Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-04-21

Balance in the hands of the Treasurer sub
Ject TO warrant, S4 q.
Mr.. SOuthwick also informs me thai
there are several outstanding Warrants on
the treasury of this corporation unpaid,
and ne estimates that the ordinances passed
for payments of claims, tonight will swell
the amount to over $500, that will be due,
with no funds on hand to pay the same.
Therefore, taking last years expenditures
during the months of April, May, June
and July as basis. for making an estimate
of the amount you viii need for the next
three months in order to defray operating
expenses, find that it will require So, 600.
At the expiration of that time, your
Treasurer says he will be able to get an
advance Of that amount from the County
Treasurer on the June installment of tax
es; and | trust, that for the credit of our
corporation, and in justice to the working
men, and Others, you viii make the neces-
sary arrangements for this amounts at once.
1t is to.be regretted that We are placed in
this predicament; but hereafter, entreat
that you will so arrange the finances that
we will not every half-year have to go on
the street to make these short loans, which
are extremely embarrassing, to say the least.
! would, therefore, suggest to your hon
orable body, that our present Indebtedness,
floating and bonded, be consolidated in 8
per cent. interest-bearing bonds, payable
in years. This kind of funded debt can
easily be negotiated at or above par. And
still, with the fulfllment of the above sug-
gestions, the future management of our
finances viii require your vigilant atten-
ton to keep the expenditures within the
limits OF our income. And l would be in
different to the wishes of our constituents,
II l should not insist that our outlays
should be contracted togthe receipts from
our resources; and any encroachment be-
yond that point will meet my emphatic
protest.
FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
! Ideeply regret that there have been no
permanent steps taken to put our streets
in better condition 1t seems to me to be
folly to go on from year to year, piling
earth upon our streets until they are like
dividing ridges for the purpose of water
sheds to flood adjoining lots. Is it right OF
wise, in sanitary point of view-to say
nothing Of the faulty engineering-to raise
streets in city to drain the water from
them so as to I'LL cellars and the lower por-
tions Of adjoining lots, to breed pestilence
and disease? 1 hope, and feel sanguine,
that you viii take radical departure from
such worthless and expensive manner Of
repairing streets. believe the time has
come when we shall inaugurate some per
manent system Of sewering, grading, paw
ing or maeadamizing our principal streets,
upon sanitary and scientific principles
such as have been tried and found to be
entirely satisfactory. And fully believe
that step taken in the right direction IN
this matter will gain for you the thanks Of
your fellow citizens, andAlead them to de-
mAnd the continuation Of your good work.
In doing this, with little help from own
ers OF adjoining property, there need be nc
more money expended on the streets thar
there has been in previous years, and own.
ers OF lots abutting, would find their prop.
erty enhanced in actual value, two-fold.
Other improvements believe our citi
zens are willing to dispense with for III,
present; at least know Of no Others that
need you immediate attention. iqa
FIRE DEPARTMENT..
Iwould recommend that there should b,
something done TO put the different fir,
companies in more healthy and eficien
condition. All good citizens should JON
with you in recognizing in q suitable an,
substantial manner, the great obligation
we owe to these brave and self-sacrifcin
men, who are ready at moments notice
without pay, or hardly thanks, to. start a
defenders and saviors Of our property an
lives, and to stay and subdue one Of th
most destructive elements.
Law DEPARTMENT
respectfully request, that you instruC
your Solicitor to collate, codify, arranp
under different divisions, and properly il
dex all ordinances in force, and ada tho,
that are needed-and that any confictin
osdipsnce Be inhibited q repdsisd, a. Il