The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-01-07
OmciaI Report ofthe Mayor ef GHle
City OF Jackson
1fAYoE'a OFr1cE, CRY Hi,

the Legislature, entitled AN act Il
authorize the Board Of Supervisors o
Kinds county To remedy certain incOn
vencies arising out of the Kinds county
Funding Bill, AMI for other purposes,
and have disposed Of the same as directed
as will be seen by tented statement here
to appended.
have labored days and weeks, with
the Board Of Supervisors and the Legisla
ture, 10 c0nsummate this much 10 be
desired settlement without the aid Of city
Attorney or of any Of those who should
have interested themselves in the matter,
on account Of the heavy tax they would
have been compelled 10 pay, had not this
settlement been made. Ii the Board OF
Alderman had employed an attorney to
make this settlement, and paid Him at the
usual rates, it would have cost the city
several thousand dollars have perform
Ell this service cheerlully, without any
charge to the city whatever, and at your
request took upon myself the responsibility
of drawing the other county bonds and
selling them (Which | sold for five cents
on the dollar above the market price at
that time, and disbursing the money as
directed. 1t is hard u eatimate the benefit
derived from the sum realized by the sale
of those bonds. The city was without "a
dollar in the treasury to pay anything,
with floating indebtedness OF over eleven
thousand dollars, and To have issued war
rants to meet the exigencies of the city
during the present year would have
thrown surplus on the market equal TO
III ha II
warrants were funded IN 1873. In order
to show the necessities Of the city at the
commencement OF my term Of office, will
recite ii few Of most pressing. The bonds
given to Mr.. Green by the city, several
years previous, were past due, and had
been protested bill for lumber, pur-
chased by the former Board from the
Lowery Mills, to repair the Pearl River
Bridge, was over due and had been pro-
tested about seven hundred dollars of
the Fire Fund had been collected in city
warrants, when the law required it should
have been collected in moncy-lhese war
rants | cashed ; the former Board bonded
the outstanding Indebtedness OF the city
in Nav, 1878, bearing eight per cent
interest per annum, which fell due in
June last, and there had been no provi-
sion made to pay this, and those bonds
would have gone to protest, too, had /
not deposited the money with the Treas
urer to pay the same tbe City Hall had
become almost uninhabitable-b Joint
arrangement with the Board of Superb
sors, it has been put in thorough repair
the extraordinary freshets Inst spring
swept away all the bridges east Of Pearl
river, and almost destroyed the turnpike,
it nearl ) impossible TO get to
Jackson from that direction with an I'M
loaded vehicle; the same may be
said Of the streets aud bridges in
the city the pubic sbool-bouse
had been LETT exposed for several
years without an inciosure, subjecting the
lives Of the children, who attended that
school, to great danger from vehicles and
stock Of all kinds, and the property to
waste and destruction, by th0u4htiess
boys and malicious persons. enumorate
a few of the more important subjects that
those who have not studied .the matter.
may understand the many disadvantages
under which came into office and the
services | have rendered since my Undue
ion therein That [ have rendered the
people OF this community faithful service
and done all in my power To amelioyate
heir depressed financial condition, [ have
he approval of my own conscience,
which is more to me than anything within
he gift of man; and | will continue in
he future, as in the past, to do my duty, |
md meet all the requirements and |
of the city fairly and square |
7.
It will he seen that, although |
rave disbursed about seven thousand !
lollars in currency, mot one dollar of that |
mount has been paid to any city Off |
al for his services, Notwithstanding my
elf and all of my subordinates were do
ng faithful service for the city during the |
ime, and receiving pay III city warrants, |
which our necessities compelled US 20 sell |
t whatever we could get for them =
generally about sixty cents on the dollar.
t was mainly, and almost wholly through |
nv efforts, that a settlement was had with |
he county i'm which the city was freed |
rom the onerous burden of the Pearl riv-
r bridge debt, which amounted at that
ime, to about eleven thousand dollars
en- thousand four hundred dollars OF
which was paid with the county bonds
ssued for that purpose-leaving balance
f about seven hundred dollars due, which
ill he liquidated by the tax now being
objected
As there has been great deal said Of
lte about the salaries OF the city officials,
will digress from TIE subject under con
Iteration and say few words on this
cry prolific source OF complaint. | am
ne of those who believe that the lahoTer
worthy of his hire, ami that an officer
hould be paid according to the services
endered by him. 1t he does nothing he
hould receive nothing; try TO do my
nat subordinates DO theirs also There
As been a more thorough system of
u<iness established since my term of
flee commenced than I can fnl by
'oking over the records Of any ant rior
administration. The officers have ali been
aquirel To give COOL and sufficient bonds
, indemnify the city against any loss
ley have all been required 10 make
lonthly reports insteai of making them
or once in evgry tEo
ears, rs | find some of their predecessors
ave done under former administrations
mother matter that it might b. well
nough To mention is, the salaries of all
ne city officials. including my own. have
cen pail il warrants, without any hope
f having them cashed BY funds coming
ITO their hands in their official capacity
5 Mayor, | have received the city war
ants for all fines, ana my costs aud that
{ the Marshal. Other administrations
ave almost invariably collected the costs
/ money. and some of them have even
emanded the fines in cash. | adopted
lis system to enhance the value of the
arrants, thereby increasing the credit OF
he city. have heard it suggested that