Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-12-22
1NrRoDucroRY REMARKS.

To the honorable Council of the city
Of Los Angetes. aa.-,e -t H..
GENTLEMEN: We assume the dis
charge of our official duties under most
auspieious circumstances. At no
former period within the history Of
our beautiful city has the spirit of en-
terprisc welded such potent influence
or such general prosperity prevailed.
Progress has become the watchword of
the people, and advancement and inn
provement meets the eye on almost
every street and block within the COR
porate limits of our city. Five years
is but an atom of time in the history
of community, yet within that Pc
riod Los Angeles has shaken off the
lethargic sleep of q prosy semi-tropical
village and placed herself in the front
rank of California cities-has donned
the appearance and proven herself pos
sessed of the vitality and energy of an
active and enterprising business CEN
ire. The long rows of one-story build
ings have disappeared and on their
sites stand handsome 'structures-an
ornament to the scity. and -affording
facilities for the accommodation, of our
rapidly increasing trade. The street
railroad is one of the improvements
which the past few months have added
to our city-like appearance. Already
one long line OF tack. traverses some
of our principal streets, and the day is
near when another road will be in
operation. simultaneously with the
erection of many large and substantial
business houses appear numbers of
beautiful dwellings in the more retired
streets and suburban sections. Our
population is rapidly increasing and
our business prosperity is a matter of
qualification to ourselves and of as
tonishment to our visitors. We are
moving onward with rapid strides and
1t needs not the fore-knowledge of the
seer to predict that within less than a
decade Los Angeles will be known as
the second city in the State in wealth,
population and business activity
On the very threshold of this new era
Of progress and prosperity the people
haye entrusted ls, gentlemen, with
the duties and responsibilities Of guiding
and directing their municipal govern
ment. Let us hope that We may SO
perform the task Imposed that none
may be justly charged5with IA neglect
of duty or betrayal of confidence and
bnt OF Je,I. I,o 4 Il
we may all deserve and receive the
earnest plaudit, ".Well done, thou
good and faithful servantp We have
a difficult and arduous task to perform,
and | trust and believe that we come
to our work with clean hands and an
earnest resolve to labor for the
best interests of the whole community.
The field of duty on which we now
enter is almost new. The old formula
is inadequate to the eXigencies OF the
present or the demands of the near fu-
ture. & A practical system of drainage
must be agreed upon. A uniform sys-
tenn of street grading is one of the ne
cessities of the day. A more, thorough
and perfect plan of constructing side
walks is needed. The law in regard
to water supply and rates should be
enforced. The city's property should
receive more careful protection. These
and many other questions and issues
which j shall refer to later and more
in detail, demand our attention. In
passing to specific points, permit me,
gentlemen, to express the hope that
we may work as one harmonious
whole, ever keeping in view the i'm
portant fact that we are the peoples
servants and that their prosperity and
happiness should be the sole motive
of our every effort.
TIE FINANCIAL CONDITION.
The financial condition of the city is
very satisfactory. The Council you
have just succeeded may point to its
economical record with pride and sat-
isfaction. When the retiring Council
men took their seats city scrip was
sold OH the streets at 65 and 20 cents
on the dollar. During the fiscal year
now ending the city financial affairs
have been carried on on cash basis
In 1928 city taxes were ST. 40 on the
500; for 1874 the tax has been but 81
ON the 800, and unless a heavy in
crease of our current expense Is found
necessary, the tax will not probably
exceed so cents on the 500 for 1875.
The following statement will give a
clear idea of our financial condition.
AT the beginning of 1872 our Indebted
ness stood as follows:
Bonds, ......."...........$ 81 4G0
X. IL. Bonds....... 75O00
School-house Bonds. 10000
Funded Loan, "a 400
Outstanding Warrants. n 15O
$2ssOOO
The exhibit for 1874 gives the follow
ing figures:
1SOnus, o. 4iU
~ IL. l)OVU
School-hOuse Bonds.." 2O000
r. IL. Depot BOndS.......,...,. 5000
Outstanding 2,3oO
s22o,75o
The railroad depot bonds to the
amount of $500 are new, yet it will
be seen that the total Indebtedness has
been reduced from $23S, 900 to 1920, $50.
The outstanding warrants which in
| 1872 amounted to $21, $50 have been
reduced $1,000. The amount of money
in the city treasury is,about $4,000.
| RAPID INCREASE OF TAXABLE PROP
| .s-a 81 ERTY. sexv~.Rs
| Although our expenses have 'neces-
sarily increased, yet the rapid increase
of taxable property has enabled us to
| reduce, instead of increasing the rate
of taXation.s The assessed real and
personal property for1the fiscal year
preceding the year 1872 was $500, 600,