Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-04-20
$40 95e S75e $40 9OO

pun H. dScuinluS eHc udtloS VI your
Chief Executive one year ago, took strong
grounds against the practice then, and Of
past years, of making loans, every half
year, at high rates of interest. to pay float
ing Indebtedness to food over to the next
instalment of taxes, and in my inaugural
address at that time said: 81 intreat that
you will so arrange the finances that we
will not every hslf-year have to go on the
streets to make these short loans, which
are extremely embarrassing to say the
least"
81 would therefore suggest to your honor
able body that our present Indebtedness,
floating and bonded, be consolidated in
eight per cent. interest-bearing bonds, &c.
Therefore it gives me great pleasure to say
that my suggestion relatiYe to our finances
was fully carried out by your immediate
predecessors; and too much praise cannot
be bestowed upon them for the admirable
manner in which they disposed of the same.
and that too, in consolidated bonds, bear
ing only seven per cent. interest; also keep
ing the expenditures within the limits of
our income, and with quite an excess over
in each fund. And would be derelict in
duty, if l did not render to Treasurer
Southwick the thanks of not only ourselves
but our constituents for the meritorious
manner in which he has assisted US in these
fiscal transactions.
IMPROVEMENTS.
1 am emphatically opposed to our present
custom Of Improvements on our streets,
and so expressed myself year ago; and
without traversing the subject matter
again, have to say that consider it very
unwise, and unjust to the general taxpay-
er; and / believe, and am so advised by
good legal authority. that the law does not
contemplate the improvement of streets
out of the general street fund. And l be-
lieve that you should make it an under
standing rule to require petition of the
owners of the frontage in interest, express
ing their wishes, and the kind of improve
ment wanted, and if you deem it advisable
grant such petition, and let the expense of
such improvements be charged to the own
ers of property fronting, or that no ex-
pense for same shall be charged to the city
except each proportion as it is required by
law to pay. During the past fiscal year,
there has been expended on the streets, out
of the general street fund, the sum Of 3d.
III. .69-whether wisely or not, is a ques-
ton that will not now debate, but will
say that it is a sum twice as large as is ex-
pended in Painesville, Warren, West Cleve-
land, or most any other town of the size of
Ashtabula, in the State, for that purpose.
The repairs of streets and that portion
of streets which the law requires the city to
improve is only what the law anticipated
the street fund.should be used for There
fore / recommend that the levy for street
purposes be reduced one-half.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
1t is to be regretted that the former
Chief Engineer of this department has not
kept fuller record of the Goings of this
important branch of the public service, al
though he was supplied by the Council
with every facility to make full report as
required by law. The acting Chief Engi-
neer has furnished me with detailed state
ment of the amount expended for the de-
partment, and distribution las far as he
was ahle) to each Fire Company, making a
total of 81, 065. 30. have ordered his re-
port to be published for your better infor-
nation.
There has been everything done by the
Council in the past year to make the Fire
Department efficient and equal to its re-
quirments; but / cannot resist the convic-
tion that there is great want of discipline
and effectiveness in same, without which
its usefulness will be greatly deteriorated.
Therefore ask your aid in bringing this
valuable auxiliary of our public service to
its highest exeellency. To accomplish
this, there should be a Chief at its head
who has good executive abilities, and force
of character enough to enforce thorough
discipline through every branch Of its ser
vice, and see that its buildings, property
and effects are well preserved, kept from
loss, and fully inventoried and in order
to attain this object ! would recommend
that the Chief be paid reasonable salary,
and then held responsible for the conduct
of the Fire Department. To do this, re-
ouire him to file bond with sureties sub
jeet to your approval for the faithful per-
formance of his duties.
LAW DEPARTMENT.
If am rightly informed, all the suit
pending in which the city is interested is
the annexation of the Harbor and a portion
Of territory lying south Of our present lin
its. This annexation business has been
dragging through the Courts for the past
three or four years, but we trust that it
will reach termination at the present
term of District Court, and that the annex
alton then will be consummated.
Once more allow me to call your atten-
= L., Il II
ing and arranging under different divi-
sions, properly indexed, all Ordinances in
force, adding those that are needed; and
that conflicting Ordinances shall be modi-
fed or repealed. This matter ought to be
attended to at once, otherwise it will be
difficult to determine what Ordinances are
In force and operative. am Of the opin-
ion that there should be an Ordinance en-
acted to license pawnbrokers, and also to
punish persons Of no visible means OF sup
bort, and that the Ordinance for licensing
pedlars is rather defective and should be
amended.
MILITARY AFFAIRS.
We have had two Military Companies
organized In this city within the past year,
one known as the "Ashtabula Light Artil-
lery" and the other as the "Ashtabula
1lgnt Uuhrus. Inc law requires bnaI the
city or township where such Military Com
panies belong shall furnish them suitable
armories, SC. In accordance with the
above provision Of the law, this corpora
ton has secured for said Companies, two
fine armories, at an annual expense OF
three hundred dollars, which is rather u
heavy load TO add to our other expenses; I;
and see no reason, either in law or equity,
why the township should not bear one-hail
OF this onerous burden. W. pay large