The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-04-23
MESSAGE.
Last State Paper Of Ex-Msyof Johnston.

We print below cepious extracts from the
last annual message Of Hon. G. w. G. Johnston
| as Mayor of Cincinnati. The document is one
of more than usual interest, and evinces a
thorough knowledge of the different subjects
and treated in an agreeable manner r-
The frst subject treated on by His Honor re-
lates to
RAILROADS.
The different lines Of suburban transit, as
well as the great Southern Road, is reviewed.
OF the latter he says. among other things,
the leasing plan appears the most feasible,
and is in general favor with the taxpayers and
the business community; and il fair contract
can be made, Wherein our interests will be sut-
iciently qua anteed, we shall then realize
something, to, In measure. compensate for Dur
vast outlay, .-H
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS. .4
This Is the most important of our municipal
bodies. How onerous their labors are can be
estimated by the fact that upon the present
poard devolves the responsibilities which
formerly were shared by twenty-nine members
Of the original organizations. .s
AS to street repairing he says: r. p.
The plan of repairing tile streets by contract
has not yet been fairly tested, but so far 1t
seems to be an improvement upon the former
system, as it Is a compulsory compact that the
| thoroughfares must be always kept in repair,
while, according to the old plan, the repairs
were limited to the mere outlay OF money
which CHANGED to be on hand, and which sell
dom or never was sufficient to complete the
necessary work.
ON the subject Of the Water works Depart
ment he says:
just here it will he in order to suggest the
| necessity Of a modification i'll the rate of water
rent. 1t has been held at exceptionally high
| prices, the charges being greater than IN many
places where the W ater-Works are not owned
| by the city. 1t is not only an oppressive bur-
then upon the citizens, but it operates with
4 damaging effect upon our business interest in
the development of our manufacturing ca
pacity, by preventing such establishments
| locating here, while In more than one instance
others have removed to where cheaper water
| facilities are provided.
CITY PROPERTY.
On this subject he recommends the mmedi-
| ate sale of the Pest-house Lot and better To-
cation selected. AS to the City Wharf proper
| ty he thinks that all save that between Main
and Broadway should be disposed Of at once,
and being placed on the tax duplicate would
| produce considerable revenue to the city. As
| TO the MarKley Farm, which was designed for
| Water-works purposes, he says that it shodld
| be sold at once as it has cost now nearly S 0O,-
0OO, and 1t will be several generations before it
| can be made available.
| POLICE AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.
| BY an enactment of The General Assembly
OF the State OF Ohio, this department. has un-
| dergone a total change. The contrJl OF the
| VI,
vested in a Board Of Commissioners, ap-
| pointed by the Governor Of the State, and thus
| the citizens Of Cincinnati are deprived of The
! right Of controlling a department In the main
| teDance OF which they are heavily taxed The
| five gentlemen upon whom, by the new order
| OF things, the duty has devolved, have been
| subjected 10 litigation by the city in conse-
queuce OF a constitutional question upon the
| legality of the act by which they hold their
positions, The case against them was tried IN
| the supreme Court OF Ohio, and after much
| vexatiol5 delay, decided against the city.
Subsequently the Commission was dissolved,
and then again appointed, and this, with other
interruptions, made it difficult TO perfect the
organization of force adequate to the &C.
| mands of city OF this magnitude.
The sanitary condition Of the city is excel
lent
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT..
We have had no serious fires during the
past year. The weli-dIsciplined force has
been prompt TO duty, anu faithful, fearless
and watchful in its performance.
The number OF alarms Of fire amounted to
349, Of which only six were false. The total
loss by fire was S343,SI5, the insurance upon
which was 1892, l3a. This was exclusive of the
goods destroyed at The Dayton Short-line
Depot.
There appears to be a great deficit of water
pipes thrOughOuta a considerable portion of the
city, there being less than one-half the amount
laid.
The remedy, however, is being applied as
rapidly as circumstances will admit. hile
upon this topic it would be an objectionable
omission to withhold well-earned need OF
praise to the Fire Alarm Telegraph, which ID
| as perfect as any in the country.
BOARD CT REVISION.
This Board was created by an act of the Gen
eral Assembly in the year 1859, and was in
| tended as relief to the City Solicitor, as well
| as for revising the acts Of the several Boards
| belonging TO the city government. Up to this
| time, however, 1t has not been fully organized,
in consequence of the City Council having de-
Iol; n1f e. riaEn a Ga FAn.
| the clerical work.
The number OF law cases pending at the be-
ginning OF the year amounted to 2S5. Tne suits
| commenced curing the year 160. Number of
| cases disposed OF 1877, leaving 2Sl cases upon
| the docket at the close OF the year. Among
| the most important was one against the Com
solidated Street Railroad Company, which was
| decided in favor Of the city. There was also
| O settlement of the |. q O. Railroad controver
sy, whicn it is hoped has proved satisfactory
| to all the parties.
The price charged for gas is reasonable
| cause Of complaint, and recognizing this, the
company, short time since. offered to reduce
| it, providing that pending the present con-
| tract a renewal should be had for prolonged
| term. This proposition WAS not accepted, and
| the original price, as per agreement ls still
maintained. 1t is, however, worthy of note.
| that the proposed reduction will not atIecu the
| city proper, to any great extent, as the con-
tract pertaining to the public lamps was
|
| the contemplated settlement of the gas ques-
tion is Of vital Importance, as the bills for the
/ municipal government, in the cost OF light,
| amount to nearly 81, 200 per day.
| The contract for the city'S portion now in
| existence can only be annulled by the pur-
chase, by the city, of the works, al alternative
which should be entertained as a asst resort in
| the endeavor to economic light ih behalf Of
| the city government, as well as the ciLiZens at
large. There is a wel-Iounded prejudice
against any such investment; experience
warns us of the burthens0me results of such
| municipal speculauOns. Several of the city
departments have partially solved the prob
lem by manufacturing their own gas, as for in
| stance the Cincinnati Hospital, the Work.
| house, and the City Infirmary.
| LITERARY AND EDUCATIONAL
| NO city in the United States can lay just claim
to more liberal educational provisions than
! this, and it is worthy OF self-gfatulation that
our march in this humanIziug direction ID still
progressing.
There are IN operation at this present time
| 20 District Schools, 4 Intermediate Schools, 2
| High Schools, Colored Schools, Mute school
| and u Colonies, or additional houses, making
in all total OF 50 buildings. In addition to the
| above educational facilities, there are sixteen
night schools held in certain Of the buildings.
| The employees necessary to the conduct Of
| every department Of such scholastic magnitude
amount to 628 persons male and female, while
| the total expenditure is ST25,U2U 1S. The num-
| Der Of pupils enrolled amount to 29,990. The
Mute School was established in this city by the
| HOnOrahla Henry RnrtIinR, TO whom great