra time he may be
required to put in, or extra work done,
should be made a separate charge, and
all cases where only few hands are re-
quired, he should work himself, and
make hand, and not sit by and look on.
There are numerous other small mat
ters which will demand your attention
and consideration, the details of which,
we will not bring before you at this ses-
sion. F
All these measures, to which we have
invited your thoughtful reflections and
official actions, can be carried into effect,
and accomplished with much less means
and funds than you have at your COM
mand, and your official transactions will
receive the hearty approval of the great
majority of your constituents.
Respectfully submitted,
R. b. WOODWARD, Mayor
ACard.
EDITOR PREss:-In looking over the
report of the Secretary, of the "Crusa-
ders," of March 9th, I find the report
in REGARD tn what 7 shouId have said ac